January 19, 2017

Weekly Media Update on Policy and Advocacy in the U.S. to Bring Down Drug Prices

Sanders to roll out bill letting Medicare negotiate drug prices

The Hill
January 17, 2017 - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Tuesday said he will introduce legislation allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices and called on President-elect Donald Trump to support the proposal.

"If Mr. Trump is serious about taking on Pharma, if Mr. Trump is serious about having Medicare ... negotiate prescription drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry, we are going to have very shortly very significant legislation to do just that," Sanders told reporters.

Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell criticized for vote to block prescription drugs from Canada

The Seattle Times
January 14, 2017 - U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are facing questions and criticism about their votes against a proposal aimed at making it easier to import inexpensive prescription drugs from Canada.

The Washington Democrats joined 11 other party colleagues Wednesday in opposing an amendment sponsored by Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. The amendment to the budget reconciliation bill to allow pharmacies, wholesalers and individuals to import medicines failed with just 46 votes. But it won enough Republican support to pass had a handful of the recalcitrant Democrats voted differently.

Trump's Latest Pharma-Fighting Plan? Use Twitter to Force Prices Down, Manufacturing to U.S.

FiercePharma
January 16, 2017 - Pharma is fast becoming President-elect Donald Trump’s favorite whipping boy. Last month, Trump vowed to bring down drug prices. Last week, he slammed the industry for “getting away with murder.” And Saturday, he promised the Washington Post he’d subjugate drugmakers with the power of the tweet.

“They’re politically protected, but not anymore,” Trump told the newspaper.

Whereas Trump last week declared he’d institute competitive bidding to control the prices government programs pay for drugs, he reverted over the weekend to Medicare price negotiation, a mainstream proposal he’d backed during his campaign.

New Approach Needed to Tackle Rising Drug Prices-OECD

Business Standard
January 17, 2017 - The proliferation of high-cost medicines and rising drug prices are increasing pressures on public health spending and calling into question the pharmaceutical industry's pricing strategies. Governments need to work with the industry and regulators to define a new approach to the development and use of new health technologies that encourages innovation while also delivering more affordable and value for money treatments, according to a new OECD report.

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