WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now launched a new radio ad today as part of its campaign in West Virginia highlighting Senator Joe Manchin’s strong support for Medicare negotiation to lower drug prices and asking him to help pass the Build Back Better Act by the end of the year. The campaign includes a new 60-second radio ad, digital ads, and grassroots advocacy, in which patients write and call the senator directly thanking him for supporting Medicare negotiation and asking him to pass the Build Back Better Act, including the current provisions that will lower drug prices for West Virginians.

“In a time when Americans are facing higher prices for everything, we are very grateful that Senator Manchin is taking on astronomical drug prices by championing direct Medicare negotiation to lower prescription drug costs for people in West Virginia and across the nation,” 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. “We need Senator Manchin’s help to rein in prices of prescription drugs by passing the Build Back Better Act this year.” 

The ad launches following the release of drug price provisions from Senate committees on Saturday and the passage of the Build Back Better Act out of the House of Representatives last month. The Build Back Better Act includes legislation that will, for the first time, authorize Medicare to negotiate prices directly for some of the most expensive prescription medicines, including insulin; institute a hard cap on out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries; and limit annual price increases to stop price gouging by drug corporations. 

“It makes no sense at all that we don’t go out and negotiate. The VA does a tremendous job. Medicaid does it. Why doesn’t Medicare?” Senator Manchin says in the radio ad. The voiceover adds, “Senator Manchin supports Medicare negotiation – and to get it done, we’re counting on him to pass the Build Back Better Act before the end of the year. West Virginia patients can’t wait any longer.”

Listen to the full radio ad here.

All of P4ADNow’s recent ads can be viewed here.
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