Patients For Affordable Drugs Now Endorses Bipartisan Legislation to Ensure Reasonable Prices for Taxpayer-Funded COVID-19 Drugs

WASHINGTON, DC — The following statement was issued today by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, regarding the introduction of the bipartisan Taxpayer Research and Coronavirus Knowledge (TRACK) Act and Make Medications Affordable by Preventing Pandemic Pricegouging (MMAPPP) Act.
 
“American taxpayers are fueling the research, development, and purchase of treatments and vaccines to fight coronavirus. Given that investment, we must receive transparency into how our money is spent and the actual costs to produce medicines. Prices for taxpayer-funded vaccines and treatments must be set fairly to ensure affordability and accessibility for all who need them, along with a reasonable return for the drugmaker. The two bipartisan bills introduced today aim to accomplish those public policy imperatives. Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is proud to lend its endorsement and will work to support enactment of these important bills.”

BACKGROUND

• The Taxpayer Research and Coronavirus Knowledge (TRACK) Act was introduced today by Representatives Doggett (D-TX), Rooney (R-FL), Schakowsky (D-IL), DeLauro (D-CT), and DeFazio (D-OR). The bill would create a comprehensive and user-friendly database of taxpayer investments into COVID-19 treatments and vaccines.
• The Make Medications Affordable by Preventing Pandemic Pricegouging (MMAPPP) Act was introduced today by Representatives Schakowsky (D-IL), Rooney (R-FL), Doggett (D-TX), DeLauro (D-CT), and DeFazio (D-OR). The bill aims to assure reasonable and affordable prices on COVID-19 treatments and vaccines and would: 
  • Require reasonable pricing for COVID-19 drugs by inserting reasonable pricing clauses in agreements between drug companies and the federal agencies funding drug research and development.
  • Establish transparency and reporting requirements for drug companies bringing COVID-19 therapeutics to market.
  • Eliminate exclusive licenses for COVID-19 drugs and allow other drug companies to produce those drugs as long as it pays the original drug company royalties.
• Taxpayers have been heavily investing in COVID-19 drug research and development through billions of dollars in BARDA grants. Currently, drug companies receiving taxpayer funds are able to bring these COVID-19 treatments and vaccines to market at any price.

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