The German health minister takes on the pharmaceuticals industry in a bid to cut medication costs

German Health Minister Philipp Rösler has threatened to force the pharmaceutical industry to lower their prices in a bid to help rein in spiraling costs. The 37-year-old says he's put together plans that would require drug firms to negotiate with public health insurers “as soon as possible” over the costs of new patented products. Price reductions for consumers could total some two billion euros in Europe's largest market for pharmaceuticals.