Welcome to the Week in Review.

P4AD and AARP Push Back Against Pharma’s EPIC Act

In an exclusive first reported by The Hill, P4ADNow and AARP sent a joint letter to top House committee leaders urging them to reject the EPIC Act (H.R. 1492) — a pharmaceutical industry-backed bill that would delay Medicare drug price negotiation for small-molecule drugs from 9 to 13 years. The move comes as lawmakers consider what to include in the upcoming reconciliation package, where the drug industry is pushing for the bill’s inclusion. The letter argues that if Congress wants to “align” timelines for biologics and pills, as President Trump recently suggested, it should do so at 9 years, not 13, to protect savings for patients and taxpayers. Blocking earlier negotiation would mean drugs like Eliquis and Jardiance, which were negotiated in the first round, would not be eligible, costing Americans billions in higher prices. – [P4ADNow, The Hill, Axios, AARP]

Pharma-Backed Patent Bills Return

Yesterday, Senators Thom Tillis and Chris Coons reintroduced two harmful bills — the PREVAIL Act and PERA — that would entrench pharma monopolies and block lower-cost competition. P4ADNow strongly opposes both bills, which would weaken key patent oversight tools and expand patent protections that keep drug prices high. Patients helped defeat these harmful proposals in the last Congress, and are ready to do it again. With 78% of voters saying drug companies are focused on profits over people, advancing these bills isn’t just bad policy — it’s bad politics. – [P4ADNow, Arnold Ventures]

Pharma Opposes Tariffs — They Prefer to Hike Prices Themselves

The Trump administration’s investigation into pharmaceutical imports has raised the possibility of a 25% tariff on drugs and ingredients. A new PhRMA-commissioned report warns tariffs could raise U.S. drug prices by nearly 13% and cost Americans $51 billion annually — but let’s be clear: drug companies set drug prices, and while we agree tariffs would drive up costs and threaten access, Big Pharma’s warning is more about protecting its bottom line than protecting patients. As P4AD’s Merith Basey told The Lancet Oncology, it’s patients who would suffer the most, facing higher prices, potential shortages, and threats to the progress made under Medicare drug price negotiation. – [Reuters, Consumer Affairs, Pharmaphorum, The Lancet Oncology]

Pharma’s Scapegoat: Inside the $31M Campaign to Shift Blame

A new Wall Street Journal article reveals how Big Pharma’s $31 million lobbying blitz last year, plus another $13 million in Q1 2025, helped shift blame for high drug prices onto pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). From funding minority-led nonprofits to underwriting conservative media campaigns, the piece exposes how drug companies are shaping the narrative to deflect scrutiny. It’s a calculated strategy that makes strange bedfellows — and while P4AD supports genuine reforms to rein in PBMs, it’s clear the drug industry is more focused on shifting blame and protecting profits than fixing the system. – [The Wall Street Journal]

ICYMI

P4AD released an open letter to our community – on the 100th day of President Trump’s second term – reaffirming our commitment to lowering drug prices. While Pharma ramps up lobbying and pushes carveouts like the EPIC Act, patients are organizing, fighting back, and driving progress. The fight continues.

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