Sen. Klobuchar (D-MN) is a Price Fighting Hero thanks to her commitment to working across the aisle to help patients. In December, Sen. Klobuchar worked with Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, to introduce the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act. Sen. Klobuchar also led the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2017which would allow Medicare to negotiate for drug prices. She serves as an original sponsor on the bipartisan legislation Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2018 that would close a patent loophole that allows big pharma to keep prices high and generics off the market.

When she was 12, doctors diagnosed Leah Clark with Crohn’s Disease, celiac disease, and psoriasis. Now a college student from Columbus, Wisconsin, Leah currently takes Remicade, an infusion drug. Remicade costs around $13,000 per treatment –– a price Leah knows could be devastating to her life and future. She is passionate about medication being affordable, not only for herself, but for the millions of people impacted by high cost drugs. Leah traveled to Washington, DC in November to combat the high prices of prescription drugs, speaking to her legislators in order to push for changes that help patient health. She has shared her story online and advocated for others who are struggling against high drug prices. As a counselor at a camp for young people living with Crohn’s and colitis, she sees the adversity the next generation will face if the cost of their medication doesn’t start to come down.

Read more about Sen. Klobuchar here.

Read more about Leah Clark here.

Patients For Affordable Drugs’ Price Fighting Heroes is a series honoring patients, private sector leaders, policy makers, and elected officials advocating for patients and fighting for lower drug prices.

Over the last few months, P4AD has honored FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, multiple sclerosis patient and advocate Victoria Stuessel, the former Administrator of CMS Andy Slavitt, metastatic breast cancer patient and advocate Becky Hall, Nevada State Sen. Yvanna Cancela, T1International founder Elizabeth Rowley, Oregon State Sen. Dennis Linthicum, and dry eye patient and advocate Ann Neilson.

P4AD hopes to encourage Price Fighting Heroes to continue their good work and urge others to join the fight. We plan to feature our heroes on our social media accounts and honor them at an event in 2019. If you have someone you want to nominate as a hero, you can do so here.