WASHINGTON, DC — On the heels of a new report that details how one of the world’s largest drug corporations is ripping off America, Patients For Affordable Drugs announced a new video tool to highlight how patients are hurt by GlaxoSmithKline’s sky-high prices. The new platform gives patients on GSK’s drugs the ability to seamlessly film and upload a video, so policymakers and elected officials understand how the drug pricing system is hurting patients. View the campaign page here.
“Patient voices are growing louder and lawmakers are beginning to understand the urgency of America’s drug pricing crisis,” said Ben Wakana, Executive Director of Patients For Affordable Drugs. “We hope our new tool will give patients the ability to send personalized video messages so the public and policy makers will understand the human toll of GSK’s greed.”
The Truth About GlaxoSmithKline, released on May 15, examines the drug corporation’s long history of prioritizing profit over patients and finds a pattern of abusive practices to block competition and keep drug prices high. GlaxoSmithKline is the leading maker of blockbuster drugs to treat asthma, lupus, and HIV, which collectively impact 28.6 million people in the US and disproportionately impact children, women, and minorities.
Azmia Magane, a Florida resident and social worker who lives with lupus, is among the patients suffering under the drug maker’s price hikes.
“It now costs me $1,700 a month for the Benlysta auto-injectors,” Magane told Patients For Affordable Drugs. “Needless to say, I couldn’t afford that. I’m a social worker and bring home about $3,000 a month. The medication copay costs more than my rent, electricity, cell phone bill, and car payment combined.”
Patients For Affordable Drugs will share the patient videos directly with GlaxoSmithKline at the conclusion of the campaign.
Patients For Affordable Drugs is the only independent national patient organization focused exclusively on achieving policy changes to lower the price of prescription drugs.
