The Senate Finance Committee’s tie vote sent Xavier Becerra’s nomination for secretary of HHS to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer this week. Becerra clearly demonstrated his commitment to reforming the broken drug pricing system during his confirmation hearings. Patients need the majority leader to move quickly to bring the confirmation to a full Senate vote. — (The Hill)
2.Fight For Us
On Wednesday, Oregon patient advocate Michael Nielsen delivered testimony in support of a state bill that would ban collusive “pay-for-delay” deals between brand-name drug companies and generic manufacturers. Michael, a disabled combat veteran, described how he and his wife, Jacki, were unable to afford her hepatitis C medication when it came with a price of $13,000 every 90 days. “I am asking our legislators to fight for patients like us.” — (The Lund Report)
3. Pattern Of Profit
Pharma giant AstraZeneca sold its entire stake in COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna for about $1 billion last year. In 2020, Moderna’s stock price soared thanks to billions of dollars in investment from the federal government. It’s the latest in a pattern of drug corporations and their executives reaping huge profits from stock sales during the pandemic, thanks to taxpayers. — (FiercePharma)
4. Pharma Sees Permission To Price Gouge
A new study found that treatment of rare diseases comprised only 21 percent of spending on 15 top-selling partial orphan drugs, which can be used to treat both rare and common diseases. Researchers are concerned that the orphan drug designation, intended to incentivize the development of drugs for rare diseases, is being abused by pharma companies hoping to extend their monopolies on blockbuster drugs. Once again, pharma takes advantage of a system meant to benefit patients — and instead uses it to fill its coffers. — (University of Michigan)
5. Holding Patients Hostage
Drug companies’ January price hikes on hundreds of drugs are more than just another data point. For millions of patients, they represent an ever-increasing price tag on their lives. When Maria Miller learned that the price of her son’s drug for epileptic seizures had increased by another 4.7 percent, she broke down sobbing. “We are literally held hostage, and they’re using my son’s health to hold us hostage,” Miller said. “I don’t understand how this could become okay.” — (WTHR)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued by Sheila McLean, a patient and the executive director of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, after the Senate Finance Committee’s vote on the confirmation of Xavier Becerra as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
“We call on Senate Majority Leader Schumer to move quickly to a vote to confirm Xavier Becerra for Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services in the full Senate. In his confirmation hearings, Xavier Becerra was firm in expressing the Biden administration’s commitment to take on Big Pharma, tackle our broken drug pricing system, and work with Congress on bipartisan reforms that will bring down prescription drug prices for all Americans. We know from our experience working with him in California that he can get the job done.”
BACKGROUND:
In his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate HELP Committee Feb. 23, Becerra confirmed that tackling the high price of prescription drugs would be a top priority for him as Secretary of HHS.
During his hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee Feb. 24, Becerra reasserted his commitment, promising to work with Congress on a bipartisan solution for prescription drug pricing.
As attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra sponsored and helped pass AB 824, which bans collusive pay-for-delay deals and promotes generic drug competition.
Becerra successfully defended the legislation in court, warding off multiple industry legal challenges.
Becerra worked with Patients For Affordable Drugs Now to elevatepatientstories in support of the first-in-the-nation legislation.
Becerra has ledmultiple coalitions of state attorneys general calling for the regulation of pharmacy benefit managers to increase transparency and improve drug affordability.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Becerra urged the federal government to make Gilead’s COVID-19 drug remdesivir more affordable because it was developed using taxpayer funding.
During his 24 years in the House prior to serving as attorney general, Becerra co-sponsored multiple billsthatwouldallowMedicare to negotiate for lower drug prices.
As chair of the House Democratic Caucus, Becerra formed a task force “to examine the rising cost of prescription drugs” in 2016.
###
SALEM, Ore. — Oregon patient advocate Michael Nielsen will testify in front of the Oregon Senate Committee on Health Care today in support of Senate Bill 764, which cracks down on abusive “pay-for-delay” deals between pharmaceutical manufacturers that delay generic competition and keep prices high.
Nielsen’s wife, Jacki, was diagnosed with the potentially fatal disease hepatitis C. In 2020, after Jacki’s illness progressed, her doctor prescribed her the curative drug Mavyret. But a 90-day supply of the medication is priced at more than $13,000 — or $433 per pill. That was unaffordable for the couple.
“It’s wrong what the drug companies are allowed to get away with by playing the system and preventing more affordable generics from coming to market,” Nielsen, 69, will tell the committee. “I am asking our legislators to fight for patients like us.”
The couple has devoted their lives to giving back to their community. Nielsen served two tours in Vietnam, and together, they have raised four children and 22 foster children.
“It’s sad to know that even though our family has served our community and our country, the system is still letting us down in our time of need. My wife needlessly suffered simply because her drug is too expensive.”
Senate Bill 764 would prohibit an anti-competitive drug industry tactic called “pay-for-delay,” in which a brand-name drug maker cuts a deal with a generic company to delay the introduction of a lower-priced drug to market. The bill would allow the Oregon attorney general to bring civil action against companies involved in such deals with penalties up to three times the value of the drug. California was the first state in the nation to pass pay-for-delay legislation, and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has successfully defended the legislation in court.
Nielsen’s testimony and the hearing in the Senate Health Care Committee can be viewed here at 1 PM PT today.
SB 764 is part of a package of bills moving through the Oregon State Legislature that address high drug prices. The package also includes House Bill 3267, which would establish a prescription drug affordability board. HB 3267 was introduced last week and was referred to the House Committee on Health Care.
###
Patients For Affordable Drugs turned 4 years old this week! Thank you to everyone who has been in this fight with us.
Welcome to the Week in Review.
Confirm Becerra Now
HHS Secretary-designate Xavier Becerra asserted his commitment to lower drug prices in confirmation hearings before the Senate HELP and Finance Committees this week. At the hearings, senators on both sides of the aisle made clear that drug pricing is a priority for Congress this year, and Becerra comes with a strong record of defending patients from pharma’s abusive pricing tactics. We urge the Senate to confirm Becerra quickly so that he and Congress can get to work fighting for patients. — (AP)
2. Seize The Moment
With Democrats in control of Congress and the White House, it’s the best political environment in years for comprehensive drug pricing reform. There is bipartisan support to pass a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices. Congress must take advantage of the moment and rein in high drug prices for millions of patients across the country. — (The Hill)
3. Post-Pandemic Profiteering Plans
Pfizer admitted that it intends to hike the price of its COVID-19 vaccine. The company already expects to make $15 billion this year alone thanks to its vaccine developed from taxpayer-funded research, but the company’s CFO suggested that future prices may jump from $19.50 to $175 per dose. It’s a perfect illustration of where pharma’s priorities lie: Even as Americans are still in the midst of a public health crisis, drug corporations are looking for ways to increase their already high profit margins. — (FiercePharma)
4. An Incentive To Price Gouge
Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks’ compensation package grew to $23.7 million in 2020 — an increase of 11 percent from 2019 — as the company exceeded its revenue target for the year. Meanwhile, the company continues to hike drug prices, including on its best-selling product Trulicity. When earnings and revenue targets are linked to executive bonuses, is it any surprise that brand-name drugs in the United States are 3.5 times the prices in other countries? — (FiercePharma)
5. Our Work, Their Reward
Moderna is projecting $18 billion in sales this year from its COVID-19 vaccine, which is based on government-funded research and was 100 percent funded by taxpayers. It’s the first year that the company is expected to make a profit. Taxpayers have de-risked the development of vaccines, and now drug companies are watching the cash roll in. — (Reuters)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued today by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now:
“Over two days of hearings, Xavier Becerra has reaffirmed his commitment to work with Congress on a bipartisan basis to develop and implement solutions that will lower prescription drug prices. In hearings before the Senate HELP and Finance Committees, Becerra demonstrated his experience and understanding of America’s broken drug pricing system and his commitment to help President Biden deliver on his promise to provide relief to patients.
“On behalf of patients across the country, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now urges the Senate to quickly confirm Xavier Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services. We look forward to working with Secretary Becerra in the weeks and months ahead.”
BACKGROUND:
In his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate HELP Committee Tuesday, Becerra confirmed that tackling the high price of prescription drugs would be a top priority for him as Secretary of HHS.
In his hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee, Becerra doubled down on his commitment, promising to work with Congress on a bipartisan solution for prescription drug pricing.
As attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra sponsored and helped pass AB 824, which bans collusive pay-for-delay deals and promotes generic drug competition.
Becerra successfully defended the legislation in court, warding off multiple industry legal challenges.
Becerra worked with Patients For Affordable Drugs Now to elevatepatientstories in support of the first-in-the-nation legislation.
Becerra has ledmultiple coalitions of state attorneys general calling for the regulation of pharmacy benefit managers to increase transparency and improve drug affordability.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Becerra urged the federal government to make Gilead’s COVID-19 drug remdesivir more affordable because it was developed using taxpayer funding.
During his 24 years in the House prior to serving as attorney general, Becerra co-sponsored multiple billsthatwouldallowMedicare to negotiate for lower drug prices.
As chair of the House Democratic Caucus, Becerra formed a task force “to examine the rising cost of prescription drugs” in 2016.
###
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Xavier Becerra reinforced his commitment to swiftly tackle the high price of prescription drugs during his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate HELP committee today. Becerra demonstrated his extensive knowledge and experience taking on our broken drug pricing system, his understanding of tactics for bringing down prices for patients, and the need to spur drug innovation while ensuring taxpayers “get our money’s worth.”
“Today, Xavier Becerra committed to continuing his strong record of taking on Big Pharma and standing with patients against high drug prices,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Becerra’s work on drug pricing as attorney general of California and in the House of Representatives demonstrates he has the expertise and experience to achieve comprehensive change to restore balance so Americans get the innovation we need at prices we can afford.”
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now has endorsed Secretary-designate Becerra and urges the Senate to vote for his confirmation quickly.
TRANSCRIPT:
“There is unanimity, bipartisan support for tackling the high cost of prescription medication. And I can assure you that that will be one of my priorities, is to deal with it swiftly. I tried to tackle it as the attorney general. I tried to work on that when I was in the House, and I look forward to working with you and members of this body in the future.”
“I think, Senator, we can all agree that the price that we’re paying for some of these prescription drugs is far higher than it should be. All you have to do is travel to another country, whether Canada or another country in the world, to find that we’re paying way more than people in some of these countries are paying. I took on a number of pharmaceutical companies, drug makers, by trying to go behind the curtain of how they reach their pricing. And we were able to prove that there is collusion, at times, going on. There’s a process called “pay-for-delay,” where companies will essentially collude with each other to not have a second company put a generic product on the market to compete with the brand-name product and therefore keeping the price of that brand-name pharmaceutical product high. We were able to succeed in going behind that curtain and trying to undercut that type of antitrust activity.”
###
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of his confirmation hearings in the Senate HELP and Finance Committees, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now enthusiastically endorses Xavier Becerra and urges the Senate to confirm him quickly as secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). As attorney general of California, Becerra took on America’s rigged drug pricing system, leading fights to crack down on drug corporation price gouging, regulate pharmacy benefit managers, and curb anti-competitive tactics by Big Pharma.
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now worked closely with Becerra to pass the first-in-the-nation legislation, California AB 824, which ended abusive pay-for-delay deals that block cheaper generic drugs from coming to market and keep prices high.
“We have seen firsthand Xavier Becerra’s commitment to stand with patients for lower drug prices,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “As attorney general and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mr. Becerra demonstrated his sophisticated understanding of our broken drug pricing system and the impact it has on patients — especially people of color. We look forward to working with Mr. Becerra to lower drug prices when he takes the reins as secretary of HHS.”
Karen Macedon, a longtime Sacramento resident and waitress who lives with type 2 diabetes and asthma, has firsthand experience with Becerra’s efforts to lower drug prices. She testified in Sacramento in 2019 in support of the Becerra-led AB 824.
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now looks forward to working with Secretary-designate Becerra to enact lasting drug pricing reform.
MORE ON XAVIER BECERRA’S FIGHT TO LOWER DRUG PRICES:
As attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra sponsored and helped pass AB 824, which bans collusive pay-for-delay deals and promotes generic drug competition.
Becerra successfully defended the legislation in court, warding off multiple industry legal challenges.
Becerra worked with Patients For Affordable Drugs Now to elevatepatientstories in support of the first-in-the-nation legislation.
Becerra has ledmultiple coalitions of state attorneys general calling for the regulation of pharmacy benefit managers to increase transparency and improve drug affordability.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Becerra urged the federal government to make Gilead’s COVID-19 drug remdesivir more affordable because it was developed using taxpayer funding.
During his 24 years in the House prior to serving as attorney general, Becerra co-sponsored multiple billsthatwouldallowMedicare to negotiate for lower drug prices.
As chair of the House Democratic Caucus, Becerra formed a task force “to examine the rising cost of prescription drugs” in 2016.
###
Who would’ve thought we’d land on Mars EIGHT TIMES before we landed lower drug prices?
Welcome to the Week in Review.
Minnesota Makes A Move
This week, Minnesota lawmakers introduced a bill that would create a state prescription drug affordability board and advisory council with the power to set upper payment limits on unaffordable drugs. Patients like Travis Paulson, who lives with type 1 diabetes, and Ramae Hamrin, who lives with multiple myeloma, shared their stories in support of the board. “When (my life savings) run out, I’m not sure what I will do,” Ramae testified. “Usually, I am a planner — but I cannot plan for this.” — (AP)
2.A Unifying Cause
The fight to lower drug prices continues to be a bipartisan effort. Senator Bernie Sanders, chairman of a Senate HELP subcommittee, and Senator Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, are publishing reports, putting drug pricing hearings on the agenda, and sponsoring legislation on drug prices this year. Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle agree that out-of-control drug prices harm patients. Let’s make 2021 the year we pass reforms to fix that. — (Sen. Bernie Sanders, The Iowa Standard)
3. Magnifying The Price Hikes
Over the past month, Patients For Affordable Drugs has released a series of graphics taking a closer look at some of the most impactful January 2021 price hikes. These include drugs like the cancer treatment Revlimid, which saw its 24th price hike since 2006, and the best-selling medication Humira, which now costs $5,968 for a month’s supply following a 7.4 percent price hike. In the midst of a pandemic, Big Pharma continues to raise prices, taking advantage of patients who already have the most to lose. — (P4AD)
