Latest News | May 28, 2022

The Week in Review in Prescription Drug Pricing

Welcome to the Week in Review.

1. Voters Are Watching

2. Americans United: Drug Pricing Reform Now

3. More Bad Behavior


One more thing: As the Senate works on a reconciliation bill with drug pricing reforms, states are moving ahead to protect their residents from high prices. Maryland’s prescription drug affordability board — the first of its kind in the nation — began its work to establish upper payment limits this week, and a New Jersey bill to establish a drug affordability board passed a critical committee vote in the state Assembly. Thank you to all state lawmakers fighting for patients!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, following Jamie McLeod-Skinner’s primary victory in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District:

“Drug price reform figured prominently in Oregon’s 5th Congressional District primary, where Rep. Kurt Schrader tried to reinvent himself as pro-patient and anti-Big Pharma when he in fact led the effort to weaken legislation allowing Medicare negotiation. Voters saw through his lies, and for the first time in 42 years, an incumbent member of Congress lost his job in an Oregon primary. The result sends a clear message to Democrats and Republicans alike: Americans want Congress to pass legislation to lower drug prices, and those who stand in the way or fail to deliver on their promises will be held accountable by voters at the ballot box. More talk won’t do. Fake solutions won’t do. No more excuses. Right now, the Senate can deliver on its promises; the votes are there. The Senate must use its power under reconciliation now to enact the comprehensive reforms to lower drug prices already passed by the House of Representatives.”

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ICYMI: Roundup Of Overwhelming Momentum To Advance Comprehensive Drug Pricing Reforms By Memorial Day

70 Organizations Continue “Push For Lower Rx Prices” 

Members Of Congress And President Biden Push For Lower Rx Prices

Senate Outreach And Digital Blitz

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Welcome to the Week in Review.

1. “We Have The Backing Of The American People”

2. This Is Why We’re Fighting


3. Profits Over Patients

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Big Pharma may want us to think the odds are stacked against us, but Rich Strike proved that no odds are too great to overcome.

Welcome to the Week in Review.

1. Time To Reset The System

2. In Focus: A Texas Patient’s Story

3. Let Medicare Negotiate. Now.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Welcome to the Week in Review.

1. New Patient Ads: “It’s Time To Get It Done”

2. Undeniable Momentum  


3. Tweetorial: Unaffordable Cancer Drugs   


One more thing: P4ADNow submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) this week describing the ways that the opaque business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) may contribute to higher prices for patients and calling for a thoroughgoing investigation into PBM business practices. 

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Click here for downloadable PDF

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The “Push For Lower Rx Prices” Calls For Meaningful Progress On Comprehensive Drug Pricing Reforms By Memorial Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now launched a six-figure ad campaign today as part of the “Push For Lower Rx Prices.” The two new video ads feature patients who have struggled with the high prices of their prescription drugs calling on Congress to pass comprehensive reforms, including Medicare negotiation. Jacqueline Garibay is a college student from Austin, Texas, and lives with ankylosing spondylitis, and Lisa McRipley of Detroit lives with multiple sclerosis. The 30-second videos are running on digital platforms in Washington, D.C., this month. Today’s announcement is part of a larger campaign launched by P4ADNow and more than 70 other organizations last week pressing the Senate to make meaningful progress on comprehensive drug pricing reforms, including Medicare negotiation, by Memorial Day. As a part of the campaign, P4ADNow is also driving grassroots advocacy in key states, where patients call and write their senators to ask for their support advancing the drug price provisions through reconciliation.

“Americans are demanding that Congress deliver on its promises to lower drug prices. Eighty-three percent of voters back Medicare negotiation and 77 percent are in favor of limiting annual drug price increases, including support from large majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and independents,” said David Mitchell, a patient with incurable blood cancer whose drugs carry a list price of more than $900,000 per year and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “The Senate has the power to deliver an unprecedented victory for Americans by passing comprehensive drug pricing reforms, including empowering Medicare to negotiate. It’s time to get it done.”

The first ad features Jacqueline Garibay, a college student and patient advocate who lives with ankylosing spondylitis, an autoimmune disorder that affects most of her major joints. “The last time we had to buy my medication, I decided to forgo it. We just couldn’t afford $6,000 a month,” Jacqueline of Austin, Texas, says in the ad. “If Congress doesn’t lower drug prices now, a whole ’nother generation of us will suffer.”

Watch Jacqueline’s ad here.

The second ad features Lisa McRipley, a patient advocate for P4ADNow and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society from Detroit. “The medication I need to treat my MS is nearly $7,500 a month. I’m on Medicare, and I still can’t afford that,” Lisa says in the ad, explaining that without her medication, her multiple sclerosis could progress irreversibly. “Congress can fix this. We can’t afford to wait. Please, Congress, let Medicare negotiate lower drug prices.”

Watch Lisa’s ad here.

“Lisa’s story is far too common among the nearly 1 million people living with MS in the United States. 40 percent of people with MS already don’t take their medications as prescribed due to cost,” said Bari Talente, executive vice president of advocacy and healthcare access at the National MS Society. “We call on Congress to pass comprehensive reforms to lower drug prices and increase access to medications as soon as possible. Lisa and many others can’t afford congressional inaction.”

The “Push For Lower Rx Prices” is supported by organizations representing patients, consumers, seniors, unions, small businesses, large employers, physicians, nurses, and disease advocacy groups.

The drug price provisions under consideration by the Senate will, for the first time, authorize Medicare to negotiate prices directly for some of the most expensive prescription medicines, including insulin; institute a hard cap on out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries and limit copays on insulin for millions of Americans to $35 each month; and limit annual price increases to stop price gouging by drug corporations.

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