AARP: High drug costs hurting minorities

WASHINGTON, May 24 (UPI) -- The health of Hispanics and African-Americans in the United States is put at risk by high drug prices, the AARP said Thursday.

"High drug prices mean more than stressing a family budget," said John Rother, AARP director of public policy. "Too many people put their health and the health of their families at risk when they cannot afford drugs."

Forty percent of Hispanics and 38 percent of African-Americans said they had problems paying for drugs in the past year, according to a nationwide survey of 2,000 adults released by the association this week.

When asked about their ability to pay for prescription drugs over the next two years, 61 percent of Hispanics and 68 percent of African-American respondents expressed concern.

Nine in 10 minority respondents said they support legislation to lower drug prices, which should be a wake-up call to legislators, Rother said.