This spring, the agency tried to restrain prices, only in California and only in times of emergency.

It is also that inexpensive imports are helping to restrain domestic prices by intensifying competition.

But the mere commitment of the government to take on the worst cases has helped calm the British insurance market and restrain prices.

Analysts said the net effect of Busch's policy for the industry was to restrain prices, rather than actually cut them.

"It is not a very comfortable place, particularly when some of your competitors are saying they are doing great things for America by restraining prices."

If market forces are to be the main mechanism for restraining prices, the market needs a lot more information than it is now getting.

Moreover, most areas that have cable television are served by only one company, so there is no direct competition to restrain prices.

At the same time, electric generators are scheduled to be freed from the caps that have restrained prices since the deregulation began.

But pressures to restrain prices are building and that may at least partly explain why pharmaceutical stocks have slipped.

Congress might eventually pass laws to restrain prices.