The fall of former CEO Martin Shkreli hasn’t discouraged pharmaceutical companies from hiking up the prices of some of their medications. Share on Pinterest Ex-pharmaceutical chief executive Martin Shkreli is currently on trial for security fraud. But two years ago, as CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals, he gained notoriety by suddenly hiking the cost of the company’s lifesaving HIV drug by 5,000 percent. Despite the consumer outcry that followed, prescription drug prices have continued to rise. In fact, experts say, the problem has become more widespread, affecting even frequently used medications — not just specialty drugs. “Shkreli is a blimp in the bigger picture,” John Rother, executive director of the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing, told Healthline. “Not that many people were affected. But some other drug companies are raising prices and affecting millions of people.” Read more: Can President Trump really reduce prescription drug prices? »

Monopoly pricing Specialty drugs, which treat complex or rare chronic conditions, usually have the highest price tags. Why? They’re usually quite profitable and don’t have competitors, Rother said. For example, Orkambi, which is used to treat common forms of cystic fibrosis, has an annual price tag of $259,000. Ravicti, used to treat urea cycle disorders, costs $794,000 per year. And Lumizyme, used to treat another rare disorder called Pompe disease, costs $626,000 annually. Shkreli, a former hedge fund manager, used this playbook to raise prices on Daraprim. It was formerly a generic drug, and Turing Pharmaceuticals became its sole producer, said Rother. Because there are no caps on drug prices in the United States, price increases like that are legal. “Shkreli saw a monopoly position,” Rother said. It can take four years to get a drug approved by the FDA, Rother explained, so Daraprim had monopoly pricing power for that long. EpiPen maker, Mylan, is the newest company to face consumer wrath. It’s currently facing lawsuits for quickly raising prices for its epinephrine auto-injector. “It was cleverly designed to be a monopoly,” Rother said. Read more: Why some drugs cost so much »