April 11, 2017
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Patients For Affordable Drugs launched a nationwide petition urging lawmakers to allow Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices on behalf of patients and taxpayers. The petition was launched by David Mitchell, a patient with incurable blood cancer whose drugs cost $20,000 per bi-weekly treatment. The petition calls on Americans to add their name to the growing list of patients advocating for change.

“I am grateful for innovative drugs that are keeping me alive. But price hikes by drug corporations are hurting patients,” said Patients For Affordable Drugs founder, David Mitchell. “Congress and the President could bring down prices tomorrow if Medicare could bargain on our behalf. The time for change is now.”

In just six weeks, Patients For Affordable Drugs has collected over 4,000 stories from people struggling under crushing drug prices. The cries for help come from every region, walk of life, and political affiliation. One woman from Missouri wrote “I can’t take my medicine because the price is too high. I have to choose between paying my bills, getting food, or paying for my medicine. I’d like to be able to do all three.”

Why is this happening? In part, because drug corporations rigged the system to give themselves monopoly pricing power, charging whatever they want for new drugs and often raising prices for old drugs with impunity. The law prohibits Medicare from negotiating the price of drugs. Instead, drug corporations dictate prices.

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 82% of Americans believe it is time to allow Medicare to negotiate prices for drugs on an open market instead of allowing drug companies to act as monopolies.

President Trump has repeatedly voiced his support for negotiations and discussed the issue with Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD). It’s time for elected officials to hear from patients. That’s why Patients For Affordable Drugs – a nationwide organization fighting to lower prescription drug prices – is calling on Congress to act immediately.

Patients For Affordable Drugs works to amplify the voices of Americans struggling under out-of-control drug prices to make policymakers and elected officials see what needs to change. We do not accept contributions from any organizations that profit from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.

To read today’s full petition, click here.