WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now launched a six-figure Arizona ad today as part of its campaign to support legislation that would lower drug prices for Americans by allowing Medicare to negotiate. The new ad, which will run on Arizona cable and digital platforms starting today, features Phoenix patient advocate Iesha Meza, who lives with type 1 diabetes and depends on insulin to survive. In addition to the video, Arizona advocates are contacting their members of Congress to support passage of legislation to lower drug prices.
“When you have diabetes, insulin is like water — without it, you’ll die. Now imagine if water cost $300 a vial. I had to ration my insulin, and it almost killed me,” Iesha tells Congress in the ad. “Millions of Americans can’t afford the medicines they need to survive. That shouldn’t happen in our country. We need Congress to finally do something.”
Watch the full ad here.
“Arizonans are counting on their members of Congress to pass strong drug pricing reform that includes Medicare negotiation, which 9 out of 10 of Arizona voters support,” said David Mitchell, a patient with incurable blood cancer whose drugs carry a list price of more than $900,000 per year and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “As our ad says, ‘Patients across Arizona need Congress to let Medicare negotiate lower drug prices. The time is now.’”
Both SenatorSinema and SenatorKelly ran on a promise to lower drug prices, and Senator Kelly has sinceadvocated for passing Medicare negotiation legislation by including it in the reconciliation package.
On Capitol Hill, Senate and House leadership along with President Biden are working to craft a reconciliation package that has the support of all Democratic members of Congress. The current House version of the package includes H.R. 3, a comprehensive bill that allows Medicare to negotiate lower prices. Senate leaders are also currently drafting legislation that will allow Medicare to negotiate, which would deliver on the president’s Build Back Better plan under rules of reconciliation.
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is also continuing to run two nationaladsthat combat Big Pharma’s lies and scare tactics. These ads are part of a seven-figure campaign that includes digital ads running across a variety of websites and news outlets and congressional outreach, where patient advocates are contacting their members of Congress to demand passage of legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate. P4ADNow’s recent ads can be found here.
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