New York Daily News

Gov plan a poison pill: Rx biz

- BY KENNETH LOVETT

ALBANY — Big Pharma is striking back at Gov. Cuomo’s proposal to control the price of prescripti­on drugs.

The Pharmaceut­ical Research and Manufactur­ers of America is set to launch a new campaign on Wednesday calling on state lawmakers to reject Cuomo’s (photo) plan, saying it will do nothing to improve patient access to needed prescripti­on drugs while threatenin­g research and developmen­t and New York jobs.

The “Prescribe Real Solutions” campaign will include online ads, a new website and a series of events across the state.

“This is not the time for unworkable proposals that would create new bureaucrac­ies without actually addressing any of the factors that impact the prices paid by patients,” said PhRMA Deputy Vice President John O’Connor.

Cuomo’s proposal would create a panel to set price ceilings for drugs reimbursed by the state’s Medicaid system and would impose a surcharge on drugs that exceed those ceilings in the private insurance market. Proceeds from the surcharge would go to insurers and be used to lower insurance premiums. “When Big Pharma cracks open its wallet to oppose your reforms, you know you’re doing something right,” Cuomo spokesman Richard Azzopardi said.

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