WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now released a new video that exposes how Big Pharma’s recent multi-million dollar ad campaigns are full of lies about how Medicare negotiation would limit access to drugs. The 40-second video, featuring cancer patient and P4ADNow founder David Mitchell, explains that congressional Democrats’ plan to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices would increase access as drugs become more affordable.
The video comes on the heels of Patients For Affordable Drugs’ new fact checkthat breaks down six false claims in pharma-funded ads, including misleading claims about the implications of repealing the non-interference clause and direct Medicare negotiation.
Both the new video and the fact check debunk industry ads currently being run by PhRMA itself, Medicare Today, the Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association, the American Conservative Union, and other industry-allied groups that total more than $18 million this year.
Read the video transcript below and watch the full video here.
Transcript:
I have incurable cancer, and prescription drugs are keeping me alive.
No one cares more about access to drugs than patients like me.
Big Pharma’s running ads saying the Democrats in Congress want to limit access to prescription drugs.
It’s not true.
High prices limit access to medications people need right now.
The Democratic plan would actually improve access by allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices.
Nothing in the plan limits access to drugs.
It’s another Big Pharma big lie. Don’t fall for it.
###
STATEMENT: CBO Report Reiterates Drug Pricing Reform Will Have Minimal Impact On New Drugs Coming To Market
Lower Prices Could Improve Americans’ Overall Health By Making Drugs More Affordable
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, in response to the Congressional Budget Office’s Simulation of New Drug Development:
“The CBO’s new analysis regarding the connection between lowering drug company revenue and drug company investment in developing new drugs concludes that drug pricing legislation will have less of an impact on the number of drugs coming to market than in CBO’s 2019 analysis. While the report finds that there is a potential for seven percent fewer new drugs to come to market under Medicare negotiation in the next three decades, it does not examine the impact on patients, access to medication, or the health of the American people.
“As we know, a new drug does not necessarily mean new innovation — only 10 to 15 percent of new drugs represent true therapeutic advancements. The seven percent loss may have no effect on development of truly innovative medications that would bring patients relief and command higher prices.
“CBO confirms and reiterates what we already know about Medicare negotiation — the impact on innovation will be negligible or nonexistent: we can mitigate any effect on new drugs by making sure the negotiation framework rewards value and by investing more money into the public agenciesthat lead to the most innovative drugs with the most therapeutic significance.”
###
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now launched a seven-figure ad buy today across 12 House districts thanking representatives for supporting proposals to lower drug prices by allowing Medicare negotiation. This campaign counters Big Pharma’s recent attack ads against H.R. 3, a House bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate on behalf of Americans. The ads will run on cable and broadcast in 12 districts during August recess and feature three patients who have struggled to afford their prescription drugs.
“Americans are paying almost four times what people in other wealthy nations pay for the same brand-name drugs. Members of Congress know that 9 out of 10 Americans support reforms that allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for the people of this country,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now.
“We want to send a clear message to those members of the House standing with patients in support of Medicare negotiation — we thank you and we have your back,” Mitchell continued. “Contrary to Big Pharma’s lies, we can have the innovation we need at prices patients can afford. As the president said last week, high drug prices ‘put the squeeze on too many families and strip them of their dignity … Medicare is going to negotiate a fair price!’”
The ads highlight three patient advocates: Jackie, a cancer patient in Muskego, Wisconsin, whose treatment, Revlimid, is priced at over $20,000 per month; Ashley, a psoriatic arthritis patient in Houston who relied on Humira, which is currently priced at $5,968 per month; and Marcus, who lives with type 1 diabetes in Cincinnati and struggles to afford his insulin.
“Because insulin is so expensive, I’ve had to skip and ration my doses,” Marcus, a husband, father, and minister, says in the ad.
“It’s really simple,” Ashley explains. “Prescription drugs don’t work if people can’t afford them.”
The ads end with a message thanking each representative. “Right now, there’s a plan in Congress to let Medicare negotiate lower drug prices,” says the ad in Kansas’ third congressional district. “Sharice Davids supports it. Representative Davids, thank you.”
The ads will run in the following districts:
P4ADNow’s House ads begin airing days after the launch of a new national adthat calls on Congress to allow Medicare to negotiate, as well as a new advocacy website — MedicareNegotiation.org — for patients to advocate for Congress to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices.
The House of Representatives reintroduced Medicare negotiation legislation H.R. 3 in April. Since then, President Biden has called on Congress to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. The Senate has voted to move forward with drafting a legislative package to deliver on the president’s Build Back Better plan, which includes lowering drug prices through Medicare negotiation, and the Senate Finance Committee is reportedly drafting another bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate, and is likely to be included in the Senate’s final package.
In addition to P4ADNow’s campaign, other groups such as AARP and Protect Our Care are also running sizable ad campaigns to counter pharma’s ads and remind Congress that patients support Medicare negotiation.
###
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, in response to President Biden’s speech on how his Build Back Better agenda will lower prescription drug prices:
“President Biden’s speech today adds powerful momentum for reforms to lower prescription drug prices and for direct Medicare negotiation specifically. He couldn’t have said it more clearly: ‘These prices put the squeeze on too many families and strip them of their dignity … Medicare is going to negotiate a fair price!’ His conversation with patient advocate Gail deVore demonstrated once again that this president understands and will use the power of his office to achieve reforms we need and 90 percent of Americans support.
“The president also offered important details on his approach that we support, including focusing on a subset of expensive drugs, creating a framework for what constitutes a fair price to guide negotiators, powerful incentives to ensure companies agree to a reasonable price, penalties for raising prices faster than inflation, making lower negotiated prices available in the private sector, and capping out-of-pocket costs for patients. These comprise a strong, comprehensive set of policies to help all Americans.
“Today, I am more optimistic than ever that we are going to get this done.”
Background:
###
NEW JERSEY — Nearly 40 labor, business, consumer, and health care organizations sent a letter this week calling on Congress to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. The letter praises H.R. 3, the House bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, as well as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden’s recent guiding principles for drug pricing reform, which are expected to be considered for inclusion in the Democrats’ reconciliation budget package later this year.
“We hope, as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Menendez recognizes that major labor, business, consumer, and health care groups in this nation all agree that Medicare must have the ability to negotiate lower drug prices for Americans,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Nine out of 10 Americans support this policy. We are calling on Senator Menendez to stand with patients against Big Pharma’s lobbying machine.”
Big Pharma has been spreading lies to try to stop drug pricing reform from moving forward — the pharmaceuticals and health products industry spentabout $92 million on lobbying in the first quarter of the year, more than any other industry.
The letter, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, asks them to:
“This year provides the best opportunity in decades to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and bring meaningful relief to millions of Americans who struggle to afford their prescription drugs,” Mitchell continued. “As President Biden said, ‘Let’s do it now.’”
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is one of nearly 40 organizations that signed onto the letter, which was led by Families USA. In an effort to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate, P4ADNow recently launched a campaign calling on Senator Menendez to support policy reform that would bring relief to New Jerseyans.
###
CALIFORNIA — Nearly 40 labor, business, consumer, and health care organizations sent a letter this week calling on Congress to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. The letter praises H.R. 3, the House bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, as well as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden’s recent guiding principles for drug pricing reform, which are expected to be considered for inclusion in the Democrats’ reconciliation budget package later this year.
“We hope Rep. Peters recognizes that major labor, business, consumer, and health care groups in this nation all agree that Medicare must have the ability to negotiate lower drug prices for Americans,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Nine out of 10Americans support this policy. We are calling on Rep. Peters to stand with patients against Big Pharma’s lobbying machine.”
Rep. Peters refuses to support H.R. 3, a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. He touted his support for the bill in 2019 but more recently came out in opposition, threatening to derail his party’s budget bill if it includes the legislation.
Big Pharma has been spreading lies to try to stop drug pricing reform from moving forward — the pharmaceuticals and health products industry spentabout $92 million on lobbying in the first quarter of the year, more than any other industry.
The letter, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, asks them to:
“This year provides the best opportunity in decades to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and bring meaningful relief to millions of Americans who struggle to afford their prescription drugs,” Mitchell continued. “As President Biden said, ‘Let’s do it now.’”
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is one of nearly 40 organizations that signed onto the letter, which was led by Families USA. In an effort to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate, P4ADNow recently launched a campaign calling on Rep. Peters to support policy reform that would bring relief to Californians.
###
DELAWARE — Nearly 40 labor, business, consumer, and health care organizations sent a letter this week calling on Congress to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. The letter praises H.R. 3, the House bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, as well as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden’s recent guiding principles for drug pricing reform, which are expected to be considered for inclusion in the Democrats’ reconciliation budget package later this year.
“We hope, as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Carper recognizes that major labor, business, consumer, and health care groups in this nation all agree that Medicare must have the ability to negotiate lower drug prices for Americans,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Nine out of 10 Americans support this policy. We are calling on Senator Carper to stand with patients against Big Pharma’s lobbying machine.”
Big Pharma has been spreading lies to try to stop drug pricing reform from moving forward — the pharmaceuticals and health products industry spentabout $92 million on lobbying in the first quarter of the year, more than any other industry.
The letter, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, asks them to:
“This year provides the best opportunity in decades to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and bring meaningful relief to millions of Americans who struggle to afford their prescription drugs,” Mitchell continued. “As President Biden said, ‘Let’s do it now.’”
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is one of nearly 40 organizations that signed onto the letter, which was led by Families USA. In an effort to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate, P4ADNow recently launched a campaign calling on Senator Carper to support policy reform that would bring relief to Delawareans.
###
OREGON — Nearly 40 labor, business, consumer, and health care organizations sent a letter this week calling on Congress to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. The letter praises H.R. 3, the House bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, as well as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden’s recent guiding principles for drug pricing reform, which are expected to be considered for inclusion in the Democrats’ reconciliation budget package later this year.
“We hope Rep. Schrader recognizes that major labor, business, consumer, and health care groups in this nation all agree that Medicare must have the ability to negotiate lower drug prices for Americans,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Nine out of 10Americans support this policy. We are calling on Rep. Schrader to stand with patients against Big Pharma’s lobbying machine.”
Rep. Schrader has refused to support H.R. 3, a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, in this Congress. He originally said he was proud of his vote in support of H.R. 3 in 2019, but since then has raised concerns about the legislation, even suggesting Congress take a less “robust”approach to drug pricing reform, contrary to the wishes of 90 percent of Americans.
Big Pharma has been spreading lies to try to stop drug pricing reform from moving forward — the pharmaceuticals and health products industry spentabout $92 million on lobbying in the first quarter of the year, more than any other industry.
The letter, addressed to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, asks them to:
“This year provides the best opportunity in decades to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and bring meaningful relief to millions of Americans who struggle to afford their prescription drugs,” Mitchell continued. “As President Biden said, ‘Let’s do it now.’”
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is one of nearly 40 organizations that signed onto the letter, which was led by Families USA. In an effort to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate, P4ADNow recently launched a campaign calling on Rep. Schrader to support policy reform that would bring relief to Oregonians.
###