Drug Prices Are Rising. So Is Compensation for Pharma CEOs (1)

Pharma CEOs get paid millions while consumers are feeling the pinch of rising drug prices, prompting policymakers to question how drug companies spend their money.

It’s become a political issue for both President Donald Trump and Congress, primarily because it constitutes such a big chunk of the public’s health-care expenses. Spending on retail drugs will grow faster than hospital and physician spending over the next eight years, according to the government’s annual benchmark projections.

Seven drug company CEOs testifying before the Senate Finance Committee Feb. 26 on drug pricing collectively earned $139.8 million in 2017, the most recent year pay ...