P4ADNow Launches New Ad Thanking Rep. Craig For Standing With Patients To Let Medicare Negotiate And Voting To Pass The Build Back Better Act To Lower Drug Prices

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now today launched an ad thanking Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01) for being a champion in the fight for lower drug prices and for his vote to pass the Build Back Better Act. The ad features a cancer patient named Jackie, whose cancer medication, Revlimid, is priced at over $20,000 every month. 

“Millions of people like me are struggling. It’s time for our leaders to lead,” Jackie says in the ad. 

The ad responds to Rep. Pappas’ vote in favor of the Build Back Better Act, which passed the House of Representatives on Nov. 19. Rep. Pappas has been a leader in pushing for meaningful drug price reforms to be included in the Build Back Better Act. Following the release of the White House’s Build Back Better framework, which did not include any drug price reforms, he signed a letter calling for the inclusion of reforms as an essential element in the legislation. Earlier in the year, Rep. Pappas also signed onto a letter calling on President Biden to include drug pricing in the reconciliation package. 

“On behalf of patients, we thank Rep. Pappas for fighting to ensure the inclusion of meaningful drug price reforms in the Build Back Better Act,” 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. “His steadfast support for the drug price provisions in the Build Back Better Act was a key factor in the House passage of the bill that finally allows Medicare to negotiate lower prices. Ninety percent of voters support Medicare negotiation, and the reforms in Build Back Better will help millions of Americans.” 

The ad will run as the Senate moves to take up the Build Back Better Act in December. The Build Back Better Act 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 annual price increases to stop price gouging by drug corporations. 

“Congressman Pappas just voted to pass the Build Back Better Act, which for the first time lets Medicare negotiate lower drug prices for people in New Hampshire,” the ad running on digital platforms says. “He stood up to Big Pharma attacks and did the right thing for patients. Tell Representative Pappas: Thank you for voting to lower drug prices for millions of Americans.”

Watch the ad here.

Full transcript of the ad below:

JACKIE: This is a four-week supply of my chemotherapy. It’s 20 pills, and it’s $20,000 every single month. Millions of people like me are struggling. It’s time for our leaders to lead.

VO: Congressman Pappas just voted to pass the Build Back Better Act, which for the first time lets Medicare negotiate lower drug prices for people in New Hampshire. He stood up to Big Pharma attacks and did the right thing for patients. Tell Representative Pappas: Thank you for voting to lower drug prices for millions of Americans.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now today launched an ad thanking Rep. Andy Kim (NJ-03) for being a champion in the fight for lower drug prices and for his vote to pass the Build Back Better Act. The ad features a cancer patient named Jackie, whose cancer medication, Revlimid, is priced at over $20,000 every month. 

“Millions of people like me are struggling. It’s time for our leaders to lead,” Jackie says in the ad. 

The ad responds to Rep. Kim’s vote in favor of the Build Back Better Act, which passed the House of Representatives on Nov. 19. Despite repeatedattacksfrom Big Pharma, Rep. Kim stood strong as a leader in pushing for meaningful drug price reforms to be included in the Build Back Better Act. Following the release of the White House’s Build Back Better framework, which did notinclude any drug price reforms, he signed a letter calling for the inclusion of reforms as an essential element in the legislation. Earlier this year, Rep. Kim also penned an op-ed highlighting the importance of lowering drug prices for Americans. 

“On behalf of patients, we thank Rep. Kim for fighting to ensure the inclusion of meaningful drug price reforms in the Build Back Better Act,” 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. “His steadfast support for the drug price provisions in the Build Back Better Act was a key factor in the House passage of the bill that finally allows Medicare to negotiate lower prices. Ninety percent of voters support Medicare negotiation, and the reforms in Build Back Better will help millions of Americans.” 

The ad will run as the Senate moves to take up the Build Back Better Act in December. The Build Back Better Act 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 annual price increases to stop price gouging by drug corporations. 

“Congressman Kim just voted to pass the Build Back Better Act, which for the first time lets Medicare negotiate lower drug prices for New Jerseyans,” the adrunning on digital platforms says. “He stood up to Big Pharma attacks and did the right thing for patients. Tell Representative Kim: Thank you for voting to lower drug prices for millions of Americans.”

Watch the ad here.

Full transcript of the ad below:

JACKIE: This is a four-week supply of my chemotherapy. It’s 20 pills, and it’s $20,000 every single month. Millions of people like me are struggling. It’s time for our leaders to lead.

VO: Congressman Kim just voted to pass the Build Back Better Act, which for the first time lets Medicare negotiate lower drug prices for New Jerseyans. He stood up to Big Pharma attacks and did the right thing for patients. Tell Representative Kim: Thank you for voting to lower drug prices for millions of Americans.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now today launched new ads that will run in six frontline House districts thanking Reps. Colin Allred(TX-32), Angie Craig (MN-02), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), and Susan Wild (PA-07) for being champions in the fight for lower drug prices for Americans and for their votes to pass the Build Back Better Act. The ads feature a cancer patient named Jackie, whose cancer medication, Revlimid, is priced at over $20,000 every month. 

“Millions of people like me are struggling. It’s time for our leaders to lead,” Jackie says in the ads. 

The ads respond to the six representatives’ votes in favor of the Build Back Better Act, which passed the House of Representatives on Nov. 19. These members of Congress have been leaders in pushing for meaningful drug price reforms, including Medicare negotiation to lower drug prices for their constituents. Following the release of the White House’s Build Back Better framework, which did not include drug price reform, these frontline Democrats signed a letter, led by Rep. Craig, calling for the inclusion of reforms as an essential element in the Build Back Better Act. Throughout the year, these representatives also pennedop-edshighlighting the importance of lowering drug prices for Americans, and some signed onto a letter, led by Rep. Wild, calling on President Biden to include drug pricing in the Build Back Better Act. 

“On behalf of patients all across this country, we thank Reps. Allred, Craig, Kim, Pappas, Underwood, and Wild for fighting to ensure the inclusion of meaningful drug price reforms in the Build Back Better Act,” 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. “Their steadfast support for the drug price provisions in the Build Back Better Act was a key factor in House passage of the bill that finally allows Medicare to negotiate lower prices. Ninety percent of voters support Medicare negotiation, and the reforms in Build Back Better will help millions of Americans.” 

The ads will run as the Senate moves to take up the Build Back Better Act in December. The Build Back Better Act 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 annual price increases to stop price gouging by drug corporations. 

“Congresswoman Wild just voted to pass the Build Back Better Act, which for the first time lets Medicare negotiate lower drug prices for Pennsylvanians,” the ad running in Pennsylvania’s seventh district says. “She stood up to Big Pharma attacks and did the right thing for patients. Tell Representative Wild: Thank you for voting to lower drug prices for millions of Americans.”

Watch the TX-32 ad here.
Watch the MN-02 ad here.
Watch the NJ-03 ad here.
Watch the NH-01 ad here.
Watch the IL-14 ad here.
Watch the PA-07 ad here.

Last week, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now announced a campaign highlighting Senator Manchin’s support for Medicare negotiation to lower drug prices for West Virginians and calling on the senator to get the job done by voting for the Build Back Better Act. The organization is also running a campaign, including this ad, in Arizona urging Senator Sinema to support drug price provisions in the Build Back Better Act. View all ads here. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now today launched an ad thanking Rep. Susan Wild (PA-07) for being a champion in the fight for lower drug prices and for her vote to pass the Build Back Better Act. The ad features a cancer patient named Jackie, whose cancer medication, Revlimid, is priced at over $20,000 every month. 

“Millions of people like me are struggling. It’s time for our leaders to lead,” Jackie says in the ad. 

The ad responds to Rep. Wild’s vote in favor of the Build Back Better Act, which passed the House of Representatives on Nov. 19. Rep. Wild has been a leader in pushing for meaningful drug price reforms to be included in the Build Back Better Act. Following the release of the White House’s Build Back Better framework, which did not include any drug price reforms, she signed a lettercalling for the inclusion of reforms as an essential element in the legislation. Earlier this year, Rep. Wild led another letter calling on President Biden to include drug pricing in the reconciliation package. 

“On behalf of patients, we thank Rep. Wild for fighting to ensure the inclusion of meaningful drug price reforms in the Build Back Better Act,” 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. “Her steadfast support for the drug price provisions in the Build Back Better Act was a key factor in the House passage of the bill that finally allows Medicare to negotiate lower prices. Ninety percent of voters support Medicare negotiation, and the reforms in Build Back Better will help millions of Americans.” 

The ad will run as the Senate moves to take up the Build Back Better Act in December. The Build Back Better Act 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 annual price increases to stop price gouging by drug corporations. 

“Congresswoman Wild just voted to pass the Build Back Better Act, which for the first time lets Medicare negotiate lower drug prices for Pennsylvanians,” the ad running on digital platforms says. “She stood up to Big Pharma attacks and did the right thing for patients. Tell Representative Wild: Thank you for voting to lower drug prices for millions of Americans.”

Watch the ad here.

Full transcript of the ad below:

JACKIE: This is a four-week supply of my chemotherapy. It’s 20 pills, and it’s $20,000 every single month. Millions of people like me are struggling. It’s time for our leaders to lead.

VO: Congresswoman Wild just voted to pass the Build Back Better Act, which for the first time lets Medicare negotiate lower drug prices for Pennsylvanians. She stood up to Big Pharma attacks and did the right thing for patients. Tell Representative Wild: Thank you for voting to lower drug prices for millions of Americans.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now launched a campaign in West Virginia today highlighting Senator Joe Manchin’s commitment to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for West Virginians, emphasizing that the policy is a key feature of the Build Back Better Act, and asking for his support. The campaign includes a 60-second radio ad, digital ads, and grassroots advocacy, in which patients write and call the senator directly thanking him for supporting Medicare negotiation and asking him to get the job done by passing the Build Back Better Act, including the current provisions that lower drug prices for patients.

“Senator Manchin has been an outspoken champion on Medicare negotiation to lower prescription drug prices for West Virginians. The Build Back Better Act, which includes historic drug price reforms, requires his support to deliver the lower prices West Virginians need,” 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. “We know that Big Pharma will be fighting hard to block this reform, and we are counting on Senator Manchin to stand up to the drug corporations and vote yes for the Build Back Better Act.” 

The ad launches following the passage of the Build Back Better Act out of the House of Representatives on Nov. 19. The Build Back Better Act includes drug pricing legislation that 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 annual price increases to stop price gouging by drug corporations. 

“It makes no sense at all that we don’t go out and negotiate. The VA does a tremendous job. Medicaid does it. Why doesn’t Medicare?” Senator Manchin says in the radio ad. The voiceover adds, “West Virginians know Joe Manchin does what’s best for our state. He supports Medicare negotiation, and we’re counting on him to support the Build Back Better Act.” 

Listen to the full radio ad here.

All of P4ADNow’s recent ads can be viewed here.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, following the House of Representatives’ passage of the Build Back Better Act:

“We achieved an historic milestone today as the House of Representatives stood up to Big Pharma and passed the Build Back Better Act, including reforms to restructure drug pricing policy in America and provide long overdue relief to Americans who struggle to afford essential medicines. We are grateful to Speaker Pelosi, Chairman Pallone, and so many champions in the House for their dedicated leadership and determined effort to reach a consensus that will lower drug prices for patients and the American people. 

“While the drug pricing provisions are not as expansive as we would have wished, they will help millions of Americans in the coming years while laying a foundation that can be built upon in the future. The legislation will, for the first time, authorize direct negotiation 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 annual price increases to stop price gouging by drug corporations — a provision that will help every American. 

“The drug price reforms included in the Build Back Better Act represent a hard-fought compromise. On behalf of patients, we urge the Senate to move swiftly to pass the Build Back Better Act with the current drug pricing legislation intact, and to resist efforts by Big Pharma to weaken it in any way. Millions of American lives depend on it.”