Statement from Margarida Jorge, head of Lower Drug Prices Now, in response to the Build Back Better prescription drug reform compromise:

Reports that Democrats in Congress have stepped back from the legislative and political abyss by deciding to include prescription drug reform in the Build Back Better plan is welcome news. Not only has poll after poll shown that this is a top concern for voters, but Democrats have been campaigning and winning on this issue for years.

The public is demanding reform, and now is the time for Congress to deliver. We support the provisions in the deal to lower costs, like caps on out-of-pocket costs for seniors and insulin.

Of course, as always, the devil is in the details. We cannot have reform in name only. Meaningful reforms must include negotiations that take monopoly power from drug corporations so that Americans finally get the affordable medicines they need. For too long, Big Pharma has called the shots in Washington. We can’t let them do so with this compromise. Allowing drug corporations to keep control over drug prices is a win for the pharmaceutical industry, not for Americans. Our hope is that strong accountability provisions will create opportunities to build on this progress over time.

We applaud the work of Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Chairs Wyden and Pallone, progressives, and so many frontline Democrats in the House who have continued fighting to include lowering drug prices in the Build Back Better plan.

We look forward to hearing more details in the hours and days ahead, and working with Congress on strong implementation.