Statement from Margarida Jorge, campaign director for Lower Drug Prices Now, on news that drug companies have hiked the prices of more than 32 drugs in July:

For the pharmaceutical industry, Independence Day is secondary to their favorite reason to celebrate in July: price hikes always come first.

As our families continue to recover from the worst health and economic crisis in our lifetimes, drug corporation executives didn’t hesitate to line their pockets with yet another round of price hikes. Again and again, Big Pharma raises the price of medicines that people rely on faster than the rate of inflation, gouging patients for the medicines they rely on for their health and wellbeing.

Until Congress takes action to rein in price gouging, Americans will continue to pay more for our medicines than nearly any other country in the world. As the House and Senate negotiate the reconciliation package, legislation to lower drug prices must be included. Patients have waited long enough, lawmakers need to lower drug prices now.