Welcome to the Week in Review.

P4ADNow’s Commitment to Lower Drug Prices Under New Administration

With the 2024 Presidential Election called for Former President Donald Trump, P4ADNow reiterated its commitment to addressing the high cost of prescription drugs through working with the incoming administration and the new Congress. As an organization representing patients of all ages from across all 50 states, we know the burden of drug costs transcends party lines and affects Americans nationwide. Though it is futile to attempt to predict what President-Elect Trump will do on this issue over the next four years, he has previously voiced support for Medicare negotiation and exploring the “Most Favored Nations” model. However, he backed away from those proposals, leaving it unclear how he plans to deliver on his campaign promise of lowering prices. Proposals from Trump-affiliated think tanks, such as the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) and the Heritage Foundation, provide a possible roadmap – one that at best misses the mark and at worst could raise prices and undermine patient access to treatments. AFPI is advocating for trade policies to counter perceived foreign “free-riding” and supports making more prescription medications available over the counter, as well as other state-level initiatives. Meanwhile, the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 – a framework of highly conservative goals for the Trump Administration – explicitly calls for rescinding the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This would roll back Medicare’s authority to negotiate drug prices, a measure supported by 85% of Americans, as well as the out-of-pocket spending cap and the inflation rebate program. In a statement Wednesday, David Mitchell, president and founder of P4ADNow, emphasized that we will vigorously defend the IRA and stand against any efforts to roll back these reforms – whether through legislative, administrative, or legal means. Nine in ten Americans believe Congress should do more to lower drug prices, and P4ADNow will work with the new administration and the new Congress to keep this priority front and center. Simultaneously, we will hold accountable those who made promises to lower costs and continue advancing policies to bring relief to patients across the country. — (P4ADNow, Politico, Inside Health Policy, KFF, P4ADNow)

CAR-T: A Breakthrough Treatment Hindered by High Costs

Since the approval of the first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in 2017, these groundbreaking treatments have transformed the landscape of cancer treatment, with six therapies now approved in the U.S. for 16 different indications. As awareness and demand for CAR-T therapies grow, so too have the challenges. The complex treatment process which currently takes several weeks, coupled with sky-high costs starting at $400,000 and often reaching seven figures, creates significant barriers to access for many patients. Efforts to reduce manufacturing costs and decentralize production models show promise in making CAR-T more affordable, but for now the price-tag remains a major hurdle. As Merith Basey, Executive Director of P4AD noted, “The conversation is currently about how we [are] going to pay for them, and not how we [are] going to lower the price.” As CAR-T becomes a more routine option, including potentially as a first-line treatment for certain cancers, it is crucial to prioritize efforts to bring down costs which is already a reality in countries like Spain and Brazil, helping to ensure equitable access for all patients. — (Managed Healthcare Executive)

ICYMI

Vertex has generated $2 million in revenue from its sickle cell therapy, Casgevy, after its commercial launch. So far the therapy is currently being administered to only 40 patients across 45 treatment centers. 

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