Dear John,
At a time when countless patients struggle to afford the lifesaving medicines they need, the pharmaceutical industry’s lobbyists are fighting tooth and nail to stop legislation that would actually lower drug prices. To make matters even worse, the Trump administration is lending an ear to these greedy pharmaceutical companies -- this time, in a closed door meeting with the drug industry lobby.
Americans have had enough with sky-high prescription drug costs. This country deserves a government that is committed to fighting for them -- not to lining the pockets of drug company executives. That’s why this week, I hosted a roundtable discussion with health care experts and patients to talk about the crushing costs of prescription drugs, and to identify solutions that will save lives. Our discussion encompassed a wide variety of perspectives on this issue -- from communities of color, seniors, low-income Oregonians, cancer and HIV/AIDS patients, to migrant laborers -- and we all agreed that no one should have to choose between paying rent, putting food on the table, and paying for their medicine.
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I’m especially thankful to Jessica, a social worker in Oregon who struggles to pay for her multiple sclerosis medication, for coming to share her powerful story of navigating a complicated health care system to find affordable options between student loan payments, living expenses, and paying for treatment. She’s far from alone in her fight. Every year as I travel across our state to host a town hall in each of Oregon’s 36 counties, I hear from Oregonians facing the same impossible situation: wondering how they’re going to get the medicine they need to survive and put food on the table.
It’s time for Congress to get serious about taking on the pharmaceutical corporations that are bankrupting families, by prohibiting these companies from charging American consumers more than they charge consumers in other developed countries. I introduced the End Price Gouging for Medications Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would finally stop drug companies from ripping Americans off. This bill is simple: It takes the median costs in 11 other countries -- Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Canada, Australia, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Sweden -- and punishes drug companies that charge Americans higher prices.
Ultimately, we need to take power back from corporations like big pharmaceutical companies, and put it in the hands of working American families. That means we’re going to have to take on the dark money pharmaceutical companies use to influence legislation, while amplifying the people’s voice by making voting easier, and ending the partisan gerrymandering that silences working families across America.
The truth is, the only people in this country who think drug prices aren’t way too high are those making a fortune from drug company profits. Please know that I’m going to keep fighting to stop the greed of the drug industry, so our family, friends, and neighbors can afford the medicines they need and deserve.
All my best,
Jeff
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