PhRMA’s Holmer Discusses Prescription Drug Issues on C-SPAN’s ‘Washington Journal’
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America President Alan Holmer on June 5 discussed a variety of prescription drug issues on C-SPAN's "Washington Journal." Homer addressed several topics, including:
- The degree to which rising prescription drug costs contribute to increasing health insurance premiums;
- Pharmaceutical industry contributions to bioterrorism preparedness efforts;
- Congressional proposals to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare;
- Prescription drug assistance programs, including discount card plans;
- Prescription drug reimportation and the quality of drugs bought in Mexico or Canada;
- Government price controls in the Canadian health care system;
- The recent Peter Jennings ABC News special, "Bitter Medicine: Pills, Profit and the Public Health";
- The feasibility of continued economic incentives for biomedical innovation under a national health care system;
- The costs and benefits of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising; and
- Drug patents, generic drugs and the 1984 Hatch-Waxman Act, which established the process under which the FDA approves generic drugs and gave brand-name drug makers various legal protections for their products.
The 30-minute interview is available online in RealPlayer Video ("Washington Journal," C-SPAN, 6/5).
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