Posted At DailyCollegian.com

BY : Gregg Brennan

The issue of prescription drug costs has never been hotter than it is today. At first glance, from the perspective of the college student, the issue of increasing drug costs seems far off our radar. It seems like it is the last thing to be thinking about, especially with the upcoming finals. Besides, most college students are healthy and don't need prescriptions right now, but what about later in life?

How many college students do you think have taken prescription drugs? The term prescription drug invokes names such as Cialis, Viagra, Vioxx (for arthritis) and Lipitor (for cholesterol). I personally don't know any college student who takes Viagra, but I do know a lot who take Accutane for acne treatment.

I bet you know someone currently taking a prescription drug, and I bet you at one time or another took a prescription drug. Prescription drugs should be an issue we are thinking about because it's a safe bet that sometime down the road, we will be taking a prescription drug in an effort to stick around as long as possible.

Prescription drugs have become a huge part of the everyday lives of millions of Americans of all ages. On the whole, everyone is taking more prescription drugs compared to the past, including the college student. We should be aware of the issues on prescription prices because everyone is affected by the high prices. For example, the company who employs your parent takes a larger portion out of their pay to cover increased cost of health insurance. The health insurance went up due to high prescription costs. With a lower disposable income, you might find yourself needing to work on the side because your parents are spending more on prescriptions.

So how high are prescription drug costs today? According to a study by the AARP published in USA Today by Julie Appleby, "the wholesale prices of 200 brand name drugs commonly used by Americans ages 50 and over rose 6.1 percent over a period of a year ending last June." To put this in perspective, according to Psychiatric News, general inflation (or the average increase in price of consumer goods) only increased by three percent in that same period, meaning that the price of prescription drugs increased more than twice the amount of other goods like pizza or beer. Wouldn't you be upset if pizza and beer prices increased faster than general inflation?

These high costs are by no means a new issue. Prescription drugs prices have been increasing faster than general inflation for years, but the issue has resurfaced due to price increases showing no limit. Like any business, the drug companies make drugs to make money. It's all about profits.

Being a college student, these issues don't seem to be life and death, but to many Americans they are. Most students rely on their parents for their income. I am one of them, and if I ever needed medicine, my parents would foot the bill. But, there are countless families and elderly people that simply can't afford these prices. They could be your grandparents, your parents or your family. If you are having trouble coping with the high prices, you should know how to cut costs.

The most publicized way to cut costs is by crossing the border into Canada. According to Canada's Medical Association Journal, Carol Roberts, a 2002 congressional candidate, ran TV ads giving information for ordering prescription drugs on the Internet from Canada: "'Our neighbors in Canada can buy the very same FDA-approved drugs for two to three times less than we pay,' said Carol Roberts." The easiest way would be switching to generic brands. These are the same drugs made under a different name because the brand names' patent expired.

In almost all cases, generics are cheaper than brand names. An article in the Wall Street Journal titled "Tricks of the Trade: Saving on Medicines," advocates "pill splitting." The article makes the claim that most drug prices are based on number of pills, not the size of the pill. According to the article, the trick is to buy the same drug at higher doses and cut the pill in half. This should give you the same medical benefit at lower prices. The article also points out to check with your pharmacist to ensure pill splitting will work for certain drugs.

None of these suggestions are solutions to the problem in America, but anything will help. The only way to solve the problem is for government action. The more noise the consumers make, the more likely the government will take action. So, believe it or not, the government is starting to get its act together. Thanks to public outcries and also according to the CMAJ, a majority of voters say they wouldn't vote for any senator who wouldn't fight for prescription drug benefits. The government is feeling the heat and starting to take action.

One way you can help as a college student is by simply becoming educated in this issue. Go out and do research on your own, form your own opinions and voice your views. Vote for candidates who advocate health care reforms including restrictions on the pharmaceutical industry. Students across the country have been known to be the loudest and most persistent activists on all sorts of issues. The sooner college students get involved in this issue, the sooner everyone will be able to afford prescription drugs.