Ghosts, Ghouls, and Ghastly Drug Prices in Winning Halloween Haikus

1 month ago 13

If you dare, feast your eyes on this year’s winners of KFF Health News’ sixth annual Halloween Haiku contest. We received more than four dozen spooky submissions but only a few bubbled to the top of the cauldron. Here’s the winner and the top runners-up, illustrated by Oona Zenda. The judges’ favorites were inspired by blood shortages, high health care costs, and the eye-gouging price of prescription drugs. Keep an eye on KFF Health News’ social media accounts (X; Instagram; and Facebook) for more of our favorites. Enjoy!

1st Place

Vampires don’t scare me.

Empty blood shelves, now that’s fear.

Roll up, save a life.

— Crystal Decker

2nd Place

What spooks me the most

Is not a ghoul or a ghost

But steep health care bills.

— Sasha Zitter

3rd Place

No, not eye-gouging.

My costume is scarier:

Pharma price-gouging.

— Siri Palreddy

While Halloween may be coming to an end, KFF Health News reporting continues year-round. Send us your haikus at any time for possible inclusion in our Morning Briefing: https://kffhealthnews.org/contact-haiku/.