Drugs

Senators Ask Trump for Drug Price Help

David McFarland

— 2 min read
Share

Eighteen Democratic and Independent senators led by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Al Franken (D-MN) have written to president-elect Donald Trump asking him to work with Congress to lower drug prices and suggesting five steps that could be taken. The letter reminds Trump of his campaign promise to “implement bold reforms to bring down the cost of prescription drugs. In fact, you acknowledged that ‘Congress will need the courage to step away from the special interests and do what is right for America.’”

The senators say that while there are many different policy options to achieve lower drug prices, “it’s clear that we all agree that all Americans deserve access to safe, effective, and affordable lifesaving medications.” They say they are ready to advance bipartisan reforms that will help achieve the goal of reducing the burden that exorbitant drug prices place on Americans. The 18 urge Trump to partner with Republicans and Democrats alike to take meaningful steps to address the high cost of prescription drugs through both administrative and legislative actions, including but not limited to: 

  •          authorizing the HHS secretary to negotiate Medicare drug prices;
  •          increasing transparency by requiring drug companies to publicly disclose costs associated with research and development, materials and manufacturing, and the federal benefits they receive as tax credits, government grants, and government-funded research on which their products are based;
  •          supporting legislation to stop drug company abusive pricing practices as shown in what they describe as 5000% overnight price increases and persistent, unjustified double-digit increases year after year;
  •          passing reforms that better protect and incentivize innovation with the greatest need and health benefits to assure access and good stewardship of taxpayer dollars; and
  •          ensuring true competition by asking the Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department to aggressively enforce laws that currently exist and push for new provisions to ensure timely entrance of generic drugs into the marketplace.

Also signing the letter were Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tom Udall (D-NM), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Angus King (I-ME).

Read more