Perspectives: We’re At A Crossroads For Medical Innovation And Pelosi’s Drug Bill Directs Country Down Wrong Path
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Stat:
Pelosi's Bill To Cut Drug Costs Puts Medical Innovation At Risk
The future of medical innovation in America is at a crossroads.Biopharmaceutical science is accelerating at a record pace, leading to new discoveries that are radically reshaping our ability to fight disease. At the same time, politicians in Washington, D.C., are considering legislation to lower drug costs this week that threatens this progress and would put us on a path to government-run health care. (Stephen J. Ublo, 10/17)
Los Angeles Times:
Big Pharma Pushes Back As Pelosi Tries To Cut Drug Prices
A measure being pushed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) is challenging the Washington assumption that bringing down drug prices is an impossible task — and its approach has been validated by nonpartisan legislative analysts. The bill is H.R. 3, which was advanced Thursday by two House committees on party line votes. The bill would require Medicare authorities to negotiate lower drug prices directly with manufacturers, using a benchmark based on prices for the target drugs in six developed countries, which generally have lower prices than the United States. (Michael Hiltzik, 10/18)
Time:
Americans Deserve Better Than Speaker Pelosi's New Drug Plan
Matt Hiznay was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. He was a non-smoker and just 24 years old.Unfortunately for Matt, the cancer was an aggressive form caused by a gene mutation. Thankfully, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved a new chemotherapy drug on the day he was diagnosed. (Scott Walker, 10/22)
The Washington Examiner:
Sens. Grassley And Cramer: How Congress Can Fix High Drug Prices
Washington is consumed with wall-to-wall coverage of impeachment, Ukraine, and transcripts. Every question we receive from the D.C. press corps is about that. But do you know who isn’t obsessed with this? Our constituents. Every day, we hear from people across North Dakota and Iowa. Most of them are not talking to us about impeachment. They are coming to us because they worry about being able to afford the medications they need to live. They face heartbreaking calculations, trying to figure out if they can pick up their prescriptions and still afford to put food on the table or pay for their housing. (Sens. Chuck Grassley and Kevin Cramer, 10/21)
Fox News:
Pelosi’s Drug Pricing Plan Doesn’t Add Up – Past Health Care Cost Estimates Wildly Inaccurate
The headlines were bold, trumpeting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s new legislation to lower drug prices, H.R. 3. Many mainstream media outlets said the drug plan would save Medicare $345 billion. Wow. However, each breathless story included the phrase “according to the Congressional Budget Office.” Well, that’s a horse of a different color. (Jason Chaffetz, 10/23)
Stat:
International Pricing Index 'Accomplishes Nothing It Sets Out To Do'
Even with all of the political chatter in Washington, D.C., talk about controlling prescription drug prices is still rising above the din. Of all the proposals being batted around, one that bases prices on an international average of prices in mostly European countries has bipartisan support. This strategy, known as the international pricing index, is particularly worrisome. (Susan Peschin and Duane Schulthess, 10/21)
