Why the Same Eyedrop Is $20 in Europe but $800 in the U.S.

Why does the same eyedrop sell for about $20 in Europe and over $800 in the U.S.? This video explains the surprising business and regulatory choices behind that 40x price gap, and why it matters for your wallet. Watch through to the end to see the simple policy fix experts are proposing and how it would stop companies from turning safe, low-cost medicines into high-priced prescription products. Key takeaways:
One drug, two brand names, wildly different prices: about $20 OTC in Europe as Evoteers, sold in the U.S. as prescription Mebo for roughly $800.
Bausch & Lomb bought U.S. rights and chose a prescription pathway, turning a low-cost product into a high-margin one, with $172 million in first-year sales and forecasts above $500 million.
The drug’s decade-long OTC safety record in Europe raises the question whether the U.S. prescription route was medically necessary or simply a profitable strategy.
High list prices shift costs to insurers, which then raise premiums for everyone, so even people who use coupons indirectly pay more.
Practical fixes include requiring the FDA to automatically review drugs for OTC status if they are already sold OTC in other developed countries, plus retroactive reviews to close the loophole.
What do you think? Have you ever been hit by a surprise drug bill, or used coupons that seemed too good to be true? Share your story in the comments, and if you found this useful, like the video and subscribe for more explainers. This video has been generated automatically by AutoContent API - https://autocontentapi.com