Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is giving thanks to our patient community. Together, we will lower drug prices.
Welcome to the Week In Review!
1. It’s Not Enough
2. Medicare Negotiation Will Save Millions of Lives, Billions of Dollars
3. Keep It Going
4. We’ve Done the Work
5. Hey 117th — Lower drug prices
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued today by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now:
“The rules announced today by the Trump administration fall short of the comprehensive reforms we need to lower the prices of prescription drugs and provide relief all Americans need. They are a mixed bag at best.
“The most-favored nation international reference pricing rule endorses bringingprices of some drugs more in line with what other wealthy nations pay, which is a step in the right direction. But its impact is limited to a small number of Part B drugs, does not address Part D drugs, and would offer no relief whatsoever to the 85 percent of Americans not covered by Medicare. It is likely to be blocked by legal challenges, meaning any relief is a long way off.
“The rebate rule takes steps in the right direction by ridding our system of secret deals between drug companies and pharmacy benefit managers. Instead, negotiated discounts would be passed to patients and consumers at point of sale. But we are concerned that the rule does not adequately address the projected premium increases of $50 billion found previously by the CMS Office of the Actuary and the increased government spending of $177 billionover 10 years found by the Congressional Budget Office. This level of premium and cost impact would be unacceptable. Moreover the rule does nothing to lower list prices of drugs and provides no relief to the vast majority of Americans.
“We do note that the use of international reference pricing has now been endorsed by the outgoing Republican and incoming Democratic administrations and enjoys bipartisan support in Congress. We hope elected officials will seize on this momentum and enact legislation that will bring down the prices of prescription drugs in the United States.”
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Congrats! If you’re reading this, you made it through Friday the 13th. Welcome to the Week in Review!
1. Keep Your Word
2. Getting Rich Quick
3. We’re Kept in the Dark
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, voters across the country elected candidates who ran on promises to lower prescription drug prices. Today, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now launched a new ad to ensure they deliver on those promises. Democrats and Republicans made relief from rising drug prices a central part of their campaigns through speeches, ads, and debates.
“From Maine to Arizona, voters sent congressional candidates to Washington who committed to relief from high drug prices for the American people. And now we will hold them to those promises,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now.
“President-elect Biden has made unifying the nation his first priority, and no issue unifies Americans like the need to lower the prices of prescription drugs,” Mitchell added. “We will mobilize our full support behind President-elect Biden and members of Congress from both parties who act to deliver meaningful reform to lower prescription drug prices.”
The new campaign kicks off this week with the ad slated to run on digital media platforms. In the coming months, the campaign will include grassroots mobilization and virtual visits to Capitol Hill by patients to press for promised reforms.
The ad features President-elect Biden and winning Senate candidates on both sides of the aisle promising to take on skyrocketing drug prices. Included in the ad are Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Gary Peters (D-MI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Senator-elect Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is an independent, bipartisan patient organization focused on advancing policies to lower drug prices. It does not accept funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.
TRANSCRIPT:
President-elect Joe Biden: “We’re going to make sure we reduce drug prices.”
SUPER: This election season (thank goodness it’s over)
Senator Tina Smith (D-MN): “I have been working to lower prescription drug prices.”
SUPER: Across the country, Democrats and Republicans made a promise
SUPER: Lower drug prices
Senator Gary Peters (D-IL): “I’m fighting to lower the cost of prescription drugs.”
Senator Steve Daines (R-MT): “He’s taking on Big Pharma.”
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME): “To lower the cost of prescriptions.”
Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA): “We have to work on prescription drugs.”
Senator-elect Mark Kelly (D-AZ): “A single prescription can cost thousands.”
SUPER: Now Americans demand that lawmakers deliver on their promise
SUPER: Lower prescription drug prices.
SUPER: Fightpharma.org
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Colorado Voters Give Hickenlooper A Clear Mandate For Drug Pricing Reform in 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After campaigning on the promise to lower drug prices, John Hickenlooper successfully won the Colorado Senate seat. Throughout the campaign, Hickenlooper promised to help families afford prescription drug costs by pushing for Medicare negotiation and transparent drug pricing. With his victory comes a clear mandate from voters for Senator-elect Hickenlooper to stand with patients against Big Pharma and rein in prescription drug prices in 2021.
“Hickenlooper’s victory proves what we have heard from voters across the country: Patients want elected officials who will fight to lower drug prices,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Hickenlooper’s promise to deliver meaningful drug pricing reform is a commitment we will hold him to as he joins the 117th Congress. Patients can’t wait any longer.”
Hickenlooper ran ads elevating the issue of drug pricing and committing to “help families getting crushed by prescription drug costs.” Voters took Hickenlooper’s commitment to the polls and delivered him a victory, flipping the Senate seat.
In the lead-up to Nov. 3, Coloradans like Kris Garcia from Denver shared their stories to spotlight the struggle Colorado residents face affording prescription drugs. “When you cast your ballot, make sure your candidate has a plan to lower drug prices.”
Garcia’s ad was a part of a seven-figure national campaign launched by Patients For Affordable Drugs Now featuring TV, radio, and digital ads alongside grassroots tools that gave patient advocates the power to engage with candidates on the issue of drug prices.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly 9 out of 10 voters named lowering prescription drug prices a top health care issue deciding their 2020 presidential vote. Nationwide, 35 percent of voters said drug pricing is among their most important voting issues, according to Gallup.
P4ADNow is an independent, bipartisan patient organization focused on advancing policies to lower drug prices. It does not accept funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.
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Virginia Voters Give Warner A Clear Mandate For Drug Pricing Reform in 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After campaigning on the promise to lower drug prices, Mark Warner successfully won re-election to the U.S. Senate. Throughout the campaign, Warner vowed to allow Medicare to negotiate directly for lower prices. With his victory comes a clear mandate from voters for the senator to stand with patients and rein in prescription drug prices in 2021.
“Senator Warner’s victory proves what we have heard from voters across the country: Patients want elected officials who will fight to lower drug prices,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Warner’s promise to deliver meaningful drug pricing reform is a commitment we will hold him to as he joins the 117th Congress. Patients can’t wait any longer.”
Warner, whose daughter has juvenile diabetes, ran ads elevating the issue of drug pricing and highlighting his support of legislation that would allow for Medicare negotiation, put an end to pharmaceutical price gouging, and cap out-of-pocket costs in Medicare. Voters took Warner’s commitment to the polls, delivering him a clear victory.
In the lead-up to Nov. 3, Virginians like Candice Brown from Alexandria shared their stories to spotlight the struggle Virginia residents face affording prescription drugs. “I’ve been on Entyvio for the last year. The only caveat is it’s $6,700 a month. No one can afford that. This drug pricing system was not meant to benefit me as a patient. It was meant to benefit Big Pharma.”
Candice’s ad was a part of a national campaign launched by Patients For Affordable Drugs Now featuring TV, radio, and digital ads alongside grassroots tools that gave patient advocates the power to engage with candidates on the issue of drug prices.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, nearly 9 out of 10 voters named lowering prescription drug prices a top health care issue deciding their 2020 presidential vote. Nationwide, 35 percent of voters said drug pricing is among their most important voting issues, according to Gallup.
P4ADNow is an independent, bipartisan patient organization focused on advancing policies to lower drug prices. It does not accept funding from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.
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Whatever the outcome on Tuesday, this election has made one thing clear yet again: Voters care deeply about taking on drug corporations and bringing down the price of prescription drugs.
This cycle, in an unprecedented way, candidates, political parties, and independent expenditure campaigns spent time and money talking about rising prescription drug prices and promising to fix the broken system. Candidates on both sides of the aisle made promises to bring down drug prices — with good reason. Lowering drug prices is a winner in polling, among voters at the kitchen table, and for the economy.
Take a look for yourself.
POLLING demonstrates the power of lowering drug prices.
CANDIDATES put their time and money behind ads and talking points promising to lower drug prices.
LAWMAKERS pay a political price for betting on Big Pharma. Outside entities believe ties to drug corporations are toxic and spent millions this cycle defining candidates as in the pocket of Big Pharma.
VOTERS want to hear about plans to lower drug prices.
Three. More. Days. Welcome to the Week In Review.
1. Ten Years A Cancer Patient
2. Send Him Packing
3. Risky Investments
4. Paying in Advance
5. The Very Definition of Pandemic Profiteering