H.R. 3 was a long time in being released, but won’t take nearly as long to reject. It fails the central purpose of any drug price reform: Out of pocket relief for patients and ready access to the treatments they need and deserve.
It opts instead to create a body blessed by Washington to limit patient access and set terms for a new government office charged with the task of innovative drug development. What could possibly go wrong?
The proposed legislation is also silent on the continuing crisis of middlemen who pocket billions in rebates that rightfully belong to patients. This is unacceptable.
Patients have every right to be disappointed. They will oppose H.R. 3 and continue the work of insisting upon innovative solutions and advancing realistic reforms that put them at the forefront of the debate.
