Welcome to the Week in Review. We hope everyone is safe and hanging in there this week.
Our Origin Story
In a new episode of the Uninvisible Pod with host Lauren Freedman, P4AD founder David Mitchell discusses his life as a multiple myeloma patient — and how his diagnosis and the high prices of his prescription drugs drove him to fight for change to our broken drug pricing system. — (Uninvisible Pod)
2.New Year, Same Price Hikes
On Jan. 1, 70 pharmaceutical companies raised the prices of hundreds of prescription drugs, as Americans endured sickness and hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This comes after drug companies hiked the prices of more than 1,000 drugs in 2020. Americans overwhelmingly agree that it is long past time to end Big Pharma’s stranglehold on America’s drug pricing system. The incoming Biden administration and Congress must listen to the people and act. — (Reuters)
3.Stand Up for Seniors
Seniors on Medicare pay for their prescription drugs based on list prices set by Big Pharma. With ever-increasing prices and no out-of-pocket cap in Medicare Part D, all too often those prices are simply too high. Many seniors are forced to patch together assistance programs and grants or face not being able to take their medications as prescribed. Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree the drug pricing system needs reform — patients need leaders to deliver real change. — (Kaiser Health News)
4.Blockbuster Pharma Ad Spends
America’s COVID-19 death toll exceeded 318,000 by the end of 2020, but tone-deaf Big Pharma rounded out last year by breaking its 2020 monthly ad spending record. In December alone, 10 top Big Pharma brands flooded the airwaves with $217 million in drug ads for expensive medications, including AbbVie’s Humira, Merck’s Keytruda, and Pfizer’s Xeljanz. Big Pharma wants us to think price hikes are necessary to fuel innovation; in reality, price hikes help fuel big marketing campaigns to increase sales. — (FiercePharma)
5.Keep Up the Momentum
Insulin copay cap laws across seven states came into effect this year, including $100 monthly caps in Washington and Illinois and a $50 monthly cap in Virginia. We applaud these states for taking a step to provide relief to people living with diabetes. — (The Seattle Times, WGN9, Prince William Times)
2020, what a year it has been. We welcome 2021 and wish health, hope, and happiness to you all.
1. Candidates’ Campaign Promises
During the 2020 election cycle, patients called on candidates to lay out their plans for taking on Big Pharma and fighting to lower prescription drug prices. In November, voters across the country elected candidates on both sides of the aisle who promised to stand with patients. Now, as the 117th Congress prepares to be sworn in and President-elect Biden readies his administration to take office, patient advocates will be holding them accountable to make sure they deliver on their campaign promises.
2. Taxpayer-Funded Light At The End Of The Tunnel
It has been an unprecedented pandemic, but in many ways, we saw the same old Big Pharma tactics to line executives’ pockets and rake in the cash. As the COVID-19 pandemic grew, the U.S. government and other nations around the world pumped billions into research and development for treatments and vaccines. Now pharmaceutical companies are predicting billions in revenue thanks to treatments and vaccines funded by taxpayers, and company executives have been cashing in, selling hundredsofmillions of dollars in stock. At P4ADNow, we’re grateful for the vaccines that are rolling out — we all desperately need them. But when it comes to vaccine development, pharma should be thanking taxpayers for picking up the tab.
3. Big Pharma’s Lies Spectacularly Revealed
A bombshell pair of hearings in the House Oversight Committee bore the fruits of an 18-month investigation into drug industry pricing practices launched by the late Chairman Elijah Cummings. The investigationdebunked pharma’s talking points that drug prices must be kept high to allow for important innovation. Internal documents from five big drug companies, Celgene, Teva, Amgen, Novartis, and Mallinckrodt, revealed a culture of greed that linked price hikes directly to increased company revenue and executive bonuses. Company executives were forced to face the impact of their price gouging when four patients shared their drug pricing stories at the hearings. The investigation is continuing into 2021; Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney announced her intent to subpoena industry behemoth AbbVie next.
4. Business As Usual
The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t make the issue of high drug prices go away — it made it worse. The pandemic has caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs, and with it their incomes and access to health insurance. This year could have been an opportunity for Big Pharma to exercise restraint when it came to drug prices; instead, it was price hikes as usual for the industry. Since the beginning of the year, drug corporations have hiked the prices of more than 1,000 drugs. Those drugs include medications being used to treat COVID-19 symptoms, tested to fight the virus itself, and prescribed to treat diseases that put people at risk of complications from the virus. It brings a whole new meaning to “cashing in on a crisis.”
We are looking ahead with hope for 2021: For speedy access to a COVID-19 vaccine for every American — and for lower drug prices. Welcome to the Week In Review.
1. Disputing a Double Charge
Drug corporations have historically been unwilling to invest money in risky research on vaccines, so when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, governments around the world stepped up to finance the research and development of COVID-19 vaccines. Now Big Pharma is cashing in with vaccine prices that will yield huge profits. — (BBC)
2. We’re Saving Ourselves
Pharma is using the COVID-19 vaccine successes to try to rehabilitate its image — hoping the much-needed success will erase years of abuse of patients and consumers. But the vaccines are actually built on years of research by government and university scientists. Having received public support every step of the way, drug corporations shouldn’t be allowed to set prices and claim patent rights that put private profits ahead of public health. — (The New York Times)
3. Bipartisan Calls For Action
Two longtime members of Congress reasserted their commitments to fight for affordable prescription drugs. Rep. Doggett (D-TX) published an op-ed this week calling for Congress and the incoming administration to take action to ensure that access to the COVID-19 vaccines is not impeded by high prices and patent rights. Senator Grassley (R-IA) expressed his hope to work with President-elect Biden to advance bipartisan legislation to bring relief to millions of Americans suffering from high drug prices. We couldn’t agree more — if Democrats and Republicans can work together, 2021 could be a big year for drug pricing reform. — (USA Today, The Gazette)
4. What a Coincidence
The arthritis drug baricitinib was granted an emergency use authorization by the FDA as a part of a COVID-19 treatment regimen with Gilead’s remdesivir. But some doctors are concerned that the drug — at a price of about $1,500 per patient — is too expensive to reasonably prescribe. Earlier this year, Eli Lilly increased the price of its brand-name version of baricitinib, Olumiant, just five days before the Lancet published an articlesuggesting its use for COVID-19. Frankly, none of the companies are showing pricing restraint in light of the pandemic. They are just maximizing profits as usual. — (The New York Times)
5. More Patient Assistance Ploys
Pharmaceutical corporation Biogen will pay $22 million to settle a case with the U.S. Justice Department that charged the company with paying kickbacks disguised as charity to the Medicare program. Biogen is just the latest company to fall under scrutiny for the practice — Regeneron and Teva both faced cases for the same kind of violation earlier this year. Instead of violating federal law, drug companies could make their drugs accessible by… lowering their prices — (Reuters)
We hope drug prices are lowered… for evermore. Welcome to the Week In Review.
1. Business as Usual
For nearly a year now, Americans have been dealing with the unyielding spread of COVID-19, with many losing jobs, savings, and health insurance in the process. And yet, pharma has continued to raise prices on over 1,000 critical medications in this year alone, including over 200 price hikes since July. The new administration and Congress must lower drug prices and hold pharma accountable for their exploitative behavior. — (P4AD)
2.A Half Billion To Keep Power
Last year, the lobby group PhRMA spent over $500 million to maintain the rigged drug pricing system that benefits drug corporations while patients suffer. We don’t have $500 million to counter that spending, but we have something more powerful — the stories of thousands of Americans demanding change and relief from the high drug prices PhRMA members set. — (Center for Responsive Politics)
3. A Vacation Package… to the Pharmacy
Another byproduct of skyrocketing drug prices: Self-insured companies are finding it is cheaper to fly their employees who take expensive medications to Mexico to purchase their prescriptions, instead of paying for the medications via their health care plans. Do we need any more evidence that our rigged drug pricing system is failing Americans? — (NBC San Diego)
4. We’re Disadvantaging Ourselves
A new study from the Commonwealth Fund found that 50 percent of lower-income U.S. adults have been unable to access prescription drugs or medical care in the past year due to high costs — that’s compared to 24 percent or less in other wealthy countries. One of the differences between the U.S. and those countries? We don’t allow our government to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices. The evidence is clear — Medicare must be allowed to negotiate. — (Axios)
5. Flooding Our Airwaves
In November, pharmaceutical corporations beat their record for monthly spending on TV drug advertising, spending a whopping $204 million to promote blockbuster drugs. Big Pharma wants us to believe they cannot lower drug prices, but the truth is clear — drug pricing is all about their bottomline. — (FiercePharma)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following statement was issued today by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, on the nomination of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra for U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services:
“President-elect Biden’s choice of Xavier Becerra for Secretary of HHS is good news for patients and the fight for lower drug prices. We have seen his effectiveness firsthand while working with his office to enact the groundbreaking law AB 824 in California, which curbs anti-competitive pay-for-delay deals that block cheaper generic competition. He has led fights to stop drug company price gouging and to lower prices through greater transparency and regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). During his time as attorney general and in the U.S. Congress, Becerra has demonstrated his understanding of America’s rigged drug pricing system and his commitment to achieving reforms to fix it. We support his nomination and look forward to working together in the interests of patients and all Americans.”
BACKGROUND:
As attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra sponsored and passed into law AB 824, which bans collusive pay-for-delay deals and promotes generic drug competition.
Becerra has successfully defended the legislation in court, warding off multiple industry legal challenges.
Becerra worked with Patients For Affordable Drugs Now to elevatepatientstories in support of the first-in-the-nation legislation.
Becerra has led multiple coalitions of state attorneys general calling for the regulation of pharmacy benefit managers to increase transparency and improve drug affordability.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Becerra urged the federal government to make Gilead’s COVID-19 drug remdesivir more affordable because it was developed using taxpayer funding.
During his 24 years in the House prior to serving as attorney general, Becerra co-sponsored multiple billsthatwouldallowMedicare to negotiate for lower drug prices.
As chair of the House Democratic Caucus, Becerra formed a task force “to examine the rising cost of prescription drugs” in 2016.
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Welcome to the Week In Review.
1. Fight for Equity
Civil rights leaders across the country are ramping up their efforts to fight for equity and affordability when it comes to drug pricing in the United States. The NAACP has called for state prescription drug affordability boards to establish fair drug prices as well as efforts to establish national review of drug prices. Drug pricing, and access to health care, is a civil rights issue — we must lower prices to achieve health equity. — (The Times Weekly)
2.Patents Enabling Profiteering
Truvada, an HIV-prevention drug and a poster child for pharmaceutical patent abuse, was developed largely using public funding over 15 years ago. But while generic competition in other countries has driven down the price to as little as $210 per month, Gilead cut a deal allowing only one company to produce a generic version of the drug in the United States. As a result, both the brand-name and generic versions cost American patients over $1,400 per month. The drug patent system is in need of serious reform to make it work for patients — not Big Pharma. — (NBC)
3. Show Us the Receipts
Members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, a coalition of over 300 investor organizations, filed shareholder proposals calling on six drug companies to price their COVID-19 drugs and vaccines affordably and transparently. Taxpayers have funneled billions of dollars to develop drugs and treatments. We’d like to see the receipts. — (Barron’s)
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
Yesterday, the Trump administration released two drug pricing rules which take steps in the right direction but fall short of the comprehensive reforms we need to lower the prices of prescription drugs. One, which would pass much needed discounts negotiated by pharmacy benefit managers to patients, is also likely to increase premiums by $50 billion. The second, which would bring the prices of a limited number of Medicare Part B drugs in line with lower prices paid in other countries, is unlikely to go into effect due to legal challenges. Now the use of international reference pricing has been endorsed by the outgoing Republican and incoming Democratic administrations and enjoys bipartisan support in Congress — it’s time for elected officials to seize this momentum and bring down prices for good. — (Politico)
2. Medicare Negotiation Will Save Millions of Lives, Billions of Dollars
More than 1 million Medicare recipients could die in the next decade because they can’t afford their prescription drugs, a new study released by the West Health Policy Center has found. But, direct Medicare negotiation could save nearly 94,000 lives a year and save taxpayers $476 billion by 2030. This isn’t a hard choice — we need Medicare negotiation now. — (Council for Informed Drug Spending Analysis)
3. Keep It Going
On Tuesday, the House passed a bipartisan bill that would prevent drug companies from abusing the orphan drug designation to price gouge patients for their medications. Now, patients are counting on the Senate to finish the job and send the bill to the president’s desk. — (FiercePharma)
4. We’ve Done the Work
The two promising COVID-19 vaccine candidates from Pfizer and Moderna are grounded in federally funded research conducted by scientists at universities, the National Institutes of Health, and the Defense Department. And, the federal government has committed another $454 million to Johnson & Johnson’s potential COVID-19 vaccine. From the beginning, Americans have been investing in groundbreaking technologies that will hopefully save lives — and now, pharma is taking credit and pocketing billions of dollars for the work we’ve done. — (Kaiser Health News)
5. Hey 117th — Lower drug prices
The general election is over, thank goodness. Now, 80 percent of voters want to see bipartisan congressional action on lowering drug prices, a new poll found. It’s time for lawmakers to deliver on their campaign promises and hold Big Pharma accountable for skyrocketing prices. — (Morning Consult)
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.”
