If price hikes were an Olympic event, pharma would take gold, silver, and bronze.
Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. Putting The Brakes On Patent Abuse
In a unanimous, bipartisan vote, the Senate Judiciary Committee passeda package of four bills that would lower drug prices by addressing anticompetitive behavior from drug companies. The bills would curb patent abuses by designating product hopping, pay-for-delay deals, and sham citizen petitions as anticompetitive. We applaud the committee for protecting true innovation at prices patients can afford by advancing these bills, urge the Senate to pass the package, and call on Congress to continue the important work of lowering drug prices for Americans by allowing Medicare negotiation. — (P4ADNow)
2. 100 Years Later, A $100 Biosimilar
In the same week that the world marked 100 years of insulin, the FDA approved Semglee, the first interchangeable biosimilar to the long-acting insulin Lantus. It’s a step in the right direction, but Semglee’s $98 price tag still represents a 2,000 percent markup from a manufacturing cost of $4.50. We must ensure that all patients who depend on insulin have access to affordable medications by building a system that delivers reasonable profits and incentivizes competition for all forms of insulin. — (Axios)
3. Rep. Peters’ Flip Flop: Unforgivable
Back in 2019, Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) supported H.R. 3, a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices. But two years later, the congressman is now an outspoken opponent of the landmark legislation. Rep. Peters has filled his pockets with Big Pharma money and is actively opposing reform that would deliver much-needed relief to millions of patients across the country. Simply put, that’s unforgivable. — (Salon)
One more thing: This week, members of Congress highlighted pharma’s July price hikes and the need for Medicare to negotiate lower prices. Check it out here.
Welcome to the Week in Review.
1. 1,100 Reasons To Pass Medicare Negotiation
A new analysis from P4AD reveals that drug companies have raised the prices of 1,100 drugs so far this year, with 90 percent of hikes over the rate of inflation. This includes hikes on 21 of 25 of the most costly drugs for Medicare Part D and some of the most expensive drugs for Part B. Year after year, drug corporations keep raising prices at will. Our lawmakers have the power to protect patients by passing provisions to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices for drugs covered by both Part B and D. Congress must act. — (P4AD)
2. “It’s Long Overdue”
Momentum for Medicare negotiation continues to grow in Washington. President Biden tweeted that his Build Back Better plan includes allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices, and White House senior adviser Anita Dunn included Medicare negotiation in her briefing to lawmakers this week. Meanwhile on Capitol Hill, Rep. Jason Crow (CO-06) wrote an op-ed urging his colleagues to “take bold action on drug pricing,” and Rep. Susan Wild (PA-07) delivered a passionate speech calling for Medicare negotiation in the reconciliation bill. We are grateful to all lawmakers fighting for patients’ right to affordable prescription drugs. — (Axios, Sentinel Colorado, P4ADNow)
3. Patients Save With H.R. 3
Passing H.R. 3 and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices would result in significant savings for patients and taxpayers, according to a new analysis from the Center for American Progress. The authors estimate that H.R. 3 could save patients and taxpayers $176 on a 30-day supply of the diabetes drug Trulicity, and nearly $100,000 on a three-week course of Acthar, a drug that treats multiple sclerosis and other diseases. H.R. 3 will deliver the critical drug pricing reforms that patients need. Let’s get it done. — (Center for American Progress)
One more thing: A new coalition was launched in Virginia today pushing the state legislature to create a prescription drug affordability board, and patient Kat Schroeder shared her story of rationing insulin due to its high price.
On Tuesday, P4AD founder David Mitchell testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, explaining how anticompetitive pharmaceutical industry practices keep drug prices high and hinder innovation. “If drug companies can block competition and raise prices at will on old drugs to drive profits and executive bonuses, they have far less incentive to take risk and invest in R&D to find innovative new drugs,” Mitchell said. “We need comprehensive reforms, including allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. Medicare negotiation is supported by 90 percent of Americans. It’s time to pass it.” — (P4AD)
2.Senate Makes Moves
Democrats are expected to include Medicare negotiation in the next budget reconciliation bill to both deliver on a top priority for a majority of Americans and help offset the costs of other provisions in the package. Senate Finance Chairman Ron Wyden said that Democrats are “moving aggressively” to protect Americans from high drug prices, and Senator Joe Manchin remarked that allowing Medicare to negotiate “should have been done years ago.” Fifteen vulnerable House Democrats also sent a letter this week asking congressional leadership to include Medicare negotiation in the budget bill. Momentum is building to deliver real change for the American people. Let’s keep it going. — (Kaiser Health News)
3.Unity
Nearly 40 health care, business, labor, and consumer organizations — including the AFL-CIO, Families USA, and P4ADNow — united to call onCongress to pass legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. The burden of out-of-control drug prices impacts every person in this country. Collectively, we’re saying: Enough is enough. — (The Hill)
4. Patients Pay The Price
This week, New Jersey patient advocate Elizabeth Gallagher, who lives with type 2 diabetes, joined Rep. Andy Kim at an event calling on Congress to allow Medicare negotiation. Elizabeth and patient advocate Lisa Wetzel-Trainor, who lives with fibromyalgia, PTSD, and ADHD, also shared their experiences with high drug prices with NJ Spotlight News. Patients in New Jersey and across the country have been waiting too long for relief. Lawmakers must stand up and defend patients, not drug industry greed. — (NJ Spotlight News)
5. Eyes On Maine
When the Maine state legislature reconvenes on Monday, lawmakers must override the governor’s veto of two critical bills that would lower prescription drug prices for Mainers, writes Senate President Troy Jackson in an op-ed. The bills, passed by the legislature in June, would prohibit drug makers from making excessive price hikes. “It’s time for elected officials to do what’s right for Mainers and put an end to sky-high prescription drug prices,” Jackson writes. — (St. John Valley Times)
Oversight Committee Sheds Light on Big Pharma’s Big Lie
The House Committee on Oversight and Reform’s latest reportundercutsthe drug industry’s biggest lie: That it needs high drug prices to fund meaningful innovation. The report found that Big Pharma spends billions more on stock buybacks, dividends, and executive pay than on research and development. The committee announced the report at a press callhosted by Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney, alongside Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Peter Welch. Patient advocate Lynn Scarfuto joined the lawmakers to tell reporters, “Congress has the power to change our broken system by passing H.R. 3 and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices so we can have the innovative medications we need at prices we all can afford.” — (The Hill)
2.President Biden Doubles Down
With a new executive order signed Friday, President Biden demonstrated, once again, his commitment to delivering relief to patients struggling to afford their prescription medications. The President committed both to promoting competition among drug companies and topushing for comprehensive legislation that would allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. Together these policies can drive true drug innovation and bring down drug prices for Americans. — (The Washington Post)
3.Data, Data, Data
Big Pharma’s favorability among Americans is slipping, as the industry hiked the prices of nearly 60 drugs in the first days of July. Voters show strong continued support for reforms to rein in the industry’s unfettered pricing power. New polling data from AARP show nearly nine of 10 older Americans want Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. With drug prices starting higher and growing faster in the U.S. than in other high-income countries, it’s clear why voters want reform. — (AARP)
On Friday, P4ADNow launched a campaign addressing four members of the House of Representatives — Reps. Hudson, Peters, Schrader, and Valadao — who are threatening to block Medicare negotiation bill H.R. 3. Along with digital ads and grassroots advocacy, the campaign includes video ads featuring Therese Ball, a multiple sclerosis patient and retired nurse. P4ADNow’s campaign directed towards the 117th Congress, first launched in May, also expanded this week to add two more House districts and highlights blood cancer patient Steven Hadfield’s story in new ads. — (The Washington Post)
2.The People Are Behind You
P4ADNow also launched a campaign this week encouraging two members of the Senate Finance Committee — Senators Carper and Menendez — to push for a bill that includes Medicare negotiation. “The medications I need to live are priced at over $7,000 every month,” Therese says in the video ads. “I can’t afford these prices. I had to ration and skip doses.” Ads encouraging Senators Bennet and Casey to support the legislation were suspended after both senators reaffirmed their continuedcommitment to fighting for Medicare negotiation in the Senate Finance Committee’s drug pricing bill. — (P4ADNow)
3.The Hidden Hand
P4AD released a new report detailing the often-undisclosed relationships between patient organizations and drug corporations that create conflicts of interest when it comes to drug pricing reforms. The report examines a sample of 15 national patient organizations, four patient assistance charities, and four astroturf groups. “Patients and the public need to know that the pharmaceutical industry’s financial power may influence the public policies for which these organizations advocate, especially on the issue of drug pricing,” the report says. As H.R. 3 and other drug pricing legislation gain momentum in Congress, “policymakers, elected officials, and the news media must be made aware that when these groups act and speak, the influence of Big Pharma money may actually be at work behind the scenes.” — (Politico)
4.Profits Over Patients
A government report found that some prescription drugs with the highest advertising spending were also among those with the highest Medicare expenditures. Drug companies pour billions of dollars each year into advertising concentrated on brand-name drugs with monopoly pricing. It’s no surprise that pharma wants more patients on the most profitable drugs — we must allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices. — (Axios)
5.Case Study: Antiparasitics
A new analysis revealed that skyrocketing prices of antiparasitic treatments were associated with fewer patients taking the drugs they needed. Between 2010 and 2018, the average price of drugs recommended for treating pinworm, a parasitic infection, increased from $14.81 to $930. At the same time, the percentage of patients with a pinworm diagnosis receiving the recommended treatment dropped from 81 percent to 28 percent. Too many patients are sacrificing their quality of care due to high drug prices. We deserve better than this. — (Healio)
Price hikes are coming up fast, and we’re furious that Big Pharma’s bad behavior has lasted way longer than this movie franchise. Welcome to the Week in Review.
The Principal Principle: Medicare Negotiation
On Tuesday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden released his Principles for Drug Pricing Reform, and topping the list is Medicare negotiation. The senator also calls for extending drug pricing reforms to all Americans and including provisions to incentivize innovation. We are grateful for Chairman Wyden’s leadership and look forward to working with him and the Senate Finance Committee to expand on these principles in legislation that will bring relief to millions of patients. — (The Hill)
2. Don’t Be Fooled
P4ADNow released a new video this week exposing how Big Pharma’s focus on lowering out-of-pocket prescription drug costs will only shift the way Americans pay for pharma’s high prices. It’s clear that Congress must focus on legislation like H.R. 3 that lowers list prices set by Big Pharma to bring patients real relief. “If we take less money out of this pocket without lowering list prices, pharma will take more money out of that pocket by way of higher premiums and taxes,” the animated video says. “With H.R. 3, patients keep more money in their pockets.” — (P4ADNow)
3.Path Emerges For Drug Price Reform
With a bipartisan infrastructure compromise struck, the path for drug pricing reform is coming into view. House leadership has been clear that they intend to include Medicare negotiation bill H.R. 3 in their spending package, and Senate Finance is busy working on their own comprehensive drug pricing bill for inclusion. Patients stand ready to ensure that the final reconciliation bill includes legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of Americans. — (The Washington Post)
4.Aduhelm Spending May Rocket Above NASA
Government spending on Biogen’s new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, which may cost Medicare and Medicare enrollees as much as $29 billion in a single year, could surpass spending on major programs such as NASA and the CDC. With a price tag for each patient of $56,000 a year, Aduhelm will break the bank for taxpayers, employers, insurers, and patients. This week, both employer and insurer groups expressed concern over Aduhelm’s high list price. It’s clear the drug’s outrageous price is a symptom of a broken drug pricing system. Congress must empower Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. — (The New York Times)
5.Price-Fixing Ploys
Teva Pharmaceuticals will pay $925,0000 to settle a case in Mississippi where the company is accused of conspiring with other drug corporations to fix prices of generic drugs. But that’s not all: Teva is also in the midst of settlement discussions with a number of other states and is facing a separate federal charge for price fixing. Another egregious example of Pharma doing anything to cash in. — (FiercePharma)
Welcome to the Week in Review (a day early, in observance of Juneteenth)
Colorado Stands Up to Big Pharma
In a big win for patients, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed into law SB 21-175, a bill that establishes a prescription drug affordability board. Colorado is the third state in the country to establish such a board, the first in the country to have a board with the authority to set upper payment limits, and the first in the country where set rates apply to all insurers. The new prescription drug affordability board, which has overwhelming support from Coloradans, is an important step to protecting patients and standing up to Big Pharma. — (AP)
2.Aduhelm: Medicare Negotiation Poster Child
The pricey new Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, which Biogen priced at $56,000, is set to cost taxpayers billions — and underscores exactly why we need Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Big Pharma cannot be allowed to keep dictating drug prices, in this case for an unproven drug, while taxpayers and patients empty their pockets. H.R. 3, the bill in the House to allow Medicare to negotiate lower prices on behalf of Americans, would restore balance to our system so we can get real innovation at prices we can afford. — (The Washington Post)
3.NJ Patients Need Congress To Support H.R. 3
P4ADNow founder David Mitchell penned an op-ed that calls on members of Congress, including Sen. Menendez and Rep. Gottheimer, to stand with New Jersey patients and pass H.R. 3. Mitchell explains the need for Medicare negotiation by highlighting New Jersey patient Lisa Wetzel-Trainor’s story about living with fibromyalgia, PTSD, and ADHD and struggling to afford her $1,000-a-month medication she is prescribed to treat her symptoms. More than 1 million Medicare patients in New Jersey would benefit from Medicare negotiation. “It’s time to act.” — (NJ Herald)
4.?, Maine!
The Maine state house and senate passed Making Health Care Work for Maine, a strong bipartisan package of five bills that stand up to Big Pharma. If signed into law, two of the bills — LD 675 and LD 1117 — will be the first legislation of its kind to protect patients from pharmaceutical price gouging and unjustified price increases. No patient should suffer so pharma can line its pockets. — (P4ADNow)
5.The People Have Spoken
New KFF research confirms that prescription drug prices continue to be a top issue to American voters. Three in 10 Americans report they were unable to take their medication as prescribed because of the price. To bring relief to those patients, nearly nine of 10 Americans favor allowing the government to negotiate with drug companies for a lower price that would apply to both Medicare and private insurance. Pass H.R. 3, Congress! The people have your back! — (KFF)
Bonus?: Patients For Affordable Drugs Founder David Mitchell talks to Healthcare-NOW about the importance of Medicare negotiation, drug pricing and innovation, and the COVID-19 vaccine. — (Healthcare-NOW!)
This week: a new royal baby and a new drug only royalty can afford. Welcome to the Week in Review.
Drug Pricing Poster Child
After the FDA approved Aduhelm, a drug intended to target the disease process of Alzheimer’s, drug maker Biogen set its list price at a staggering $56,000 per year. It’s an outrageous price for a drug that hasn’t even been proven clinically effective yet. At this cost, treatment for even one-third of Alzheimer’s patients would raise U.S. drug spending by about 22 percent. Aduhelm is a poster child for why Medicare should be allowed to negotiate drug prices — our system and patients cannot support unlimited prices. Without Medicare negotiation, we’re going to watch “our system bend, break, buckle under the weight of this kind of drug and this kind of pricing.” — (USA Today)
2.Congress Negotiates Negotiation
Congressional Democrats are continuing to work on legislation to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices. Senate Finance Chair Wyden is drafting a bill that is expected to include negotiation, Senate Majority Leader Schumer is also at work on the issue, and House Democrats are pushing to include H.R. 3 in the next budget reconciliation package. Congress must keep advancing on a path to reform our broken drug pricing system and lower prices for Americans. — (The Hill, The Washington Post)
3.Colorado Makes History
In a huge win for Colorado patients, the state legislature passed a bill that would establish the third prescription drug affordability board in the nation — and the first with the power to set upper payment limits on unaffordable drugs. We are grateful to state lawmakers for standing with Colorado patients and look forward to Gov. Jared Polis’ signature on the bill in the coming weeks! — (The Denver Post)
4. Seniors Pay The Price
A new AARP report found that the prices of 260 commonly used drugs increased by more than double the rate of inflation last year. Drug prices are becoming more and more unsustainable for seniors like Pam Holt, who lives with multiple myeloma and pays thousands of dollars for Revlimid each year, and Lynn Scarfuto, who lives with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. “People cannot afford to make a choice between food or living and taking pills,” Lynn said. — (AARP, MarketWatch, USA Today)
5. Pharma Pours Cash On Lawmakers
New analyses from STAT reveal the broad financial influence that pharma has in Congress and in state legislatures across the country. During the 2020 election cycle, the drug industry made campaign contributions to over two-thirds of Congress and one-third of state lawmakers, totaling about $23 million. Patients can’t match pharma in its outrageous spending funded by constant price hikes, but we are fighting back with our voices and stories — and we will win. — (STAT)
