Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. “No Brainer”
- As Congress continues work on a reconciliation package, Democrats know that they must deliver on one of voters’ most popular priorities: lowering drug prices. Democratic senators agree that allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices would offer relief to Americans struggling under high costs due to record inflation. All 50 Democratic senators support the comprehensive provisions from the Build Back Better Act. As Senator Joe Manchin says, lowering drug prices is a “no brainer.” Let’s get it done. — (NPR, The New York Times, New York Magazine)
2. We’re Speaking Loud And Clear
- Patient advocates called for lower drug prices on both the federal and state levels this week. In a story for the Deseret News, patients shared the difficult decisions they have been forced to make in order to afford their prescription drugs, including rationing medications to lower costs. In op-eds, type 1 diabetes patient Mindy Salango and AARP Delaware State Director Lucretia Young urged Congress to pass the drug pricing provisions in the Build Back Better Act to help patients afford their medications. And in the Bangor Daily News, a Maine resident calls on her state legislators to pass a bill that ties drug prices to those in Canada. Americans know this is the year we can achieve significant reforms for patients, and we’re not backing down until our lawmakers act. — (Deseret News, Newsweek, News Journal, Bangor Daily News)
3. New Year, Same Behavior
- This week, Moderna announced revenues of $18.5 billion from its COVID-19 vaccine in 2021, and the company expects even higher revenues this year at about $22 billion. Reminder: Moderna has admitted that 100 percent of the vaccine’s research and development was backed by government funding. Two years after the start of the pandemic, taxpayers are still paying twice for a vaccine we invented. — (FiercePharma)
One more thing: P4AD founder David Mitchell was named one of STAT’s 46 leaders and influencers in health and life sciences. Check out a full list of the influential individuals here.