A doctor has revealed the costs of different medications in Australia, the US and Scotland – leaving social media users flabbergasted at the US healthcare system.
@drmichaelsays on Tiktok said the cost of a salbuthamol inhaler – commonly referred to as a blue inhaler – costs people in Scotland nothing, Australians $7AUD and people in the United States $77AUD.
He showcased other medications that were either subsidised or free in Australia or Scotland in the viral video that has been seen over 2.7 million times.
Another example is Atorvastatin, a medication that is used to lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease, which is priced at AU $6.70 or US$2,628 (AU$4032.67) and free in Scotland.
He then discussed Sofosbuvir, which is used to treat hepatitis C. The medication can cost up to US$84,000 (AU$128,923.58) if a patient does not have insurance, whereas in Australia the cost is capped at AU$31.60 (US$20.61) – and has also been given out for free.
“Oh my god,” he said in reaction to the five-figure cost.
“See, in Scotland and Australia there’s a socialist healthcare system which means that the government subsidises the cost of medications.”
Commentators revealed that they were shocked about the cost, with many Australians revealing that they would rather deal with the high tax rate and subsidised medicine over the costs that American patients and consumers must contend with.
“Aussie here, happy to pay extra tax to know that everyone can get medical care. It’s a human right,” one person said.
Another said “America is one gigantic scam,” while another felt that even though the Australian system is not perfect, they would have more rights in Australia.
“People in Australia cry over tax we have to pay,” added another. “On the other hand, free hospitals, cheap medicine, cheap doctors, family tax benefit, aged care, unemployment benefits, aged pension, carer payments, maternity leave, farmhouse allowances, disability support, youth allowance. The list goes on. Australia looks after its citizens.”
Healthcare in the United Kingdom is provided through the National Health Service, and responsibility for the management of the health service is delegated to the constituent nations of the UK, much like primary health is delegated to individual states and territories in Australia.
The video comes as President Trump’s administration seeks to impose tariffs on pharmaceutical companies that have not relocated their manufacturing base from overseas to the US.
But Chief Economist at the Australia Institute Matt Grudnoff said even the president was unsure about imposing the tariffs, telling news.com.au that politically, it could be a hard sell for Republican members of Congress heading into the midterms.
“If Trump imposes tariffs that increase the price of medicines in the US right before the midterm elections … I can’t see that happening for political reasons if nothing else,” he said.
“I think that Republicans facing re-election will be very keen for that not to happen and also Trump has been … talking about decreasing medicine prices and (if) medicine prices go up, that might be quite difficult politically for him.”
The Albanese government has stressed that in any tariff talks, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is not up for discussion, a position supported by the Coalition.