STATEMENT: Patients For Affordable Drugs Now Celebrates Historic Step Towards Lowering Drug Costs

CMS Takes On Big Pharma And Makes First Offers To Manufacturers Of The First Ten Drugs Selected For Drug Price Negotiation To Lower Prices For Prescription Drugs

Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, applauds the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as it takes the huge next step towards negotiating fair prices for essential medications. Today, CMS sent out its initial fair pricing offers to pharmaceutical manufacturers for the first 10 drugs selected for Medicare negotiations.
 
The 10 drugs chosen were identified as the top spending drugs covered under Medicare Part D without generic or biosimilar equivalents that have been on the market for at least seven years and also meet other selection criteria. These essential medications include cancer treatments, blood thinners, autoimmune disease treatments, and some diabetes drugs. Between June 2022 and May 2023, 8.3 million Medicare Part D enrollees used one or more of these medications. With 84 percent of voters backing Medicare negotiations, it’s clear CMS is doing work that is urgently demanded by the American public. 
 
Merith Basey, Executive Director of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, released the following statement:
 
“Patients For Affordable Drugs Now stands firmly in support of Medicare negotiation and efforts to curb the unjustified costs of prescription medications. We hear from patients everyday who are grappling with the crushing weight of exorbitant drug prices, forced to make impossible decisions between their health and financial well-being. We’ve listened to stories of people rationing insulin or other life-sustaining medications just to make ends meet. By advancing this process of direct negotiation with drug companies, CMS is helping ensure that fewer people will have to make these tough choices. Drugs don’t work if people can’t afford them, and today marks a historic milestone in the fight to lower drug prices for everyone.”

Background in Medicare negotiations:

• In 2022, Big Pharma charged Americans two to three times more than what they charged people in other OECD countries for the same drugs, even when accounting for rebates and discounts.
• For the first time in history, Medicare has the authority to negotiate prices for certain high-cost drugs, breaking a nearly 20-year ban on utilizing its purchasing power to secure better deals for Americans.
• The Medicare negotiation provision was established through the Inflation Reduction Act to lower the cost of expensive prescription drugs, rather than continuing to allow drug companies to raise prices indefinitely at will.
• Unlike every other sector in health care where Medicare sets prices such as doctor fees, hospital costs, and equipment, pharmaceutical companies have been exempt from any form of negotiation. Pharmaceutical companies have the option to participate in Medicare voluntarily. They can accept slightly lower negotiated prices if they want to tap that huge market worth billions.
• Negotiation will reward innovation. Factors such as therapeutic advances and meeting unmet needs will be considered in the negotiation process, rewarding more innovative drugs. Drug companies will continue to innovate to access this lucrative market, as they are rewarded for investment by still being able to set launch prices and maintain FDA-awarded periods of exclusivity.

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Welcome to the Week in Review.

1. Fighting Against Lawsuits To Stop Negotiations

On Wednesday, January 31st, oral arguments will be heard in AstraZeneca’s legal challenge against Medicare’s ability to negotiate the price of the company’s diabetes and heart failure drug, Farxiga. Amidst this legal battle, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now (P4ADNow) has thus far signed onto seven amicus briefs led by Public Citizen and supported by AARP, Protect Our Care, Doctors for America, and Families USA to support the government’s opposition and explain the harm high drug prices have on people on Medicare. Meanwhile, by February 1st, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are set to dispatch initial offers to the manufacturers of the first 10 drugs selected for negotiation. Drugmakers will then have 30 days to agree on the maximum fair price or provide a counteroffer. This next step marks a historic stride towards lower negotiated prices for millions of people on Medicare in 2026 and increased access to medications at prices they can afford.  — (O’Neill Institute, Public Citizen, ALM BenefitsPro)

2. Big Pharma Greed: Wheeling and Dealing

New figures show that drug corporations are pulling in record profits and have been cashing out on billion-dollar biotech deals. Johnson & Johnson, manufacturer of three of the drugs selected for Medicare negotiation, announced $4.8 billion in Q4 earnings which is nearly double their earnings from the previous year, according to Accountable.US. Sanofi, one of the big three insulin makers that monopolize the industry, announced a multi-billion dollar acquisition of a biotech company, making it the sixth drugmaker buyout valued at $50 million or more this year. Despite all the huffing and puffing from drug industry CEOs about recent drug price reforms slowing down investment, Big Pharma is making huge returns on drug sales and new drug development is doing just fine! In fact, a report published by S&P Global Ratings projects that the global pharmaceutical industry will have “healthy revenue growth through 2027.” It’s clear that drug corporations put profit over the well-being of patients and we’ll continue to expose their shady behavior until everyone can access medications at prices they can afford.  — (Accountable.US, Biopharma Dive, S&P Global)

3. Push For Competition

Big drug companies exploit our patent and regulatory systems to extend their monopolies and keep prices high, at the expense of patients. Big Pharma wields anti-competitive tactics like patent thickets and pay-for-delay deals to extend their timed monopolies and block competition from the market. Right now, there is a critical window of opportunity to pass legislation to curb these patent abuses and bolster competition to lower drug prices for all patients. These competition bills have critical bipartisan support from influential legislators: “Some of the most liberal Democrats in Congress and the House GOP’s lead budget writer are backing a plan to keep drugmakers from gaming the patent system,” wrote Axios reporter Peter Sullivan. Patients urgently need legislators to pass these reforms to curb anti-competitive practices and strengthen market forces to drive down steadily increasing drug prices. — (Chicago Tribune, Reuters, Endpoints, Axios)

Welcome to the Week in Review.

1. Pushing for Transparency

In the health care policy arena, the focus centers around the passage of the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act (HR 5378). With bipartisan backing, this legislation seeks to increase transparency and affordability in healthcare pricing practices. One important provision of the bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to streamline the approval process for generic drugs by mandating that the FDA explain to generic drug companies why their applications were not approved and therefore better enable them to address issues that might stand in the way of their future approval. If passed, this provision would not only help increase competition but is also projected to result in over $800 million in cost savings. Facilitating generic entry is a key step toward reshaping the pharmaceutical landscape to lower costs for patients. Ironically, current negotiations between the House and Senate underscore the lack of transparency in the dynamics themselves that are shaping healthcare policies for patients. (MoneyTalks News, STAT News)

2. Easing the Burden for People on Medicare

In a significant development for many people on Medicare, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act cap on out-of-pocket expenses for Part D drugs has gone into effect. This year, many individuals on Part D plans and who only take brand-name drugs will pay no more than $3,300 out of pocket annually for their medications, eliminating the 5 percent coinsurance after reaching the catastrophic spending threshold. The cap is expected to bring relief to approximately 1.5 million people, leading to substantial savings for patients. By 2025, the cap will further decrease to $2,000. In a piece from the Wall Street Journal, Patients For Affordable Drugs patient advocate Judy Aiken, who faced over $9,000 in out-of-pocket costs last year for her medication, Enbrel, expressed relief, emphasizing the positive financial impact of the cap on her well-being. David Mitchell, founder and president of P4AD, highlighted the remarkable savings this change brings and the crucial protection it offers to people on Medicare. These savings come at the same time as a notable escalation in list prices for a range of widely prescribed medications, including those by pharmaceutical giants like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. This is despite the outlier in some of the older and competing insulins which saw a January 1 price drop for some of their older competing insulins timed to avoid paying additional rebates and following years of patient advocacy to lower the price of insulin. (KFF, WSJ, P4ADNow, NPR, Forbes, WSJ, CNN)

BONUS: Public Citizen and AARP, both prominent advocates for lowering drug prices, have released reports this week. Public Citizen’s report emphasizes the pharmaceutical industry’s disingenuous opposition to drug pricing regulations, revealing that major drug manufacturers spent billions more on activities such as stock buybacks and executive compensation than on research and development. Meanwhile, AARP’s Rx Price Watch series provides a comprehensive analysis of prescription drug pricing trends, highlighting the staggering annual costs faced by Americans, particularly older adults, and the disproportionate impact on people on Medicare. These reports are important tools for the ongoing conversation on drug costs and the need for comprehensive reforms. (Public Citizen, AARP)

Welcome to the Week in Review.

1. Urgent Need for Drug Negotiations

• A recent report from The Commonwealth Fund underscores the issue at the heart of our work at Patients For Affordable Drugs: Americans are paying 3 to 8 times more for brand-name prescription medications than residents of comparable countries. For instance, diabetes treatment, Novolog Flexpen, is “$19.86 per unit after rebates, which is more than 3 times higher than Switzerland’s second-highest list price of $5.36”. This stark contrast, revealed in an analysis of the 10 drugs selected for negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act, emphasizes, once again, the pressing need for effective drug price negotiations to lower costs for patients. We know drugs don’t work if people can’t afford them. The new drug prices coming out of Medicare drug price negotiations, anticipated to be disclosed by September, carry substantial implications for healthcare costs among the millions of people on Medicare. Meanwhile, as Medicare prepares to continue negotiations in 2024, nine pharmaceutical companies are actively pursuing legal challenges to block the process and keep prices high. Oral arguments in the AstraZeneca case in Delaware will be heard on January 31st. (Commonwealth Fund, AJMC, Bloomberg, STAT, Georgetown University)

2. New Bipartisan Legislation Targets Patent Thickets

• Drug companies secure as many patents as possible to artificially prolong monopoly periods and deter competitors. These “patent thickets” can prevent competition for years, keeping prices high and drugs out of reach for patients. On January 11th, Senators Braun, Klobuchar, and Welch introduced bipartisan legislation in the Senate aimed at addressing patent thickets, a move that would limit pharmaceutical companies asserting just one patent per thicket in litigation. Patients For Affordable Drugs joins Protect Our Care to endorse this crucial legislation, recognizing it as a significant complement to other bipartisan bills, such as Cornyn-Blumenthal, currently advancing through the Senate. The endorsement underscores our commitment to ensuring that patents are wielded to encourage innovation rather than prolong unjustified monopolies and safeguard quality patents that improve existing drugs, benefiting patients, while lowering the litigation barrier for generics and biosimilars to enter the market. (i-MAK, S.3583, S.150)

3. Debunking Pharma’s Claims

• Amidst discussions at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, pharmaceutical stakeholders advocated for a 13-year grace period for small-molecule drugs (which currently have 9 years) before they are eligible for price negotiations, which would equalize the periods for small-molecule drugs and biologics, which currently have 13. However, if pharma wants incentives for all drugs to be equal, Congress should put them both at no more than nine years of exemption from negotiation, which is the current exclusivity period for small-molecule drugs. David Mitchell, P4AD founder and a cancer patient, challenged the pharmaceutical industry’s claims in an op-ed for STAT last year. Mitchell debunked the notion that the Inflation Reduction Act disadvantages small-molecule drugs, emphasizing that many drug companies continue to invest in small-molecule drugs due to their value. Biologics were given additional years of market and data exclusivity compared to small-molecule medicines because the pharmaceutical industry insisted on receiving seven years more market exclusivity for biologics than for small-molecule drugs when the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (which was included in the Affordable Care Act) was being structured. The Inflation Reduction Act achieves a fair solution for the benefit of patients with a balanced approach in incentives since both small-molecule and biologic drugs are crucial for the benefit of patients. (Biospace, STAT News, STAT News, FDA)

BONUS: Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, are investigating soaring asthma inhaler costs. The probe addresses the stark U.S. price disparities, emphasizing concerns for patients who often face high costs and rationing. The inhalers sell for hundreds of dollars in the U.S. but much less abroad. (The Hill)

Welcome to the Year in Review.

Over the last 12 months, our community has been at the forefront of amplifying patient voices in the fight to lower drug prices, fighting back against pharma lies, and advocating for bills that will increase competition and reduce patent abuses. From launching the Push for Competition with AARP alongside key allies to supporting the continued fight to ensure the successful implementation of the drug price provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, our daily efforts have centered on uplifting patient voices and holding those in power to account so everyone in the United States can get the prescription drugs they need at prices they can afford. Highlights from the year include: 

1. Patient Advocates Celebrating the Popular Drug Price Reforms

• Throughout the year, P4AD patient advocates led the charge in celebrating the impactful drug price reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act. From, Ginny Boynton sharing her story with President Biden about the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act provisions, to Steven Hatfield’s delivery of remarks during the announcement of the first 10 drugs for negotiation, to P4AD Founder and patient David Mitchell’s introduction of President Biden at the White House’s event at the National Institute of Health, patient stories have remained the cornerstone of our advocacy. Approaching the Inflation Reduction Act’s first-anniversary milestone, tangible benefits such as insulin copay caps, free vaccines, and inflation-based rebates underscore its concrete advantages for patients. In the face of Big Pharma’s misinformation, our advocates countered through insightful op-eds and discussions. David’s contributions to The Hill and Bloomberg Law’s podcast shed light on the longstanding ban on Medicare negotiation and the challenges patients endure due to exorbitant drug prices and why the drug law matters. Meanwhile, P4AD Executive Director, Merith Basey’s defense of the Act in conferences and interviews, along with Steven Hadfield’s feature in the Financial Times, emphasized the profound relief brought by Medicare negotiation, particularly evident in the implementation of insulin copay caps for crucial medications. Patient advocates including David Mitchell as well as Judy Aiken, Bob Parant, Lynn Scarfuto, Steven Hadfield, and Doug Lusty represented P4AD at 7 of the 10 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid patient listening sessions, sharing their struggles with high drug prices and countering the lies from pharma shills. These combined efforts epitomized the unwavering dedication of P4ADNOW advocates in dismantling industry resistance and championing the lasting benefits of these pivotal reforms alongside allies.

2. Push For Competition Launch And Building Momentum

• Competition in the pharmaceutical landscape is a direct challenge to Big Pharma’s long-protected monopoly, disrupting their firm grip over drug pricing. At the forefront of our organizing and advocacy efforts, this year has been our “Push for Competition to Lower Drug Prices”, headlined by a press conference in July alongside Senator Klobuchar. This push included a 6-figure digital ad campaign, featuring two powerful patient stories from Jacqueline and Lisa, culminating in over 20,000 letters sent and nearly 20,000 calls to Senate offices, echoing the voices of patients demanding legislation to combat pharmaceutical monopolies and prevent patent abuses that keep prices high. In November, along with 60 other organizations, P4AD and AARP sent a letter addressed to Senator Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Minority Leader McConnell, underscoring the urgent need for bipartisan reforms. Furthering this momentum, patient advocates including Lisa of Richmond, Texas, Sue of Crestwood, Kentucky, Pam of Granger, Indiana, Judy of Portland, Maine, and Jacqueline of Cedar Falls, Iowa, took their impassioned pleas to their representatives’ offices in a powerful display of grassroots activism. In other grassroots efforts, patient advocate Bob Parant’s op-ed in the New York Daily News and David Mitchell’s TIME op-ed alongside Tahir Amin of I-MAK emphasized the critical need for legislative action to counter Big Pharma’s monopolistic practices. Further as a result of the recent passage of the Lower Costs, More Transparency bill in the House, there is increased momentum for a comprehensive healthcare package in the Senate this month which presents an opportunity to pass a package of these bipartisan bills.

3.  Spanish Language Program Expansion

• Through a strategic collaboration with Jamii, we were able to bolster our multilingual outreach efforts to engage new and more diverse communities. This partnership was instrumental in launching a Spanish version of the Medicare Negotiation website and patient advocacy Hub, coinciding with the first anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2023. Acknowledging that Latinos, many of whom are Spanish speakers, are disproportionately impacted by high drug prices our goal was to ensure more patients across the country were not only made aware of these new provisions but could more easily understand how they will be able to benefit from them now and into the future. P4AD further expanded its multilingual reach, through releasing Spanish-language content that included Bilingual Organizer Jesse Aguirre’s impactful op-ed in El Planeta and other communications. We introduced 152 new patients to our community who have shared their stories about high drug prices in Spanish. 

4.  Reports Driving Change

• P4AD’s relentless research efforts continued to drive toward critical policy change throughout the year. Our updated “Hidden Hand” report – Hiding in Plain Site’ illuminated the drug industry’s ties to three so-called “patient advocacy groups”: The Haystack Project, No Patient Left Behind, and the Community Oncology Alliance which operate to boost the power and profit of the drug industry. 
• Additionally, our comprehensive report on “The Burden of Cancer Drug Prices on Patients” was lauded, including by the White House, for spotlighting the profound impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on prescription drug prices and patients living with cancer.

Meanwhile, keeping pace with the ongoing developments, here’s a snapshot of the latest events in the world of prescription drug pricing.

1.  Capping the Cost of Insulin

• This week saw another step forward in the ongoing battle for more affordable insulin for millions of Americans. Sanofi, aligning with announcements in 2023 from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, finally put a lid on the monthly out-of-pocket costs for its most popular Lantus insulin, capping it at $35. It’s a stark reminder that claims from major drug companies about their inability to lower prices are false. These corporations have arbitrarily maintained high prices in the US for years, prioritizing profits over people’s lives. Despite a decade of advocacy from insulin activists and increased pressure as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, this initiative by the Big 3 does offer a new glimmer of hope for those grappling with the outrageous costs of this crucial medication. (Axios, USA Today, The Copper Courier) 

2.  Importing Rx From Canada

• The FDA’s approval of Florida’s plan to import cheaper prescription drugshighlights the pressing issue of exorbitant drug prices in the United States. While this move offers some relief, it’s not a comprehensive solution. Relying solely on state-by-state importation from Canada isn’t feasible as it’s not a sustainable way to meet the nation’s medication needs. The limitations include Canada’s inability to supply the entirety of the U.S. demand and the pharmaceutical industry’s reluctance to supply Canada adequately for further exports to the U.S. It’s clear that we require federal-level solutions to address this issue comprehensively. Expanding Medicare negotiation and implementing reforms to curb drug companies’ patent system exploitation, which stifles competition and maintains high prices, are essential. While the Inflation Reduction Act marked a critical step, more federal actions are necessary. Bipartisan bills in Congress have gained significant public support and offer potential pathways toward achieving widespread and enduring price reductions for all Americans. (FDA, New York Times)

On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration cleared the way for Florida to become the first state in the country to import prescription drugs from Canada. The following statement was issued by Merith Basey, executive director of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now in response to the decision: 

“The FDA’s approval today of Florida’s plan to import cheaper prescription drugs is yet another reflection of the fact that drug prices in the U.S. are simply too high and Americans need relief. Unfortunately, state-by-state importation from Canada is not a workable solution for all of us who need lower prices. Canada can’t supply all our drug needs and the pharmaceutical industry won’t ship Canada enough drugs to turn around and send them to the U.S. The Canadian government is not going to send drugs to the U.S. if it creates shortages in Canada. We need workable federal solutions that will lower prices for everyone in the U.S. like expanded Medicare negotiation and reforms to stop drug company abuse of our patent system that blocks competition and keeps prices high for all of us. The Inflation Reduction Act was a historic start but there is more work to do. There are bipartisan bills in Congress right now that would move us forward and enjoy overwhelming public support.”

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Welcome to the Week in Review.

1. Pharma’s Legal Assault on the Inflation Reduction Act

• The pharmaceutical industry’s opposition to the new Medicare drug negotiation program introduced via the Inflation Reduction Act was back in the news this week. The continued legal assault on negotiating lower drug prices for patients reveals a familiar pattern: prioritizing massive profit margins over the affordability of life-saving medications for Americans. Large pharmaceutical corporations are using whatever avenues available to protect their financial interests rather than reduce drug prices for patients. The Department of Justice’s dismissal of these challenges this week highlights the Inflation Reduction Act’s constitutional backing and Congress’s authority to enact measures to address exorbitant drug pricing. Yet, the ongoing legal battles underscore the industry’s persistent efforts to manipulate systems to their benefit and their willingness to do whatever it takes to maintain a monopoly chokehold on medicines priced in the United States. In our commitment to supporting fairer drug pricing, Patients For Affordable Drugs endorsed two amicus briefs this week as part of our ongoing efforts in defense of the Inflation Reduction Act and support of lower drug prices for patients. And in 2024, get ready for an exciting announcement from us about a new patient-centered strategy set to shake up the status quo in favor of lower drug prices for patients across the country! (Inside Health Policy) 

2. AbbVie’s Tactics Highlight Need for Pharmaceutical Reforms

• AbbVie’s relentless pursuit of market dominance for Humira continues to yield staggering profits at the expense of patients. The company’s efforts to maintain revenue by stifling competition through patent manipulation have drawn intense criticism, highlighting the controversial tactics prevalent among pharmaceutical giants to maintain their monopolies. These practices are emblematic of wider issues in the pharmaceutical industry and underscore the need for reforms aimed at preventing such abuse and fostering a more competitive and fair marketplace. The recent passage of the ‘Lower Costs, More Transparency Act’ in the House reflects increasing momentum toward a comprehensive healthcare package in January, where reforms aimed at tackling patent abuses and fostering competitive markets could be included. This recent op-ed by patient advocate Bob Parant in the New York Daily News similarly urges further action from Senator Schumer on these competition bills. Additionally, our community at Patients For Affordable Drugs is once again ramping up calls and letters into Senate offices, amplifying the push for these competition bills, reflecting a groundswell of support for addressing these critical issues. (Forbes, MedCity News, Politico, New York Daily News) 

3.  Rising Healthcare Costs and the Push for Affordable Medications

• In 2022, retail spending on prescription drugs surged, accounting for about 9% of total healthcare spending and reaching $405.9 billion—an 8.4% increase from 2021, following a 6.8% growth in 2020. The Biden administration has aimed to curb some of these escalating retail drug prices through the reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act, but also through the recent announcement that the administration could break the patents on drugs funded by taxpayer money if their prices prove excessively high, and highlighting agencies have the right to “march-in” if a drug isn’t reasonably available or affordable—a critical detail and an extra too use in the battle for fair drug pricing. (Idaho Capitol Sun, White House Fact Sheet) 

Patients For Affordable Drugs will be closed through January 1st. Wishing you peaceful and restorative holidays and we look forward to sharing some exciting new updates in the New Year! 

My name is Grace Shults, I am 23 years old, and I am from Columbus, Ohio. 

My story with high prescription drug costs started when I was just a teenager in high school. I had gotten really sick all of sudden and went undiagnosed for years, which only until later revealed I had Lyme disease – I was puking all the time and easily got sick – It wasn’t until recently that I was also diagnosed with gastroparesis, a disorder that slows or stops the movement of food from your stomach to your small intestine. Because of these health issues, I’ve had to take antibiotics and a drug called Motegrity, which after partial insurance coverage, has been an issue to afford. 

I grew up in a single parent household, where my personal health issues were essentially the big elephant in the room while my mother constantly scrambled financially. Though I thankfully was covered under my father’s health insurance plan and still am today, having ongoing medical issues was a financial burden that has caused undue stress for years.

Personally, the combination of Lyme disease, gastroparesis, and the other health issues it has created for me does not make life any easier. Because of my symptoms, there were times I was not eating or simply could not get myself to eat because of the pain I would later undergo. After trialing a couple of medications, I successfully landed on Motegrity, which has a list price of $505.40, which has provided consistent relief thus far at a cost of $165 per month out-of-pocket. Along with my other medications that I need, I pay on average $250 a month and try to get as many free samples from my doctors that I can. I consider myself disabled because of my health condition, am currently in school studying psychology and work remotely part time, which makes affording my medications a lot harder than most would think. 

Socially, my life has also been impacted by the interconnection of my health and the medications I can afford. To put it simply, my social life is contingent on my health. I feel as if I do not have as many friends anymore while it is difficult to maintain a good social life while experiencing the many debilitating symptoms I confront on a regular basis. I am 23 years old and I should not feel alone in this way. 

When faced with the question of why I believe in more affordable drugs, my answer is straightforward. I care because people need these medications to function. Affordable healthcare is not a privilege, it is a basic human right. We, the people, are not asking for crazy ludicrous things from society, we simply are asking for affordable medications to function in our society and live comfortable lives. I have seen family members before me struggle with affording their medications and now join them in this hurdle; it should not be this way at all. If Big Pharma made prescription drugs more affordable, they would still be profiting billions of dollars, all the while people would die and their health would decline. 

Whenever I would imagine my future life, I never thought public health was for me, but my story has motivated me to pursue a career in this field. It is time for lower prescription drug prices.