Sen. Hatch on retail prices
Executive Summary
Utah Republican issues Aug. 10 statement retracting an earlier criticism of "excessive" retail markups. During the March Senate debate on Sen. Pryor's (D-Ark.) S 2000 ("The Pink Sheet" March 16, p. 3), "I inadvertently made a one-sentence statement that implied that one of the causes of drug price increases was excessive markup at the retail and wholesale level," Hatch explains. "In the heat of a spirited debate, I misspoke." Hatch adds: "I understand the increasing pressures on drug wholesaler and retailers as they strive to remain successful in today's often difficult economic environment."