WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now Executive Director Merith Basey issued the following statement in response to letters sent by President Trump to 17 major pharmaceutical companies regarding his Most Favored Nation drug pricing strategy:
“American patients deserve real relief from paying between four and eight times what other high-income nations pay for the very same brand-name drugs, and we welcome efforts to hold drug corporations accountable for their price-gouging and blame-shifting tactics. Yesterday’s letters make clear that the administration recognizes that drug companies are gaming the system to keep prices high here in the U.S.; however, the letters still leave far too much room for the industry to protect its profits while also raising prices for patients abroad.
Americans overwhelmingly understand that drug corporations are the root cause of high drug prices. And based on the industry’s track record, without proper enforcement and penalties, Big Pharma will exploit even well-intentioned plans to maintain its monopolies at the expense of patients.”
REMAINING QUESTIONS
- If only Medicaid is affected as outlined in the fact sheet, what is the plan for lowering prices for Medicare and privately insured patients? And how would the policy work when Medicaid’s Best Price is already lower than the MFN price?
- What safeguards are in place to prevent pharmaceutical companies from simply raising prices in other countries instead of lowering them in the U.S., potentially harming access to medicines overseas?
- Without new legislation or a clearly defined regulatory authority, how will the administration monitor and enforce compliance?
- How will the administration ensure that Direct-To-Consumer purchasing programs feature prices that are affordable to patients?
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Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, is the only national, patient advocacy organization focused exclusively on policies to lower drug prices. We empower and mobilize patients and allies, hold accountable those in power, and fight to shape and achieve system-changing policies that make prescription drugs affordable for all people in the United States. P4ADNow is bipartisan and does not accept funding from organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs. To learn more visit; PatientsForAffordableDrugsNOW.org.