As chair of the Senate Finance Committee Sen. Grassley chose to focus one of the first hearings in the 116th Congress on rising drug prices and feature the mother of a son with insulin-dependent diabetes. The next hearing, scheduled for Feb. 26, will feature drug company CEOs from several major drug corporations that have consistently raised prices on patients without justification.

Senator Grassley’s record extends well beyond one hearing. Grassley is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Creating and Restoring Equal Access to Equivalent Samples Act of 2019. The legislation would close a loophole that allows Big Pharma to keep prices high and block lower-cost generic drugs from coming to market.

In December, Senator Grassley worked across the aisle with Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to introduce the Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act. This bill would crack down on anti-competitive pay-for-delay deals which postpone entry of generic drug competitor in the marketplace. These pay-off settlements delay consumer access to more affordable generic and biosimilar drugs. The legislation would stop these anti-competitive pay-off deals and make sure consumers have access to the cheaper generics and biosimilars they need.

Over the last few months, P4AD has honored FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, multiple sclerosis patient Victoria Stuessel, the former Administrator of CMS Andy Slavitt, metastatic breast cancer patient and advocate Becky Hall, Nevada State Senator Yvanna Cancela, T1International founder Elizabeth Rowley, Oregon State Senator Dennis Linthicum, dry eye patient and advocate Ann Neilson, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Crohn’s patient and advocate Leah Clark.

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Patients For Affordable Drugs’ Price Fighting Heroes is a series highlighting advocates in the fight to lower prescription drug prices. We will honor patients, private sector leaders, policy makers, and elected officials who are advocating for patients and fighting for lower drug prices. In doing so, we hope to encourage others to join the fight and continue their good work. We plan to feature our heroes on our social media accounts and blog, lift up their stories in the media and honor them at an event in 2019. If you have someone you want to nominate as a hero, you can do so here.