Why Are Prescription Drugs So Costly in the US? | The Other Drug War | FRONTLINE Why are prescription drugs so expensive in the U.S.? In this 2003 documentary, which still resonates, FRONTLINE… went inside America’s decades-long fight over prescription drug costs. Through interviews with consumers, legislators, scientists, industry leaders and analysts, the documentary probed the tension between the high cost of scientific innovation and consumers’ need for affordable medications. It also examined the debate over whether federal and state governments should be involved in drug pricing and the legislative landscape at the time.