Yesterday, the House Built Back Better. Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. A Historic Milestone
The House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act yesterday, including reforms that are a historic step toward resetting a broken drug pricing system and lowering prices for Americans. If passed into law, the landmark legislation would allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices for the most expensive drugs for the very first time. “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,” said P4ADNow’s David Mitchell. Americans can’twaitanylonger for relief from high drug prices. — (STAT)
2. We Saved Ourselves
This week, P4AD released a video and a fact sheet telling the true origin story of the COVID-19 vaccines. Taxpayers funded years of research into vaccine technology prior to the pandemic and spent billions of dollars developing, manufacturing, and purchasing the vaccines after the pandemic hit. Drug companies took the money and are now set to break records on drug sales, and AstraZeneca announced that it will transition to for-profit pricing. “The moral of the story? Pharma did its job, but it didn’t save us,” the animated video says. “We taxpayers saved ourselves.” — (P4ADNow)
3.Raising Prices, Just Because
A new report from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review identified seven costly drugs, including the best-selling medication Humira, that saw significant price hikes in 2020 without clinical justification. “These treatments have been on the market for many years, with scant evidence that they are any more effective … than when they cost far less.” Drug companies shouldn’t be able to price gouge patients and raise prices at will, forcing too many to choose between paying for their prescription drugs or their bills. It’s time to put a stop to pharma’s predatory pricing practices. — (Reuters)
4. The Savings Are Negligible
Semglee, an insulin biosimilar to Lantus that was approved earlier this year, is priced at $269 per vial — less than $20 lower than the price of Lantus. While the industry touted this change as an “affordable alternative” price, this is really just another example of how biosimilar drugs can still be priced out of reach for patients instead of providing significant savings. The entire pharmaceutical chain, which continues to exploit patients for maximum profits, is due for reform. — (Axios)
5. Lifting The Veil On Drug Prices
A new rule from the Biden administration requires insurance companies to report the highest-cost drugs to the government. The transparency measure, which will allow policymakers to identify ways to lower prices, is another step in the right direction toward building a more fair drug pricing system for the people it is supposed to serve: patients. — (FierceHealthcare)
One more thing: P4ADNow founder David Mitchell appeared on Inside America with Ghida Fakhry to discuss the popularity of drug pricing reforms like Medicare negotiation and the fight to get the legislation passed this year.
“Paid for by PhRMA.” ????????? Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. The Lies They Tell
In an op-ed for Business Insider, P4ADNow founder David Mitchell sets the record straight point-by-point on the false claims perpetuated by the pharma lobby and its front groups in fear-mongering ads. “Big Pharma may not have found a cure for my cancer, but it has perfected the science of twisting facts that it doesn’t like to scare patients like me into believing that lowering drug prices will bring us great harm,” Mitchell writes. “If Big Pharma spent more time working on innovative new drugs and less time protecting its power to dictate high prices, we’d get more of what we seek: innovation we need at prices we can afford.” — (Business Insider)
2. Americans Choose Medicare Negotiation
A new Kaiser Family Foundation survey shows that Americans don’t believe Big Pharma’s lies that Medicare negotiation will harm new drug development. In fact, an overwhelming majority support negotiation even after hearing Big Pharma’s fear-mongering arguments. Additional polls show that Americans believe Medicare negotiation is one of the top reasons to pass the Build Back Better plan, and in states like Arizona and New Jersey, 94 percent and 77 percent of voters, respectively, support the reform. We can save millions of lives now by passing legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. Congress, let’s get it done. — (Kaiser Health News, Axios)
3.Pharma Puts A Price On Our Lives
P4ADNow patient advocate Hailey Adkisson, whose daughter was born with a rare form of childhood epilepsy and required a medication that cost $280,000 per course, spoke at an event with Senator Wyden last Friday about why Americans need Medicare negotiation now and the toll that high drug prices take on families. “Throughout this epilepsy journey, I have met many families who have had to make incredibly difficult decisions in order to avoid expensive medications,” Hailey said. “How do you say no to a potentially life-saving drug for your child?” — (The Portland Tribune)
4. A False Choice
Medicare negotiation would allow for both robust drug innovation and more affordable drugs to improve patient access, writes oncologist and health policy expert Ezekiel Emanuel in Politico, adding that proposed legislation would still result in more than 95 percent of new drugs coming to market. “This hardly constitutes the ‘end of innovation’ that drug companies and others ominously warn is inevitable with any price regulation,” Emanuel writes. “What it does mean is that tens of millions of Americans … might finally be able to afford to take the medications that could save their lives.” — (Politico)
Social media wasn’t working for six hours this week, much like our drug pricing system all the damn time.
Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. Congress, Arizona Patients Need Your Help
On Monday, P4ADNow launched a six-figure Arizona ad campaign featuring Phoenix patient Iesha Meza, who lives with type 1 diabetes, and calling on Congress to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. “When you have diabetes, insulin is like water — without it, you’ll die. Now imagine if water cost $300 a vial,” Iesha says in the ad. “I had to ration my insulin, and it almost killed me.” Arizonapatients need Senators Sinemaand Kelly, who both madepledges on the campaign trail to lower drug prices, to vote for passage of Medicare negotiation legislation in the reconciliation package. — (P4ADNow)
2. “This Isn’t About Politics”
On Wednesday, P4ADNow followed up with another ad campaign urging five key House members — Reps. Correa(CA-46), Peters(CA-52), Gottheimer(NJ-05), Murphy(FL-07), and Rice(NY-04) — to support strong Medicare negotiation legislation. All five members voted for H.R. 3 in 2019, then flip-flopped and introduced an ineffective rival bill this year. P4ADNow’s David Mitchell explains that these members of Congress must “deliver on promises to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for Americans — instead of supporting a weak and ineffective substitute masquerading as negotiation and designed to protect Big Pharma.” The campaign’s TV ads feature Kris Garcia, who lives with multiple bleeding disorders and depends on infusions that cost nearly $40,000. P4ADNow also launched an ad thanking Rep. Golden(ME-02)for fighting to let Medicare negotiate lower prices and asking him to get the job done by voting for the Build Back Better Act. “For millions of Americans like me, this isn’t about politics,” Kris says. “This is about life and death.” — (P4ADNow)
3.Seniors See Through “Mediscare” Ads
PhRMA and its front groups are spending heavily on deceptive ads and mailers framing Medicare negotiation as Democratic plans to cut Medicare — but patients aren’t fooled. “Millions of dollars are being spent to deceive seniors into opposing these cost savings, by shadow groups with dirty tactics that don’t have to disclose their donors,” writes the editorial board of New Jersey’s Star-Ledger. “It’s a vivid, grotesque example of the distortions of our political system by big money.” The reality is that the vast majority of New Jersey seniors and Americans, regardless of political affiliation, support Medicare negotiation and believe lawmakers must act to address high drug prices this year. Americans aren’t buying Big Pharma’s lies anymore. — (Axios)
4. Debunking Pharma’s Patient Access Lie
The Kaiser Family Foundation published a fact check this week in response to the drug industry’s persistent lies that Medicare negotiation will “restrict access to medicines.” The truth: Proposed Medicare negotiation legislation would not allow the government to dictate access to drugs, and lower drug prices will actually improve patient access to medications. Don’t let drug industry propaganda get in the way of lowering drug prices for patients. — (Kaiser Family Foundation)
5. Taxpayers Fund Innovation
Merck’s antiviral drug, which may be effective in reducing risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19, was developed with $35 million in taxpayer funds. But while the government has already agreed to pay Merck $17.80 per pill once the drug gains emergency use authorization, researchers estimate that it only costs about $0.50 to manufacture each pill, even with a 10 percent profit margin. Like Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine, which was 100 percent funded by taxpayers and has boosted three executives and investors into Forbes’ list of the 400 richest people in the United States, Merck’s antiviral drug is yet another example of pharma cashing out on government-funded innovation. — (Axios)
Spooky season is here, and it looks like PhRMA is dressing up as patient groups this year.
Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. What Do We Want? Medicare Negotiation.
On Monday, 160 P4ADNow patient advocates leading the fight for lower drug prices sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi expressing strong support for the inclusion of comprehensive Medicare negotiation in the reconciliation package. Americans are united on this issue; new polls show that allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices is Americans’ top priority across both the infrastructure and social spending packages, and that 9 out of 10 Americans believe negotiation will increase access to medications. We can’t be more clear: Let Medicare negotiate now! — (Common Dreams, Politico/Harvard, West Health)
2. Rep. Peters, Stand With Patients
In a new op-ed, P4ADNow founder David Mitchell explains how Medicare negotiation will actually drive innovation and why Rep. Peters’ (CA-52) alternate bill won’t help patients or meaningfully lower drug prices. “If he wants to avoid being contradicted about his claims, he must vote in the interest of patients in his community, not as a tool of Big Pharma,” Mitchell writes. SanDiegans concur: Negotiation will improve access to drugs instead of hindering innovation. Rep. Peters, protect patients and your constituents — not corporate interests. — (Times of San Diego)
3.Lies, Lies, Lies
The drug industry lobby and its front groups continue to flood the airwaves with misleading ads, having spent at least $23.7 million on ad campaigns fighting drug pricing reforms since the summer. A recent ad from the 60 Plus Association claiming that Democrats want to “swipe $500 billion from Medicare” was rated “False” in a PolitiFact examination. A Roll Call investigation reveals that the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, which has spent over $5 million on ads opposing Medicare negotiation, is an astroturf group funded by PhRMA. Don’t fall for the lies — with negotiation, patients will finally get the innovation we need at prices we can afford. — (PolitiFact, Roll Call, Center for Health Journalism)
4. Why They Want To Maintain The Status Quo
P4ADNow released a new data set this week revealing that drug company CEOs opposing Medicare negotiation earned an average compensation of $12.5 million in 2020 — 185 times the income of the average American household and 420 times the income of the average Medicare beneficiary. While these CEOs are profiting off the backs of Americans, millions of patients across the country have personalstoriesabout how they have been harmed by high drug prices. Drug companies are fighting to keep using Americans as their piggy bank, but we won’t stand for it any longer. — (P4ADNow)
5. Because They Can
Americans pay more for the top 20 best-selling drugs than the rest of the world combined, according to a Public Citizen analysis. U.S. sales made up 64 percent of a combined revenue of $101 billion in 2020. Drug companies charge Americans vastly more because Medicare isn’t allowed to negotiate prices. It’s time that changed. — (Axios)
Bonus: Three More Things!
On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee completed its markup of four bills that would crack down on the drug industry’s patent abuses. We look forward to making sure both patent reform and Medicare negotiation are passed into law this year.
P4ADNow founder David Mitchell spoke to the San Francisco Business Times about the tough decisions patients have to make to afford expensive gene therapies and the need to lower list prices.
Letters and op-eds keep rolling in from Americans passionate about achieving drug pricing reform this year. Constituentsareurgingtheircongressionalmembers to support Medicare negotiation, and electedofficials and health advocacy leaders are adding their voices to the chorus. High drug prices, which disproportionately affect communities of color, must also be addressed at the state level through measures such as prescription drug affordability boards, writes Colorado patient advocate Kris Garcia.
As part of an ongoing congressional investigation into pharma’s abusive pricing practices, a new report from the House Oversight and Reform Committee estimates that allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices could have saved taxpayers over $25 billion on just seven drugs between 2014 and 2018. Internal documents also reveal that drug companies continue to hike prices in the United States because of Medicare’s inability to negotiate — and it’s patients like Meg, Lynn, and Heidi who are hurt most by the burden of these high prices. — (House Oversight and Reform Committee)
2. Roundup! Drumbeat Of Patient Voices
Over the past few months, more and more patient advocates have written to their local publications, shared their stories on social media, and directly contacted their members of Congress to call for Medicare negotiation. Patients recognize that this is the best chance in years to pass this critical reform and are ramping up their advocacy in response. Congress: Listen to patients. Now is the time to get it done. — (P4ADNow)
3.Money Talks
Reps. Peters (CA-52) and Schrader (OR-05), who voted against H.R. 3 in last week’s House Energy and Commerce Committee markup, have both received large campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical industry, according to data from OpenSecrets. Rep. Peters has already taken $88,550 from the industry for the 2022 election cycle, and Rep. Schrader received $144,252 during the 2020 cycle. It’s clear that the congressmen are fighting for Big Pharma over patients, and their constituents are takingnote. — (OpenSecrets)
4. Representatives Take A Stand
This week, representatives from across the country wrote op-eds highlighting the drug pricing crisis in America and urging passage of strong Medicare negotiation legislation. “For far too long, the pharmaceutical industry has dictated who in America has access to the medicines they need for their health and well-being,” Rep. Wild wrote in The Hill. In The Washington Post, Reps. Allred, Axne, Davids, Kim, and Spanberger explained, “Congress can stand on the side of consumers and take decisive action to lower prescription drug costs for millions of Americans. By giving Medicare the power to negotiate drug prices, Congress can make sure patients come first.” Thank you, representatives! Patients have your backs. — (The Hill, The Washington Post)
5. The Urgency Of Reform
A new poll from Gallup and West Health shows that nearly 18 million Americans were unable to afford a prescription drug in their household over the past three months. And in the past year, 10 percent of Americans have personally skipped a dose or have had a family member skip a dose of medication to save money. It’s unacceptable that patients are being forced to choose cost-saving measures over medically prescribed treatment. Lowering drug prices is a matter of life or death. — (Gallup, West Health)
Broadway reopened, but final curtain call is coming for Big Pharma price gouging as House Ways and Means advances H.R. 3.
Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. ?Win In The House?
The House Ways and Means committee advanced the comprehensive provisions of H.R. 3 for inclusion in the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package this week. The committee’s favorable report ensures Medicare negotiation will be incorporated into the reconciliation package that moves to the House floor in coming weeks. “We applaud Chairman Richard Neal and Democratic members on the committee for standing up to Big Pharma and fighting for H.R. 3,” P4ADNow’s David Mitchell said. “Now the House and Senate must move forward with reconciliation to fulfill their promise to pass strong Medicare negotiation to lower drug prices on behalf of Americans.” — (Axios, Los Angeles Times)
2. Flip-Floppers
Right before the Ways and Means Committee advanced H.R. 3, three Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee — Reps. Peters, Rice, and Schrader — sided with Big Pharma and failed to support the drug pricing provisions. Their opposition is a speed bump on the way to reconciliation, but patients are holding them accountable with new ads that target Reps. Peters and Rice, who have an opportunity to vote in favor of the reconciliation package on the floor and advance the Medicare negotiation legislation. “It makes me so angry that members of Congress are choosing Big Pharma over patients,” says multiple sclerosis patient Therese Ball in the newads. “It’s unforgivable.” — (Common Dreams)
3.Ads On Ads
P4ADNow also launched another TV adthis week as part of its campaign to ensure patient voices are heard in the midst of multiple million-dollar Big Pharma campaigns full of lies and scare tactics. The new ad features Lynn Scarfuto, a retired nurse and cancer patient who faces a $15,000 price tag for her cancer medication, Imbruvica. “What happens to millions of Americans like me who can’t afford the drugs we so desperately need?” Lynn asks, “Congress, the opportunity to act is now.” Check out all our recent ads here. — (P4ADNow)
4. Sea To Shining Sea
New data collected by Data for Progress on behalf of P4ADNow and Protect Our Care shows overwhelming, bipartisan support for Medicare negotiation in every state and congressional district. The project surveyed 4,222 likely voters and found that 86% back reforms that give Medicare the power to negotiate lower drug prices; 81% believe prescription drug costs are “unreasonable”; and only 12% believe pharma’s argument that letting Medicare negotiate lower prices will harm innovation. The survey was modeled onto every congressional district in the country and all 50 states. It’s time to pass drug pricing reform. — (P4ADNow)
5. Voices Build For Lower Drug Prices
Elected officials and editorial boards are making their voices heard in support of allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. State and local officials in West Virginia say, “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to finally bring down drug prices for American families.” State Senator Troy Singleton agrees that, “Giving Medicare the power to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices for all Americans can save patients more than $150 billion and create $500 billion in savings for the federal government.” The New Jersey Star-Ledger warns the public not to be fooled by “dark money groups running a scaremongering ad campaign,” and explains that “lower drug prices also means lower insurance premiums and copays for patients who desperately need them.” The answer is clear: Let Medicare negotiate. — (WTRF, New Jersey Star-Ledger,New Jersey Star-Ledger)
Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. A Blueprint Forward
On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services released a plan to lower drug prices, which includes allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices, extending negotiated prices to the private sector, and investing in research to ensure continued innovation. The administration’s plan is bold, comprehensive, and exactly what patients across the country need at this moment. We’ll do everything we can to support the administration and Congress as they work to implement these important recommendations. — (Bloomberg Law)
2. “Listen To Patients”
To counter pharma’s continued scare tactics and falsehoods about Medicare negotiation, P4ADNow released a new TV ad this week calling out the drug industry’s lies and urging Congress to pass Medicare negotiation legislation. The new phase of the campaign, which also includes digital ads and congressional outreach from patient advocates, coincides with Congress’ work over the next few weeks to draft and mark up Medicare negotiation legislation to include in the reconciliation bill. “Don’t listen to the lies. Don’t listen to the threats. Don’t listen to the lobbyists. Listen to patients,” the ad tells Congress. “Medicare negotiation will help millions of patients get the innovation we need at prices we can afford … We’re counting on you to get it done.” — (Politico)
3. Medicare Negotiation Wins The Popularity Contest
A new survey shows that Medicare negotiation is the most popular provision in the president’s Build Back Better plan, with nearly 9 in 10 voters supporting the proposal. Americans continue to call for relief from Big Pharma’s abusive pricing practices. It’s time we put patients first. — (Navigator Research)
One more thing: Read these compelling viewpoints from a father of a cystic fibrosis patient in The Concord Monitor, two U.S. representatives in The Baltimore Sun, and an emergency room doctor in The Tucson Weekly about the need for Medicare negotiation.
Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. Negotiation *Improves* Access
On Monday, P4ADNow released a video featuring founder David Mitchell setting the record straight on how Medicare negotiation would improve access to drugs, contrary to Big Pharma’s lies that patient access will be harmed. The video complements P4AD’s recent fact check of six false claims in pharma-funded ads. “High prices limit access to medications people need right now. The Democratic plan would actually improve access by allowing Medicare to negotiate lower prices,” Mitchell says. “Nothing in the plan limits access to drugs. It’s another Big Pharma big lie.” — (P4ADNow)
2. Another Day, Another Lie
As congressional Democrats work to include drug pricing reforms like Medicare negotiation in the reconciliation package, pharma is pouring over $18 million in ad spending to protect its ability to dictate prices. In addition to the usual lies about access and innovation, the industry is now claiming that it should not be subjected to new regulations due to its role in developing COVID-19 vaccines. But it’s taxpayers who have largely bankrolled vaccine development — the U.S. government invested in research decades ago that led to the successful mRNA vaccines and has spent over $18 billion since the start of the pandemic on research, manufacturing, and distribution. It’s no surprise that yet another pharma claim fails to hold up to scrutiny. — (Politico)
3.In Case You Weren’t Sure
New polls show that about 4 out of 5 voters in Florida’s seventh congressional district and 9 out of 10 voters in New Jersey’s fifth district support allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. Insurers are also advocating for Medicare negotiation — the Alliance of Community Health Plans, a coalition of non-profit health insurers across the country, sent a letter to congressional leadership calling for the inclusion of Medicare negotiation in the reconciliation package. Voters, insurers, and employers are all united on this issue. It’s clear what Congress needs to do. — (Florida Politics, New Jersey Globe, Alliance of Community Health Plans)
One more thing: This week, Americans continued to write in support of Medicare negotiation, with powerful letters and op-eds from patients and advocates in Arizona, Nevada, Ohio, and West Virginia.
