Welcome to the Week in Review.

Fighting ORPHAN Cures in the Senate

As the Senate considers the House-passed reconciliation package, P4ADNow is urging lawmakers to reject the inclusion of the ORPHAN Cures Act — an unnecessary Pharma handout that would weaken the effective and popular Medicare Negotiation Program. At a time when nine in ten Americans want further action from Congress to lower drug prices and an overwhelming majority support giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices for every drug, including this policy that would reduce the number of drugs eligible for negotiation would be a harmful step backward. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that the bill would cost taxpayers $4.8 billion over the next 10 years. That’s nearly $5 billion in lost savings — not to support innovation or new treatments, but to allow drug companies to keep prices high for longer at the expense of patients. Americans know that Pharma is to blame for their high drug prices, and over the coming days, P4AD patient advocates who would be impacted by this legislation will be speaking to their Senators to express their strong opposition to the ORPHAN Cures Act. — [Axios, CMS, CBO]

The Tide Continues to Turn Against PBMs

Arkansas is taking on PBMs with its first-in-the-nation law barring PBMs from owning pharmacies in the state. The profitability of PBMs has risen in recent years as a result of vertical mergers between PBMs, insurance companies, and pharmacies, leading to higher prices for patients. Arkansas’ law represents a major step toward dismantling these vertically integrated monopolies that contribute to keeping prices artificially high. While PBMs claim to be utilizing their bargaining power on behalf of patients, they’ve simultaneously fought to ensure their rebate practices stay hidden from view. As Axios reported, “the ramifications are nationwide, with many other states weighing new restrictions, including prohibitions on steering business to affiliated pharmacies.” — [Axios, Axios, Reuters, Pharmacy Times]

Supporting Transparency in Drug Advertisements on Capitol Hill

On Thursday, Reps. Dave Taylor (R-OH) and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) introduced the Drug-Price Transparency for Consumers Act of 2025, companion legislation to the Senate version that would mandate pharmaceutical companies disclose the cost of their drugs in all direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising. This joins the growing trend against DTC Pharma advertising, after Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the bipartisan and P4ADNow-endorsed No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act last month. The U.S. is one of only two countries that allows DTC advertising for pharmaceutical drugs, and the least patients deserve is transparency on the cost of what’s being advertised to them. P4ADNow endorsed this bill, and is supportive of efforts to bolster transparency at all steps of the pharmaceutical process. — [Washington Examiner]

In Case You Missed It

This week, P4AD attended Latino Magazine’s LATINO 100 luncheon. Latino patients are more likely to report difficulty affording prescription medications, and Gallup polling earlier this year found that Hispanic adults are reporting the greatest increase in lack of ability to afford or access quality healthcare. P4ADNow is working closely with organizations and groups who serve the Latino community as part of our push to expand our community in the fight to lower drug prices. 

Subscribe to the WEEK IN REVIEW here.