Statement from Margarida Jorge, campaign director for Lower Drug Prices Now, on news that House Republicans voted against a provision in the COVID relief bill to stop prescription drug price-gouging in Medicaid:

It is disappointing, but sadly not surprising, that in the middle of a global pandemic and economic downturn, Republicans on the Energy & Commerce Committee just voted unanimously against holding Big Pharma accountable for raising prices faster than inflation for patients in Medicaid.

We know that across the country, people are making heartbreaking decisions between putting food on the table or paying for prescription drugs, especially now as millions have lost jobs and health coverage. The bill that passed out of committee today, with no support from Republicans, would make it costly for drug companies to keep jacking up prices of drugs covered by Medicaid, a program that more than 6 million Americans have turned to since the start of the pandemic.

We applaud President Biden and congressional Democrats’ commitment to reining in out-of-control price hikes. Action to hold Big Pharma accountable is long overdue. After years of lip service on making prescription medicines affordable, Republicans once again sided with drug corporations by voting against this proposal.