By Jerry Bellune 
JerryBellune@yahoo.com
Hang onto your wallet.
Drug prices are going up this year despite covd-19 but partly due to inflation.
The bad news is that about 70 companies raised prices, according to a Rx Savings Solutions analysis.
The good news is that they have done it at a lower rate than recent years
The 3.3% average increase was higher than the 1.2% inflation rate for 12 months.
Advanz Pharma had the biggest increase, 31%, on its hypertension product Dutoprol. The drug is a combination of 2 lower-cost generic medicines that have been around for decades.
Pfizer, which makes a covid vaccine being given in Lexington County, had the most increases.
It raised prices 5% or less on more than 200 products.
Higher priced Pfizer drugs include Ibrance for breast-cancer, Xeljanz  for rheumatoid arthritis and pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar.
Pfizer said its increases were in line with inflation and needed for research.
Most affected were sterile injectable drugs, about a 3rd sold at or below manufacturing cost, Pfizer said
GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi are among the companies that raised prices on hundreds of drugs 3.3%. 
The industry usually sets prices in January and July.
The Wall Street Journal reported that prices for prescription drugs is growing but discounts and insurance rates are declining
Before the pandemic began a year ago, throwing millions of people out of work and hospitalizing thousands of others, more than 60 companies raised prices on hundreds of drugs by an average of 5.8%.