Welcome to the Week in Review.

House & Senate Markups Advance Drug Pricing Reform

With two markups this week, the House E&C and Senate HELP Committees advanced three bipartisan, P4ADNow-supported drug pricing reforms. The Senate’s INSULIN Act (S. 4189) would establish a $35 monthly out-of-pocket cap for people with private insurance, and crack down on Big Pharma’s abuse of citizen petitions. In the House, the Stop GAMES Act (H.R. 8908) similarly targets citizen petitions, while the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act (H.R. 5526) would streamline FDA requirements on interchangeability — cutting unnecessary regulatory red tape that delays lower-cost biosimilars from coming to market. The Senate version of the Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act has also already passed favorably out of committee. Driven in part by sustained advocacy from the P4ADNow community, these bills advancing out of committee keep them in play for potential inclusion in broader legislative packages later this year. If enacted, these reforms would lower out-of-pocket costs for patients, curb pharmaceutical industry tactics that delay competition, and help bring more affordable alternatives to market. — [P4ADNow, P4ADNow, POLITICO, The Hill, POLITICO]

Big Pharma Leads 2026 Health Lobbying

Mid-year lobbying disclosures show the pharmaceutical industry once again dominating Washington, accounting for 42 of the top 100 lobbying spenders. PhRMA alone has spent nearly $20 million so far this year — more than $6 million ahead of the next highest spender — with major drugmakers Eli Lilly, Merck, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson also among the top ranks. Even in a relatively unproductive Congress, the pharmaceutical industry’s lobbying remains near record levels, underscoring the scale of its power. With roughly three pharma lobbyists per member of Congress, organizations like P4AD play a critical role as an independent counterweight — elevating patient voices without the influence of industry funding and pushing back against pharma-driven narratives. — [Washington Post, POLITICO]

P4AD Warns Against President Trump’s Generic Tariffs Plan

On Tuesday, President Trump announced his plans to instate a 100% tariff on generic drugs beginning in August 2028, with a planned increase up to 200% in 2029, one year after his term ends. Generics are one of the few areas where Americans pay relatively low prices compared with other countries. Tariffs of this magnitude could have enormous consequences — raising costs, worsening shortages, and putting access to lifesaving medicines at risk. If the administration intends to lower prescription drug prices, it should not pursue policies that threaten to raise them. Imposing massive tariffs on generic medicines risks making lower-cost options millions of Americans rely on more expensive and harder to access. — [P4AD, Truth Social, USA Today, TIME, Reuters, Common Dreams] 

Patient Advocate Spotlight: Elaine Kniepfel

Condition: Multiple Sclerosis

Drugs: Copaxone ($100,000/year) and Provigil ($8,000/month)

Background: Retired educator with 47 years of service as a teacher and administrator from Kansas

In Her Words: “Even with Medicare, the $2,000 cap is too much for retired people on fixed incomes. It’s abhorrent that drug companies charge so much to the people who need medicine most.”