The Week in Review in Prescription Drug Pricing

? Pharma should not be left to their own devices
They come with prices
Patients end up in crisis ? 

Welcome To The Week In Review.

1. New Study: 1 in 5 Ration Insulin

• A new study found that in 2021, almost 1 in 5 U.S adults with diabetes skipped, delayed, or used less of their insulin due to the high price. That is 1.3 million people. As we know, the Inflation Reduction Act will lower insulin costs for nearly 3 million adults on Medicare, which will be life changing. But there is more work to be done so that all people with diabetes can afford their insulin. And the new study shows that Americans with private health insurance and those who are uninsured have the highest rates of insulin rationing. Dr. Adam Gaffney, the study’s lead author, shared with NBC that the problem is that “We have allowed pharmaceutical companies to set the agenda, and that is coming at the cost to our patients.” Big Pharma’s greed is responsible for putting the lives of Americans in completely avoidable danger — we won’t stop fighting to put patients’ health ahead of drug industry profits. — (Annals of Internal Medicine, NBC News)

2. Voters Care About Drug Prices

• The high price of prescription drugs is on the minds of voters, says a new poll released by Gallup and West Health this week. Nearly nine out of 10 Americans report that a candidate’s plan to reduce the cost of prescription drugs is very or somewhat important in determining their vote. This is especially true with seniors, as well as Black and Hispanic voters. And with the midterms around the corner, Democrats are leaning in on prescription drug reforms on the campaign trail, touting the newly passed drug price provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act that will lower drug prices for patients. Reps. Wild, Pappas, and Horsford penned an op-ed in Newsweek explaining that “the provisions related to drug prices and health care are truly historic.” The members highlighted that the drug price provisions are incredibly popular, and that members of Congress trying to repeal the reforms are doing Big Pharma’s bidding. Rep. Katie Porter shared similar sentiments at a recent event: “Allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices is good for patients, good for families, and good for taxpayers. It is good for us as a country — for Americans who have long been suffering from skyrocketing drug prices, the Inflation Reduction Act delivers solutions.” — (Gallup, The Hill, Newsweek, P4ADNow)

3. Pandemic Profiteering

• This week, Pfizer shared that it plans to charge $110 to $130 for its COVID-19 shot — which is based on taxpayer-funded research — nearly quadrupling the price. The reason for this increase? To meet revenue goals, which come at the price of patients. But clearly Pfizer isn’t hurting for money – in the second quarter of 2022, the company had a 78 percent increase in overall profit compared to the same period in 2021 and is forecasting $32 billion in 2022 sales from its COVID vaccines. “This is daylight robbery,” Julia Kosgei, policy adviser to the People’s Vaccine Alliance, told Common Dreams. “This latest obscene price hike is truly a mask-off moment for one of the great profiteers of this pandemic.” — (Reuters, Endpoints News, Common Dreams)

BONUS WATCH: Check out the new documentary White Coat Rebels, which dives into Big Pharma’s power, the medical profession, and the activists who are fighting back against the status quo. In particular, the film features the powerful stories of two fierce medical students from Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM), where our very own Merith Basey was previously executive director before joining P4AD!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Welcome To The Week In Review.

1. “This Legislation Is Unforgivable.”

• Patients are drawing a line in the sand, pushing back hard on Republican Senators Lankford (OK), Lee (UT), Lummis (WY), and Rubio (FL)’s recent effort to force them to pay more for their prescriptions. Senator Lee introduced, and Senators Lankford, Lummis, and Rubio cosponsored, the so-called Protect Drug Innovation Act, which aims to reverse the life-changing drug price reforms recently passed into law in the Inflation Reduction Act. In response, P4ADNow mobilized patients and launched digital ads in Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming, and Florida to send a clear message to these senators: Don’t raise our drug prices. “I’m furious that Senator Lee spews Big Pharma lies while he tries to make sure drug companies can continue to price gouge me for my prescriptions,” said Meg Jackson-Drage, from Magna, Utah who lives with fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain, both of which require costly medication. After seeing Rachel Maddow call out Senator Rubio, saying, “it is literally a bill to make prescription drugs more expensive for senior citizens,” patient advocate Sheldon Armus of Boynton Beach said, “Finally, Congress passed a law to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, and Senator Rubio wants to reverse it?! Makes no sense.” Clayton McCook, from Edmond, Oklahoma whose daughter, Lily, lives with type 1 diabetes shared, “The Inflation Reduction Act is a huge step in the right direction to lower drug prices. Our senators should be working to expand these reforms to all Americans, not reverse them. This legislation is unforgivable.” — (P4ADNow, MSNBC)

2. Thank You, Mr. President

• Yesterday, President Biden signed an executive order that directs the Department of Health and Human Services to explore new actions it can take to lower prescription drug costs for middle-class families. “Specifically, the president is calling on the CMS Innovation Center (CMMI) to craft plans to lower the price of medicines within 90 days, and for the Department of Health and Human Services to submit a formal report outlining those proposals,” The Washington Post reported. It’s very good that President Biden is taking this additional step and we look forward to seeing what CMMI will bring forward and how we can support future steps to lower drug prices and improve the health of everyone. — (The White House, The Washington Post)

3. Popular Provisions

• A new Kaiser Family Foundation health survey that tracked motivating issues for voters leading up to the midterms found that reducing the cost of prescription drugs is resonating with voters, especially seniors. Results show voters are more likely to vote for candidates that support the drug price provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. Majorities of voters say they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supports placing a limit on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs for people on Medicare (66 percent), capping monthly out-of-pocket insulin costs for people with Medicare (65 percent), and authorizing the federal government to negotiate the price of some prescription drugs for people on Medicare (59 percent). Patients want the government to lower drug prices, and this year, Democrats delivered. — (KFF)

One more thing: We were thrilled to learn that Priti Krishtel is among the newest recipients of the MacArthur genius grant! ? Congratulations, Priti! Thank you for your work to expose Big Pharma’s patent abuses and to increase access to medicine for all patients. Check out Priti’s NPR interview here.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

P4ADNow Launches Push In Wyoming, Calling Out Senator Lummis For Standing With Big Pharma To Actually Raise Drug Prices

WYOMING — Patients are pushing back hard on Senator Cynthia Lummis’ recent effort to force them to pay more for their prescriptions. Senator Lummis is cosponsoring the so-called Protect Drug Innovation Act, which aims to reverse the life-changing drug price reforms recently passed into law in the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill would repeal reforms patients fought for years to achieve. It would block Medicare from negotiating lower prices, remove caps on annual price increases which are now limited to the rate of inflation, and raise out-of-pocket costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. In response, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is mobilizing patients and launching digital ads in Wyoming to send a clear message to Senator Lummis: Don’t raise our drug prices.

“Senator Lummis is putting Big Pharma ahead of patients, seeking to reverse provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that will lower costs for thousands of Wyoming patients and which are supported by almost 80 percent of Americans, including seven out of 10 Republicans,” said David Mitchell, cancer patient and founder and president of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Patients worked too hard to pass these reforms to lower drug prices; we will not stand still while pro-pharma senators like Senator Cynthia Lummis try to undo it – we will fight back.”

The senators gave the bill the intentionally misleading name of the “Protect Drug Innovation Act,” falling back on Big Pharma’s discredited chestnut that anything to lower prices will stymie innovation. In the wake of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, investment in biotech stocks rose and a major drug company CEO said his company will do fine under its provisions.

P4ADNow’s campaign includes digital static ads as well as grassroots advocacy, where patients tell Senator Lummis to stand with patients, not Big Pharma.

See ad examples below:

In addition to Wyoming, P4ADNow will also be running ads in Oklahoma, Utah, and Florida where Senators Lankford, Lee, and Rubio also sponsored the bill.

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Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is an independent, bipartisan patient organization focused on policies to lower drug prices. P4ADNow does not accept funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.

P4ADNow Launches Push In Oklahoma, Calling Out Senator Lankford For Standing With Big Pharma To Actually Raise Drug Prices

“Our Senators Should Be Working To Expand These Reforms To All Americans, Not Reverse Them. This Legislation Is Unforgivable.”

OKLAHOMA — Patients are pushing back hard on Senator James Lankford’s recent effort to force them to pay more for their prescriptions. Senator Lankford is cosponsoring the so-called Protect Drug Innovation Act, which aims to reverse the life-changing drug price reforms recently passed into law in the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill would repeal reforms patients fought for years to achieve. It would block Medicare from negotiating lower prices, remove caps on annual price increases which are now limited to the rate of inflation, and raise out-of-pocket costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. In response, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is mobilizing patients and launching digital ads in Oklahoma to send a clear message to Senator Lankford: Don’t raise our drug prices.

“Senator Lankford is putting Big Pharma ahead of patients, seeking to reverse provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that will lower costs for tens of thousands of Oklahomans and which are supported by almost 80 percent of Americans, including seven out of 10 Republicans,” said David Mitchell, cancer patient and founder and president of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Patients worked too hard to pass these reforms to lower drug prices; we will not stand still while pro-pharma senators like James Lankford try to undo it – we will fight back.”

The senators gave the bill the intentionally misleading name of the “Protect Drug Innovation Act,” falling back on Big Pharma’s discredited chestnut that anything to lower prices will stymie innovation. In the wake of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, investment in biotech stocks rose and a major drug company CEO said his company will do fine under its provisions.

“I wish I were surprised by Senator Lankford’s attempt to reverse the recent drug price reforms – but this is just another example of politicians standing with Big Pharma instead of with patients,” added Clayton McCook, from Edmond whose daughter, Lily, lives with type 1 diabetes. “The Inflation Reduction Act is a huge step in the right direction to lower drug prices. Our senators should be working to expand these reforms to all Americans, not reverse them. This legislation is unforgivable.”

P4ADNow’s campaign includes digital static ads as well as grassroots advocacy, where patients tell Senator Lankford to stand with patients, not Big Pharma.

See ad examples below:

In addition to Oklahoma, P4ADNow will also be running ads in Utah, Wyoming, and Florida where Senators Lee, Lummis, and Rubio also sponsored the bill.

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Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is an independent, bipartisan patient organization focused on policies to lower drug prices. P4ADNow does not accept funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.

P4ADNow Launches Push In Florida, Calling Out Senator Rubio For Standing With Big Pharma To Actually Raise Drug Prices

“Finally, Congress Passed A Law To Allow Medicare To Negotiate Drug Prices, And Senator Rubio Wants To Reverse It?! Makes No Sense.”

FLORIDA — Patients are pushing back hard on Senator Marco Rubio’s recent effort to force them to pay more for their prescriptions. Senator Rubio is cosponsoring the so-called Protect Drug Innovation Act, which aims to reverse the life-changing drug price reforms recently passed into law in the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill would repeal reforms patients fought for years to achieve. It would block Medicare from negotiating lower prices, remove caps on annual price increases which are now limited to the rate of inflation, and raise out-of-pocket costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. In response, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is mobilizing patients and launching digital ads in Florida to send a clear message to Senator Rubio: Don’t raise our drug prices.

“Senator Rubio is putting Big Pharma ahead of patients, seeking to reverse provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that will lower costs for hundreds of thousands of Floridians and which are supported by almost 80 percent of Americans, including seven out of 10 Republicans,” said David Mitchell, cancer patient and founder and president of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Patients worked too hard to pass these reforms to lower drug prices; we will not stand still while pro-pharma senators like Marco Rubio try to undo it – we will fight back.”

The senators gave the bill the intentionally misleading name of the “Protect Drug Innovation Act,” falling back on Big Pharma’s discredited chestnut that anything to lower prices will stymie innovation. In the wake of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, investment in biotech stocks rose and a major drug company CEO said his company will do fine under its provisions.

“Florida seniors like me need Senator Rubio to stop standing in the way of lowering drug prices!” said Sheldon Armus of Boynton Beach, who lives with several cardiac conditions. “Finally, Congress passed a law to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, and Senator Rubio wants to reverse it?! Makes no sense.”

P4ADNow’s campaign includes digital static ads as well as grassroots advocacy, where patients tell Senator Rubio to stand with patients, not Big Pharma.

See ad examples below:

In addition to Florida, P4ADNow will also be running ads in Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming, where Senators Lankford, Lee, and Lummis also sponsored the bill.

###

Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is an independent, bipartisan patient organization focused on policies to lower drug prices. P4ADNow does not accept funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.

P4ADNow Launches Push In Utah, Calling Out Senator Lee For Standing With Big Pharma To Actually Raise Drug Prices  

“I’m Furious That Senator Lee Spews Big Pharma Lies While He Tries To Make Sure Drug Companies Can Continue To Price Gouge Me For My Prescriptions.”

UTAH — Patients are pushing back hard on Senator Mike Lee’s recent effort to force them to pay more for their prescriptions. Senator Lee introduced the so-called Protect Drug Innovation Act, which aims to reverse the life-changing drug price reforms recently passed into law in the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill would repeal reforms patients fought for years to achieve. It would block Medicare from negotiating lower prices, remove caps on annual price increases which are now limited to the rate of inflation, and raise out-of-pocket costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. In response, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is mobilizing patients and launching digital ads in Utah to send a clear message to Senator Lee: Don’t raise our drug prices.

“Senator Lee is putting Big Pharma ahead of patients, seeking to reverse provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that will lower costs for tens of thousands of Utahns and which are supported by almost 80 percent of Americans, including seven out of 10 Republicans,” said David Mitchell, cancer patient and founder and president of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Patients worked too hard to pass these reforms to lower drug prices; we will not stand still while pro-pharma senators like Mike Lee try to undo it – we will fight back.”

The senators gave the bill the intentionally misleading name of the “Protect Drug Innovation Act,” falling back on Big Pharma’s discredited chestnut that anything to lower prices will stymie innovation. In the wake of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, investment in biotech stocks rose and a major drug company CEO said his company will do fine under its provisions.

“I’m furious that Senator Lee spews Big Pharma lies while he tries to make sure drug companies can continue to price gouge me for my prescriptions,” said Meg Jackson-Drage, from Magna who lives with fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain, both of which require costly medication. “I don’t understand how he can put drug company profits ahead of the needs of his constituents by pushing for the repeal of reforms that lower drug prices.”

P4ADNow’s campaign includes digital static ads as well as grassroots advocacy, where patients tell Senator Lee to stand with patients, not Big Pharma.

See ad examples below:

In addition to Utah, P4ADNow will also be running ads in Oklahoma, Wyoming, and Florida where Senators Lankford, Lummis, and Rubio also sponsored the bill.

###

Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is an independent, bipartisan patient organization focused on policies to lower drug prices. P4ADNow does not accept funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.

P4ADNow Launches Push Including Ads In Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming, and Florida Calling Out Senators Lankford, Lee, Lummis, and Rubio For Standing With Big Pharma To Actually Raise Drug Prices 

“I’m Furious That Senator Lee Spews Big Pharma Lies While He Tries To Make Sure Drug Companies Can Continue To Price Gouge Me For My Prescriptions.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Patients are pushing back hard on Republican Senators Lankford (OK), Lee (UT), Lummis (WY), and Rubio (FL)’s recent effort to force them to pay more for their prescriptions. Senator Lee introduced, and Senators Lankford, Lummis, and Rubio cosponsored, the so-called Protect Drug Innovation Act, which aims to reverse the life-changing drug price reforms recently passed into law in the Inflation Reduction Act. The bill would repeal reforms patients fought for years to achieve. It would block Medicare from negotiating lower prices, remove caps on annual price increases which are now limited to the rate of inflation, and raise out-of-pocket costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries. In response, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is mobilizing patients and launching digital ads in Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming, and Florida to send a clear message to these senators: Don’t raise our drug prices.

“Senators Lankford, Lee, Lummis, and Rubio are putting Big Pharma ahead of patients, seeking to reverse provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that are supported by almost 80 percent of Americans, including seven out of 10 Republicans,” said David Mitchell, cancer patient and founder and president of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Patients worked too hard to pass these reforms to lower drug prices; we will not stand still while pro-pharma senators try to undo it – we will fight back.”

The senators gave the bill the intentionally misleading name of the “Protect Drug Innovation Act,” falling back on Big Pharma’s discredited chestnut that anything to lower prices will stymie innovation. In the wake of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, investment in biotech stocks rose and a major drug company CEO said his company will do fine under its provisions.

“I’m furious that Senator Lee spews Big Pharma lies while he tries to make sure drug companies can continue to price gouge me for my prescriptions,” said Meg Jackson-Drage, from Magna, Utah who lives with fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain, both of which require costly medication. “I don’t understand how he can put drug company profits ahead of the needs of his constituents by pushing for the repeal of reforms that lower drug prices.”

“Florida seniors like me need Senator Rubio to stop standing in the way of lowering drug prices!” said Sheldon Armus of Boynton Beach, Florida, who lives with several cardiac conditions. “Finally, Congress passed a law to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, and Senator Rubio wants to reverse it?! Makes no sense.”

“I wish I were surprised by Senator Lankford’s attempt to reverse the recent drug price reforms – but this is just another example of politicians standing with Big Pharma instead of with patients,” added Clayton McCook, from Edmond, Oklahoma whose daughter, Lily, lives with type 1 diabetes. “The Inflation Reduction Act is a huge step in the right direction to lower drug prices. Our senators should be working to expand these reforms to all Americans, not reverse them. This legislation is unforgivable.”

P4ADNow’s campaign includes digital ads in the four states as well as grassroots advocacy, where patients tell their senators to stand with patients, not Big Pharma.

See ad examples below:

###

Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is an independent, bipartisan patient organization focused on policies to lower drug prices. P4ADNow does not accept funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.

Welcome To The Week In Review.

1. $158,000? “There Is No Justification”

• Last week, the Food and Drug Administration approved Relyvrio, a drug combination to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive and fatal disease of the nervous system that affects tens of thousands of people in the United States. Relyvrio is not proven to work, yet the company that makes the drug, Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, set an annual price of $158,000. Independent reviewers say the upper limit of a reasonable price should be a maximum of $30,700 with the important caveat: “if the therapy actually works.” This week, experts and patient advocates are calling out this latest example of Big Pharma greed. “We’re not talking about [Amylyx] setting a price to recoup their investments or anything like that,” said Stacie Dusetzina, associate professor of health policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “This is basically taking advantage of the fact that we allow the price to be what the market will bear.” P4AD’s David Mitchell released a statement saying, “There is no justification for pricing Relyvrio, a drug that has not been proven effective, at $158,000. It is a poster child for what is wrong with drug pricing in America and why our system must be reformed to arrive at appropriate prices that maximize accessibility and affordability for drugs that are shown to be both safe and effective.” — (The New York Times, Common Dreams, Politico, P4AD)

2. New Reform In Action

• The very first provision of the Inflation Reduction Act went into effect last Saturday Oct. 1. Drug corporations will now have their drug price hikes assessed against the rate of inflation. “Pharmaceutical companies that raise the price of their products more than the rate of general inflation will have to pay Medicare a rebate for those outsize price hikes,” explains AARP’s ​​Peter Urban. “The provision is designed to help reduce the size and frequency of prescription drug price increases.” A new report released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says that Big Pharma raised the price of over 1,200 prescription drugs past the rate of inflation from July 2021 to July 2022 — price hikes that would likely now be subject to steep penalties. This reform will be life-changing for patients. “The Inflation Reduction Act is really historic legislation that is going to save millions of people in America millions of dollars over time,” P4AD’s David Mitchell said on iHeartRadio’s podcast, It Could Happen Here. — (AARP, The Hill, Florida Politics, Ohio Capital Journal, Bangor Daily News, Cleveland.com, Colorado Times Recorder, It Could Happen Here)

3. Time To Tackle PBMs

• Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), vowed to use all of the tools at the commission’s disposal in its investigation into the business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) — that includes law enforcement and rule-making. Over the summer, “the FTC unanimously voted to launch a probe into the business practices of PBMs and how they influence drug prices and the pharmacy business.” The investigation is a much-needed next step to scrutinize PBMs and ensure they work for patients. — (Axios)

One more thing: We wrapped up our digital campaign about the Inflation Reduction Act by highlighting how we plan to continue to work to reform our drug price system for all patients.

Have a great weekend, everyone!