WASHINGTON, DC — Ben Wakana, the executive director of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s four drug pricing executive orders. The organization previously ran a nearly $1 million campaign in support of one of those orders, HHS’s proposed International Pricing Index.
“The administration’s decision to bring drug prices in Medicare Part B more in line with what other wealthy nations pay would be a positive step if implemented. Abandoning the rule at this stage would be a capitulation to drug corporations.
“Big Pharma has had decades to self-regulate and lower list prices. Not only has it failed to do so, drug corporations continue to raise drug prices –– even in the middle of a pandemic.
“While the Trump administration’s original plan to use international reference pricing was limited — as it would only impact Medicare beneficiaries in half the country, who take certain medications, for a limited amount of time — it would help alleviate the pain of skyrocketing drug prices, and we strongly encourage the rule to be finalized.
“The goal of ridding our system of secret deals between drug companies and pharmacy benefit managers is laudable. We look forward to seeing more details of how this plan will work. In addition, we support the administration’s plans to allow importation from Canada and lower the cost of insulin and EpiPens for patients who rely on Federally Qualified Health Centers.
“We are hopeful the administration moves ahead with these executive orders and look forward to additional details.”
BACKGROUND
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WASHINGTON, DC — During today’s Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing, five drug company executives failed to promise their companies would not make a profit on COVID-19 vaccines. In response, Ben Wakana, the executive director of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, issued the following statement:
“Big Pharma’s not-for-profit pledge turned out to be a PR stunt. Further scrutiny reveals it to be time-limited, dose-limited, and geographically limited. Those conditions assure an unfettered profit for drug corporations. The lesson from today’s hearing is important and unsurprising: Drug corporations plan to profit from COVID-19 vaccines and treatments that were developed with taxpayer funding. It’s time for Congress to put guardrails in place to stop corporations from profiteering during a pandemic.”
The Washington Post // Yasmeen Abutaleb // July 21, 2020
During a hearing with pharmaceutical company executives over efforts to develop a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine, the five executives testifying did not promise to offer a vaccine for free or that they would not profit from it.
In response to questions about pricing their vaccines, most company executives refused to commit to not making a profit on it, or they said they would not make a profit in a specific contract or during the pandemic — rather than making any sort of long-term pledge on pricing.
“We recognize these are extraordinary times, and our pricing will reflect that during the time of the pandemic. We’ll price our potential vaccine consistent with the urgent global health emergency that we’re facing,” said John Young, chief business officer of Pfizer, adding that he felt strongly the vaccine should be free to the public.
Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of biopharmaceuticals at AstraZeneca, said the company had agreed to provide 300 million doses to the United States through its $1.2 billion agreement with BARDA at no profit.
The price consumers will pay for a vaccine and therapeutics for the coronavirus has been a point of frequent discussion among congressional lawmakers and at hearings related to the pandemic response. Taxpayers are footing a significant part of the bill for the country’s vaccine development and treatment research, and several lawmakers have raised concerns that pharmaceutical companies will profit during the pandemic.
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WASHINGTON, DC — The following statement was issued today by David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now, regarding the introduction of the bipartisan Taxpayer Research and Coronavirus Knowledge (TRACK) Act and Make Medications Affordable by Preventing Pandemic Pricegouging (MMAPPP) Act.
“American taxpayers are fueling the research, development, and purchase of treatments and vaccines to fight coronavirus. Given that investment, we must receive transparency into how our money is spent and the actual costs to produce medicines. Prices for taxpayer-funded vaccines and treatments must be set fairly to ensure affordability and accessibility for all who need them, along with a reasonable return for the drugmaker. The two bipartisan bills introduced today aim to accomplish those public policy imperatives. Patients For Affordable Drugs Now is proud to lend its endorsement and will work to support enactment of these important bills.”
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WASHINGTON, DC — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now sent a letter to Capitol Hill this week urging Congress to focus on three topics in upcoming COVID-19 legislative packages: ensuring taxpayer investment into COVID-19 drugs is factored into prices, helping the nation prepare for future public health emergencies, and addressing the high list prices of prescription drugs as Americans struggle with the impact of the pandemic.
“COVID-19 did not make high drug prices go away — it worsened the crisis for patients,” the letter states. “Every dollar we pay in unjustified profits to drug corporations is a dollar we could use to support ordinary Americans whose health and economic well-being has been devastated by this pandemic. If we had unlimited resources as a nation, these choices wouldn’t matter. But we don’t.”
The letter, addressed to congressional leaders in the House and the Senate and signed by patients from all 50 states, calls for congressional action in three key areas:
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.
Read the letter here.
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SAINT PAUL, MN — A Minnesotan hurt by skyrocketing drug prices will share his story at the state house today as he testifies before the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Division Committee in support of HF 3228, a bill that would allow the state to investigate and address excessive drug costs.
Travis Paulson lives with type 1 diabetes and will explain to the committee how the rising price of insulin forced him to ration his medication, severely impacting his health. Paulson knows he is not alone and is testifying to encourage the legislature to take action on behalf of all Minnesota patients suffering under the crushing cost of insulin and other prescription drugs.
“By the time I was 30… my insulin cost $300 a vial; for me, that was $1,500 a month to survive… My health is what ultimately paid the price… years of rationing insulin has caused long-term complications that never would have occurred if I had access to affordable insulin,” Paulson will testify. “…We cannot allow Big Pharma to get away with pricing drugs out of reach for our families. I strongly urge everyone in this room to support HF 3228.”
To help patients across Minnesota, Paulson will ask lawmakers to support HF 3228, the Prescription Drug Affordability Act. The bill would:
Paulson will testify at 9:45 AM CT today before the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Division Committee.
WASHINGTON, DC — A new campaign by Patients For Affordable Drugs Now calls on Senators to support one of President Trump’s top priorities by passing legislation to lower prescription drug prices. The multi-million dollar campaign, launched today, urges Senators to stand with patients and the President in support of the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (S. 2543) — a bill that would stop drug company price gouging and lower costs for seniors.
“Americans of every political stripe agree that drug prices have got to come down,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the founder of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “Patients are done with Big Pharma’s lies and outsized influence in Congress, and they’re ready to vote on the issue come November.”
The campaign is launching with two national TV ads featuring patients hurt by rising drug prices. Watch the videos, “Gail,” and “Jackie,” and read the transcripts below.
As part of the campaign set to run until late May, Patients For Affordable Drugs Now will also release radio and digital advertisements nationally and in key states that demonstrate the toll high prescription drug prices are taking on everyday Americans. In addition, the campaign will commission polling, fly patients to Washington, and offer patients a suite of tools to help them contact their elected officials and demand action to lower drug prices.
Starting today, P4ADNow will thank Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), the most recent Senator to endorse the Grassley-Wyden bill.
TV AD TRANSCRIPTS
“Jackie”
This is a four week supply of my chemotherapy —
It’s 20 pills, and it’s $20,000 every single month.
You know it’s hard enough thinking that I’m not going to live that long and to leave my husband alone.
But to leave him bankrupt? It’s devastating to me.
Millions of people like me are struggling — and drug prices just keep going up and up.
But now there are bipartisan proposals in Congress that would actually bring those prices down.
Mr. President, Congress, it’s time to make history.
The time is now.
“Gail”
My insulin used to cost $26 a vial.
Today, drug companies charge up to $350 a vial.
This is the same insulin formula I’ve been using for almost 30 years.
Regular middle class people like me — we need help.
Without Congressional intervention, many of us are struggling.
Many are dying.
Just because we can’t afford insulin.
Mr. President and Congress, we are counting on you.
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FORT WORTH, TX — Texas patients will join Senator John Cornyn at his roundtable today to share their stories about the high cost of their prescription drugs and to support the Senator in continuing to push for passage of his bipartisan Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act. The legislation was introduced by Senator Cornyn and Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and aims to curb tactics drug companies use to game the patent system and block generic competition.
Below view the event details, hear from patients who will attend, and read more about the bill.
DETAILS
When: 1:20 PM, Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Where: Northside Community Health Center, Second Floor
2332 Beverly Hills Drive
Fort Worth, TX 76114
PATIENT PERSPECTIVE
Emily Grant, Dallas, cystic fibrosis: “I once had to pay $1,000 up front for a necessary inhaled antibiotic, Colistin. $1,000 is an outrageous cost, and I know that if something happens to my coverage, I could suddenly be faced with this cost again.”
Savanna Braun, The Woodlands, asthma, psoriatic arthritis, and other chronic conditions: “I will have to make major life decisions because of the cost of my drugs. These decisions range from which jobs I seek to whether or not I can afford certain medications or new therapies.”
Randall and Emma Barker, Wichita Falls, father and daughter with type 1 diabetes: “Both my daughter, Emma, and I live with type 1 diabetes. We have had to make real sacrifices to be able to afford the insulin we need to live.”
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WASHINGTON, DC — Patients For Affordable Drugs Now launched a new advertising campaign today thanking Senator Martha McSally for supporting the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act, a bill that would stop drug company price gouging and lower costs for seniors. Drug pricing is top-of-mind for 2020 voters — nearly nine in 10 want Congress to prioritize lowering the prices of medications, polling shows.
Today’s campaign encourages Arizona patients to reach out to McSally’s office directly and thank her for standing with constituents — not Big Pharma.
“Senator McSally listened to her constituents who are calling out for relief from Big Pharma’s unrestrained price hikes,” said Ben Wakana, Executive Director of Patients For Affordable Drugs Now. “We want her to know how much patients appreciate her support and work to advance bipartisan reform that would help fix our broken system.”
Relief from high drug prices can’t arrive soon enough for patients like Luz Lopez who travelled from Arizona to Washington, DC to share her story with Senator McSally and advocate for reforms that would lower drug prices.
“I don’t know from one year to the next if I’ll be able to afford the prescriptions I need to treat multiple chronic conditions, including depression and anxiety,” Lopez said. “It is so meaningful to me that Senator McSally listened and stood up for me. I hope more members of Congress follow her lead.”
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