Big Pharma CEOs are flush with cash. A bill that would help patients afford medicine clears a key hurdle. A mother’s desperation to afford her daughter’s insulin goes viral.
Welcome to the Week in Review in drug pricing.
1. It’s all about the Benjamins ?
Case study: Jeffrey Leiden of Vertex used charity dollars to create the drugs that are now priced out of reach for thousands of cystic fibrosis sufferers. He made $78.5 million in 2017. — (Axios)
2. Donald, Bernie, and 92% of Americans Agree
Let. Medicare. Negotiate. It will lower drug prices and benefit us all. — (STAT)
3. As soon as dad turns his back…
Pharma’s going to raise its prices again. — (The Washington Post)
4. The story behind one mom’s call for help to afford insulin
Doreen Rudolph tweeted that she is desperate to help her daughter afford insulin. It went viral because the public wants lower drug prices now. But GoFundMe is no way to pay for drugs.— (The Washington Post)
5. A small but important hurdle
Congress says it wants to lower drug prices. A gag clause ban is one of just a few bills to clear a key hurdle in the Senate. — (STAT)
P.S.
We released a digital ad this week in support of Medicare negotiation.
Have a great weekend, everyone!