Pete Buttigieg walks a tightrope on drug pricing

I chatted with Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg Monday about his sweeping new drug pricing plan. After seeing his plan, which includes using so-called “march-in rights” and potentially levying huge taxes on drug makers, I was expecting Buttigieg to rail on drug makers with the fervor of President Trump or Bernie Sanders. 

Instead, Buttigieg emphasized that some of the most aggressive policies in his plan would be deployed as matters of last resort. He emphasized that he wanted to work with the drug industry to lower its prices, and even that he wanted the industry to thrive. 

 “It’s up to the industry whether this is gonna have to be a war or not,” Buttigieg said. “But success for patients shouldn’t have to mean defeat for drug makers.”

My story on Buttigieg’s new plan is here and my interview with him is here.