In defense of the drug bill
Drug prices and Texans
Regarding “Drug bill carries serious side effects, no benefits,” (Chron.com, July 11): In Peter Pitts’ opinion piece he claims my bill to lower prescription drug prices for Texans is unnecessary because pharmaceutical companies always act fairly. He argues the anti-competitive actions by some pharmaceutical companies my bill targets simply don’t exist. I disagree, and I think most Texans would too.
In Houston, one man wrote to me that he gave up taking his Crohn’s disease medication because he can’t afford to spend $1,800 for a 90-day supply. I also heard from a woman named Agatha that her prescription recently increased to more than five times the cost. She can’t afford it, but she continues to take it so she can see her newborn grandchild grow up.
The arthritis drug Humira has been on the market for 15 years, and thanks to hundreds of patent applications, three lower-cost, competing drugs that are sold outside the U.S. won’t be available to American patients until 2023. That’s not innovation. That’s taking advantage of the system to keep prices high.
The Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act won’t threaten pharmaceutical companies that act fairly. It will limit the number of patents these companies can use to keep competition off the market, and empower the Federal Trade Commission to challenge anti-competitive behavior. By cracking down on monopolies and bad actors, we can encourage price competition and lower drug prices for Texans at the pharmacy.
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, Austin