My name is Kris Garcia and I’m from Denver, Colorado. I have four bleeding disorders, asthma, and several allergies. Having multiple bleeding disorders, including hemophilia, leaves me in a constant position of uncertainty. I have to be incredibly careful, as any emergency can quickly turn into both a health and financial crisis. Since cauterization is more difficult with my bleeding disorders, I rely on Humate-P should an emergency occur. But the astronomical cost of these drugs only increases the stress of an emergency. Each vial of Humate-P costs $10,000, and for each infusion, I would need four vials.
I shouldn’t have to live in constant fear of a medical emergency also bringing financial ruin to me and my family. These astronomical drug prices have affected decisions in my life and have created a fear of financial ruin. Manufacturers get tons of government funds to produce drugs, but still profit off their patents and charge us unreasonable prices. We need changes to reduce these unaffordable prices so that people like me don’t live in a state of constant fear of whether we’ll be able to access our prescriptions.
2023 is looking brighter than ever between Rihanna at the Superbowl and the $35 insulin copay caps for Medicare beneficiaries.
Welcome To The Week In Review (a day early, as P4AD is closed today).
On Tuesday, patient advocate Bob Parant, a Medicare beneficiary who lives with type 1 diabetes, shared his story about the high price of insulin at the White House, where he introduced and thanked President Biden for lowering drug prices with the Inflation Reduction Act. Bob lives in New York and takes the insulin Humalog, which costs him $300 out-of-pocket every 90 days. “Insulin cost is inhumane,” Bob shared ahead of introducing the president. “But thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, the reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act will save me, and millions others, hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of dollars a year. The Inflation Reduction Act will allow me to do things I cherish – be able to travel to see my grandkids and also worry less about depleting my retirement savings.” During his remarks about lowering health care costs, the president shared, “From now on, if you’re on Medicare and you have diabetes, the cost of insulin can be capped at $35 a month per prescription – Bob just told you what a difference it’d make and is gonna make in his life.” President Biden also committed to continuing to fight to extend the reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act to more Americans. We are grateful to Bob for sharing his story and to President Biden for continuing to fight for patients. — (P4ADNow, Spectrum News)
2. Drug Reforms Bring “Peace Of Mind”
Patients and advocates across the country continued to celebrate the life-changing drug price provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that will bring relief to Americans. “With the health provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act comes the peace of mind that I will be able to afford my prescription medications and be one step closer to retiring,” shared Bernetha Patterson, a Georgia Medicare patient who lives with Type 2 diabetes. Steve Zuelke, a patient in Nevada, wrote, “A wealthy CEO is not worried about drugs costing $2000 a month. But for a working-class person? That price tag can be the difference between paying their utility bill or refilling a monthly prescription.” In Pennsylvania, AARP’s state director explained how the Inflation Reduction Act’s drug price provisions prove to be “a historic victory, and it couldn’t come at a more needed time.” And Washington’s AARP state president wrote, “For the first time in decades, Big Pharma’s relentless grip on their wallets, medicine cabinets and peace of mind will begin to be pried loose.” — (American Independent, Nevada Current, Penn Live, 3rd Act Magazine)
3. Pharma Putting Profits Over Patients
Big Pharma won’t stop at anything to drive up profits. In the latest pharma settlement, Biogen is accused of paying kickbacks to doctors over a five-year span to boost sales of its multiple sclerosis (MS) drugs. This week’s $900 million deal was the second lawsuit the company has faced for trying to boost MS drug sales through unethical schemes. Last year, Biogen settled a $22 million deal in which they were accused of giving Medicare patients illegal copay assistance in an effort to drive more patients toward their MS medications. A new report released from Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego examined Big Pharma’s notorious claim that high research and development costs necessitate high drug prices in the United States. The results? Researchers found no link between the two. As usual, it’s more fear mongering from Big Pharma – but patients know the industry only cares about lining its executives’ pockets, period. — (Fiercepharma, EurekaAlert!)
Bob Shared His Story About High Insulin Prices At White House Event Highlighting President Biden’s Work To Lower Health Care Cost
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patient advocate Bob Parant, a Medicare beneficiary who lives with type 1 diabetes, shared his story about the high price of insulin at the White House today where he introduced and thanked President Biden for passing the Inflation Reduction Act and lowering insulin costs for Medicare beneficiaries. The president delivered remarks about lowering health care costs through the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law last month.
Bob, a New Yorker who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 50 years ago, takes Humalog – which costs him $300 out-of-pocket every 90 days. He explained that the price of insulin has increased by over 600 percent in the last 20 years.
“Insulin cost is inhumane,” Bob shared ahead of introducing the president. “But thanks to President Biden and Democrats in Congress, the reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act will save me, and millions others, hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of dollars a year…The Inflation Reduction Act will allow me to do things I cherish – be able to travel to see my grandkids and also worry less about depleting my retirement savings.”
The provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act will, for the first time, allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, curb drug company price gouging by limiting annual price increases to the rate of inflation, cap out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Part D beneficiaries at $2,000 in 2025, and limit monthly insulin copays to $35 per month for Medicare enrollees starting next year.
“From now on, if you’re on Medicare and you have diabetes, the cost of insulin can be capped at $35 a month per prescription – Bob just told you what a difference it’d make and is gonna make in his life,” said President Biden at today’s speech. “We pay more for prescription drugs than any other advanced nation in the world and there’s no good reason for it. For years, many of us have been trying to fix this problem. But for years, for years, Big Pharma has stood in the way. Not this year – this year the American people won and Big Pharma lost.”
“We are grateful to Bob for sharing his story today and to President Biden for continuously elevating the voices of patients,” said Merith Basey, Patients For Affordable Drug Now’s executive director. “Beginning in 2023, millions of people like Bob who are on Medicare will begin to feel some much needed relief as monthly insulin copays are capped as a result of the historic Inflation Reduction Act. Rest assured that we will keep fighting to lower drug prices for everyone – including the uninsured and those who have insurance in the private sector.”
Watch Bob’s remarks and the president’s full speech here.
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What do drug prices and leaves have in common? They both are getting ready to fall. ?
The Week in Review in Prescription Drug Pricing
Welcome, Merith!
We’re thrilled to welcome Merith Basey as our new executive director here at P4AD! Her arrival comes at a key moment when sweeping reforms to the U.S. drug price system are being implemented and advocates are turning to other key policies to ensure patients and all Americans can afford the drugs they need. “Our number one challenge will be that the pharmaceutical industry is not going to quit overnight,” Basey told STAT in an interview. “They’ve spent hundreds of millions of dollars to prevent Medicare negotiation, and we know that Patients For Affordable Drugs won’t be stopping either.” In a video, Merith also shared her commitment to health equity, which began nearly two decades ago working alongside young people living with type 1 diabetes in Ecuador. “I believe that no one should be poor because they are sick, and nobody should be sick because they are poor,” she shared. “Merith brings extensive knowledge and skill,” our founder David Mitchell stated. “She is a great fit for our organization and will add fresh perspectives that will strengthen us for the future.” — (STAT, P4AD Twitter, P4AD)
2. Celebrating Wins For Patients
MembersofCongress, academics, advocates, and patients continued to celebrate how the drug price reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act will help patients afford their medications. “After years of candidates going out on the campaign trail and telling America that the cost of prescription drugs were too high, we finally did something about it,” Senator Durbinremarked. Senator Baldwin said, “This is real, life-changing relief for working families.” Rep. Golden shared, “Reducing government spending on health care through prescription drug negotiations… is going to put downward pressure on inflation.” Advocatescelebrated the historic win, saying, “For the first time in decades, Big Pharma’s relentless grip on their wallets, medicine cabinets and peace of mind will begin to be pried loose.” Brenda Dickason, a retired Tucson police detective and teacher and small business owner, explained how she’s had to make tough choices in order to afford her medication. Brenda told PBS, “So I have to make a choice: Do I go without the EpiPen, or do I buy supplies I need for my job?” The Inflation Reduction Act will provide relief from high prices to millions of patients like Brenda. — (The Filipino Chronicle, Modern Healthcare, Bitterroot Star, Stanford Law School, Senator Durbin, Modern Healthcare, WMTW, Michigan Chronicle, Finger Lake Times, The Daily Sentinel, AZ PBS)
3. Big Pharma Shenanigans
Bluebird bio broke its own drug pricing record this week after a green light from the FDA for a gene therapy called Skysona. The new record? $3 million per treatment. Skysona is the latest drug in a new trend of specialized gene therapies coming to market at outrageous launch prices that put profits ahead of the needs of patients and the ability of our system to pay. Big Pharma is up to no good with its old drugs too, abusing the patent system to keep drug prices high for patients and to line the industry’s pockets. As Novartis prepares for generic alternatives to its multiple sclerosis drug Gilenya to come to market, the company plans to ask the Supreme Court to take up its drug patent case after an appeals court deemed a Gilenya patent invalid. “If generics launch this year, Novartis expects a $300 million hit to its 2022 revenue guidance,” FiercePharma reports. In an op-ed, Professor Michael Carrier describes a new loophole in the system that Big Pharma is using to maximize profits and keep generics from coming to market. A new ruling puts drug companies in a catch-22, forcing a choice between infringing on the patent or breaking federal drug labeling mandates. “Other generic makers are unlikely to take the same risk against patent holders, leaving patients paying monopoly prices on what ought to be off-patent drugs,” Carrier explains. “These results harm the most vulnerable patients who may not be able to afford high-priced brand drugs.” The common thread throughout? Bigger profits for pharma and high prices for patients. — (FiercePharma, Reuters, FiercePharma, Los Angeles Times)
Basey Has Devoted Her Career To Ensuring That Life-saving Medications Are Affordable And Accessible For All Who Need Them
Merith Basey, MSc, has been named executive director of the bipartisan advocacy organization, Patients For Affordable Drugs and its sister organization Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. Basey arrives at a key moment when sweeping reforms to the U.S. drug price system are being implemented and advocates are turning to other key policies that require improvement to ensure patients and all Americans can afford the drugs they need.
“I believe that no one should be poor because they are sick or be sick because they are poor,” Basey said. “This new position enables me to continue my lifelong work in support of that long held belief.”
“There is no doubt that the landmark drug price provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act will help improve the lives of millions of Americans. Ensuring both the effective and timely implementation of the law will, of course, be critical,” continued Basey. “Looking forward, there are other key areas of the drug price system that must be tackled: patent reform, ensuring PBMs actually benefit patients, and fair launch prices for new drugs. Cell and gene therapies are coming to market with price tags as high as $2.8 million. Many more therapies of this type are in the pipeline for diseases like sickle-cell anemia, and exorbitant prices will be barriers to access for communities that need them the most.”
Basey was selected after an extensive months-long search process. Her commitment to health equity began nearly two decades ago working alongside young people living with type 1 diabetes in Ecuador. Her formative grassroots organizing combined with a master’s degree from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine motivated her to co-found the 100 Campaign in 2012, aimed at reframing the narrative around insulin access as a human rights issue and reducing the barriers to access.
“We are very pleased to have Merith step into this role to lead an extremely talented team of professionals who have already shown how to organize and mobilize patients to stand up, tell their stories, and demand change,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder and president of Patients For Affordable Drugs. “Merith brings extensive knowledge and skill in movement building, advocacy, prescription drug development and policy, and not-for-profit management, along with strong academic preparation. She is a great fit for our organization and will add fresh perspectives that will strengthen us for the future.”
Most recently, Basey has spent eight years as executive director of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM), an international, student-driven organization that seeks to improve access to and affordability of life-saving medicines researched and developed at universities. In March 2020, she launched the Free the Vaccine for COVID-19 campaign via UAEM and, in conjunction with the Center for Artistic Activism, advocated that COVID tests, treatments, and vaccines be sustainably priced, available to all, and free at the point of delivery.
Patients For Affordable Drugs is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. It is the only independent national patient organization focused exclusively on policy changes to lower prescription drug prices.Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is a not-for-profit 501(c)(4) organization focused on advancing policies to lower drug prices. Both are independent and bipartisan and neither accepts funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.
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The Week in Review in Prescription Drug Pricing
A world with lower drug prices for all? I want to be a Part Of That World. Welcome To The Week In Review.
“The American People Won, And Big Pharma Lost”
President Biden hosted an event at the White House this week to celebrate the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes historic drug price reforms that allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices, cap out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Part D members, and curb drug company price gouging. “This year, the American people won, and Big Pharma lost,” the president said to the crowd of legislators, advocates, and activists. Among them was P4ADNow’s David Mitchell and AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins, who fought on behalf of patients waiting for relief from high prescription drug prices. Members of Congress continued celebrating in op-eds outlining the monumental impact this law will have on patients. Rep. Spanberger wrote, “The Inflation Reduction Act moves our Commonwealth substantially closer to a stronger, healthier, and more affordable future — one that benefits Virginia’s seniors, not just the pharmaceutical companies.” — (KOAT, P4ADNow Twitter, David Mitchell Twitter, AARP, Seacoastonline, The Gettysburg Times, The Free Lance-Star)
2. Exposed: Patent Gaming
I-MAK released a new report, Overpatented, Overpriced: 2022, that highlights the extent of drug company abuse of America’s patent system and the impact of these anti-competitive behaviors on patients. Our patent system is meant to reward innovation by granting drug companies a time-limited period without generic competition. After that period, generic drugs are intended to come to market, creating competition, and driving down prices. “But drugmakers often extend their patents by making small tweaks to the drugs, sustaining their monopolies for several years,” reports NBC. “The excessive use of the patent system — by drugmakers Bristol-Myers Squibb, AbbVie, Regeneron and Bayer — keeps the prices of the medications at exorbitant levels, often at the expense of American consumers.” When drug companies abuse the U.S. patent system to keep prices high, patients suffer. The report demonstrates the importance of reforming our patent system to bring an end to drug company abuses and lower prices for patients. — (I-MAK, NBC)
3. ?Pandemic Profiteering?
Big Pharma keeps finding ways to profit off the pandemic. Moderna announced this week that it may seek to raise the price of the company’s COVID-19 vaccine to $100 per dose. That would be almost six times more than what the U.S. government initially paid for doses of the vaccine. And remember, taxpayers paid for the development of Moderna’s vaccine by investing billions of dollars in mRNA research prior to the pandemic and then underwriting 100% of the company’s research and development of the COVID-specific vaccine. Meanwhile, Moderna’s profits are soaring, with the company aiming to hit $13 billion in annual U.S. COVID vaccine sales. The U.S. government and taxpayers stepped up and this is how Moderna repays us; it’s despicable. — (Endpoints)
4. Polls Are In: Big Pharma Is Out
Two new polls released this week confirm what we already know – the public has a negative opinion of Big Pharma and the U.S. pharmaceutical system. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research’s poll shows that nearly 75 percent of American voters think prescription drug costs are handled poorly in the United States. And Gallup’s new poll reveals that over the last year, Americans’ views of the drug pricing industry have dropped six points, even as Big Pharma has tried to rehab its reputation amidst the pandemic. Americans know the truth: Big Pharma is taking advantage of patients. — (AP, Gallup)
5. Inflation Reduction Act’s Impact
This month, P4AD launched a campaign highlighting the drug price provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act and how they will help patients. First, we took a look at how the new law requires Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies for lower prices. This may help patients like Steven, who takes Januvia, an expensive drug with a list price of $521 a month that could be eligible for Medicare negotiation. Second, we dove into the $2,000 annual out-of-pocket cap for patients on Medicare Part D that will help more than 1 million Americans every year. This reform will save patient advocate Jackie tens of thousands of dollars on the cancer drugs keeping her alive. “The $2,000 out-of-pocket cap would be life-changing for me and my husband,” Jackie shared. “We could finally replenish our savings account and do things we have been putting off like seeing the dentist; and I won’t have to worry about leaving my husband bankrupt.” Keep an eye out for more content in the coming weeks! — (P4AD Twitter)
One more thing: Patient advocate Clayton McCook spoke with NPR about how personal the fight to lower insulin prices is for him. “Without insulin, my daughter will die.” Check it out.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
The Week in Review in Prescription Drug Pricing
Biggest upset in August? Serena beating the no. 2 seed or patients overcoming Big Pharma’s $205 million in lobbying spending? Game, set, mat
Welcome To The Week In Review.
Patients Explain: “This Is A Game-changer.”
This week, patients continued to share how the new drug price reforms in the Inflation Reduction Act will improve their lives. P4AD’s David Mitchell spoke at AARP’s tele-town hall and shared that the $2,000 annual cap on Medicare Part D recipients’ out-of-pocket costs will be “transformative for me and millions of other cancer patients over time.” Jackie Trapp in Wisconsin lives with an incurable blood cancer and takes Revlimid, which cost her $21,740 out-of-pocket last year. She shared that the out-of-pocket cap in the Inflation Reduction Act “would be huge in terms of us being able to reinstall that safety net of ours and go back to having a healthy savings account.” Melia Derrick, a director of retirees for Branch 9 of the National Association of Letter Carriers in Minnesota, wrote an op-ed explaining, “Seniors like me with serious conditions like cancer, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis will save thousands of dollars on prescriptions.” DonnaMarie Woodson, a colon and breast cancer survivor in North Carolina, shared that the new law, “is going to be so beneficial for seniors across the board, in terms of medications and out of pocket costs.” Rick Buchanan, a patient in Nevada, wrote, “This bill allows Medicare to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs — significantly lowering prices — and caps seniors’ out-of-pocket costs at $2,000 per year. For folks like me, this is a game-changer.” — (AARP, USA Today, Duluth News Tribune, The Charlotte Post, Las Vegas Sun)
2. Congress Is Proud Of Drug Price Reforms
Members of Congress including Senators Brown and Warner and Reps. Davids, McGovern, Neguse and Crow, Scanlon, and Thompson continued to share just how historic the Inflation Reduction Act is in providing relief from high drug prices for their constituents. Senator Baldwin said, “Wisconsin families need lower costs and I voted for the Inflation Reduction Act to deliver results.” Rep. Tonko shared, “With the Inflation Reduction Act now the law of the land, Democrats in Congress have taken bold steps to rein in out-of-control health care costs and slash drug prices for millions of Americans.” Rep. Luria remarked, “I am proud to have supported the Inflation Reduction Act, which will cut health care and prescription drug costs for working families and seniors.” Rep. Wexton added, “Now, thanks to legislation I’ve championed in Congress, health care is more affordable and accessible than ever.” Rep. Harder summarized, “We took on big pharma, we won, and now 40,000 people in our community will save thousands on life saving health care and medications because of it.” Thanks to champions in Congress, Americans will get long overdue relief from high drug prices because of your work in passing this monumental law. — (People’s World, NBC 29, KCUR, Greenfield Recorder, Highlands Ranch Herald, Patch, Lake County News, Madison.com, Saratogian, InsuranceNewsNet, Blue Virginia, Rep. Harder)
3. Big Pharma’s profiteering schemes
This week, a new Health Affairs study found that drug companies profit from donating to charities that help Medicare patients pay for costly medicines. Researchers analyzed the drug spending of more than 3 million Medicare Advantage enrollees and examined data on illnesses and drugs covered by charities aimed at providing assistance to these same beneficiaries. According to Axios, the researchers found that “Manufacturers could effectively assist in the purchase of their own medications by contributing to condition-specific charities,” which likely “violate the spirit” of federal Anti-Kickback statutes, as reported by STAT. Sounds like Big Pharma is up to its same old profiteering schemes. While drug companies want us to believe they are donating to patient “charities” to help Medicare patients, Big Pharma is really using these patient “charities” to sell more drugs at ever higher prices at the expense of patients and taxpayers. — (Axios, STAT)
?BONUS: Tradeoffs dives into the Inflation Reduction Act and the next steps for implementing the new drug pricing law, as well as Big Pharma’s efforts in opposition. Give it a listen!
Have a great weekend, everyone!
The Week in Review in Prescription Drug Pricing
Biggest upset in August? Serena beating the no. 2 seed or patients overcoming Big Pharma’s $205 million in lobbying spending? Game, set, match.
Welcome To The Week In Review.
Still Smiling About Drug Price Reforms
It’s been more than two weeks since President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, and countrywideadvocates, patients, and business administrators are still talking about how the monumental drug price provisions will help Americans. “Health care lies at the heart of the Inflation Reduction Act,” Meghan Roh, program director for Opportunity Wisconsin, explained. “And the provisions to reduce costs and expand care are overwhelmingly popular with Wisconsinites across the political spectrum.” In Arizona, many of the over 1 million seniors enrolled in Medicare will benefit from the drug price provisions. Sue Lee in Kentucky is a plaque psoriasis patient on Medicare who will face lower drug costs thanks to the $2,000 out-of-pocket cap — right now, Humira would cost Sue nearly $10,000 a year out of pocket on Medicare. Millions of others like Sue are feeling hopeful with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. — (AZ Mirror, Wisconsin Examiner, Medscape, San Antonio Express-News)
2. Electeds Echo Importance Of New Drug Price Law
From the White House to state capitals, elected officials are spreading the word about the impact of the historic drug price provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. Vice President Harris touted the provisions, explaining, “Medicare was required by law to pay whatever price the drug companies set. But not anymore.” Senators Casey, Duckworth, Shaheen, Tester, and Warnock defended the drug provisions and explained how they will help Americans in their states and across the country. U.S. Representatives Craig, Houlahan, Malinowski, Phillips, Slotkin, and Wild followed suit. At a telephone town hall in Pennsylvania, Rep. Wild said the Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on seniors’ drug costs “is the biggest inroad [Congress has made on the issue] ever.” Reps. Craig and Phillips penned an op-ed highlighting how the drug price reforms deliver on their campaign promises. “Right here in Minnesota, more than 27,000 seniors will see their prescription drug costs capped at $2,000 per year, and 47,000 Minnesotans will have insulin copays capped at $35 per month,” they said. “These life-saving reforms will make a real difference in the lives of our constituents.” Oklahoma State Senator Hicks wrote, “This is great news for Oklahoma. Finally, a comprehensive plan that will lower prescription drug prices.” — (P4ADNow, Delco Times, OurQuadCities, Manchester Ink, Great Falls Tribune, Romes News-Tribune, Star Tribune, Patch, Insider NJ, Minnpost, Fox47 News, WLVR, Oklahoman)
3. HELP! We Need UFAs With Drug Reforms
This week, the Center for Science in the Public Interest led a group of consumer, health professional, food safety, academic, and environmental organizations including P4ADNow in sending a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to pass the FDA user fee package approved by the Senate HELP committee earlier this year. The HELP committee package includes reforms that will bring us closer to restoring integrity to the drug pricing system by bolstering generic competition and driving down drug prices for patients. — (CSPI)
