Stat News – 3/5/20
Progressive Democrats are pushing to constrain how much drug makers can charge for a coronavirus vaccine.
A group of lawmakers held a press conference Thursday to pressure the Trump administration to impose price controls on any coronavirus-related treatment, and to call on their colleagues to reconsider some of the ambitious drug pricing legislation they have put forward this Congress. Their platform goes far beyond the Medicare negotiation legislation from Speaker Nancy Pelosi that passed the House in December; they instead highlighted a bill, among others, that would create an independent committee to set the price for any drug created using federal research.
WASHINGTON, DC – On Thursday, March 5 at 1pm, the Lower Drug Prices Now (LDPN) coalition, representing millions of Americans angered by Big Pharma’s price-gouging, will join Sen. Chris Van Hollen, and Reps. Jan Schakowsky and Lloyd Doggett in demanding that President Trump and Secretary Azar guarantee that any coronavirus treatment or vaccine developed with taxpayer dollars be affordable for all.
WASHINGTON (March 3, 2020) – President Trump met with pharmaceutical corporate executives today about finding a vaccine and treatment for the COVID-19 coronavirus, which is approaching 90,000 infections worldwide and has killed six people in the United States.
Wisconsin Examiner – 3/2/20
OPED by Lynn Carey, nurse
Wisconsin Examiner – 1/23/20
OPED by Robert Kraig, ED of Citizen Action Wisconsin
The Hill – 1/16/20
The health insurance industry is donating big to Democrats even amid criticism of the industry and growing calls for “Medicare for All” from the progressive wing of the party.
“Big Pharma rang in the new year with a gift to itself: higher prices and bigger profits on over 200 prescription drugs. Drug corporations are congratulating themselves for keeping most hikes under 10 percent, but let’s be clear: for most hard working Americans, the household budget isn’t growing by 10, or even five percent this year. The upshot? Another year of higher co-pays and out-pocket costs, and another year of having to choose between taking on debt or paying for drugs we need.”