WASHINGTON, DC — Overwhelmingly and across party lines, voters want the Senate to do more to lower the prices of prescription drugs and support passage of the bipartisan Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act. Respondents resoundingly reject Big Pharma arguments that the legislation would result in worse care or that penalties for price increases above inflation are too high.
The survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted by the research firm GS Strategy Group for Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. It found Democratic, Republican, and independent voters are all much more likely to vote for a candidate who supports the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act. More than 4 out of 5 likely voters support the legislation, including 55% who strongly support the bill, and nearly three-fourths of respondents said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports its passage.
The Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act would rein in price gouging by penalizing corporations that raise their prices faster than inflation and cap out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs for people on Medicare.
Click here to read more results. Highlights of the survey include:
- 83% of voters support the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act: 87% of Democrats support the bill and Republicans support it by an 84%-to-7% margin.
- GOP voters want the Senate to lower drug prices: More than 85% of voters nationwide, including 81% of Republicans, want the United States Senate to take more action to lower the cost of prescription drugs.
- Voters reject pharma’s arguments in opposition to the bill. Under the bill, drug companies would have to pay a penalty if they raise prices faster than inflation.
- 83% of voters reject Big Pharma’s claim that inflation penalties are too harsh.
- 8 in 10 voters reject pharma’s scare tactics that penalizing drug corporations for hiking prices beyond the rate of inflation will impact patient care. In fact, 82% of voters believe the bill will have no impact or result in better care.
- Nearly three-fourths of all voters said they would be more likely to support a candidate for Senate if they supported the bill, indicating prescription drug pricing will be an issue voters pay attention to when they cast their ballots.
“Republican, Democratic, and independent voters across the country are demanding that Congress act to lower drug prices and overwhelmingly support the bipartisan Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and Medicare beneficiary, and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Voters reject Big Pharma propaganda and Americans want their Senators to side with them to lower prices and reduce out-of-pocket costs. They’ll vote on the issue come November.”
GS Strategy Group conducted the research March 7-11, 2020 among 1,000 likely voters nationwide. The margin of error is +/- 3.1% at the 95% confidence level.
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is an independent, bipartisan patient organization focused on policies to lower drug prices. P4ADNow does not accept funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.