I was furious to see that Sen. Mike Lee introduced the so-called Protect Drug Innovation Act, which aims to reverse the life-changing drug price reforms recently passed into law in the Inflation Reduction Act. After decades of Big Pharma having monopoly pricing power, these reforms change the drug pricing system and will make it possible for me to afford my medications without constantly worrying about how I will be able to make ends meet.
Like many Utahns, I depend on expensive prescription drugs to manage my fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain.
My doctor prescribed me Lyrica, which helped manage a lot of my everyday pain. However, Lyrica is priced at over $850 for just one bottle. And I need one to two bottles per month. Because of the high price, I was forced to make the very tough decision to go without Lyrica, causing me to live in pain, take less effective medications, go on disability, and retire early.
Lyrica’s price has increased by more than the rate of inflation every year. It was only $150 when it first came to market in 2007.
The Inflation Reduction Act limits annual price increases on drugs like Lyrica to stop price gouging by drug corporations. It also institutes a cap on out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries and people using insulin; and allows Medicare to negotiate lower prices for some of the most expensive drugs. And Senator Lee wrote legislation to reverse this? Unforgivable.
Sen. Lee spews Big Pharma lies while he tries to make sure drug companies can continue to price gouge me for my prescriptions. I don’t understand how he can put drug company profits ahead of the needs of his constituents by pushing for the repeal of reforms that lower drug prices.
Meg Jackson-Drage, Magna
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