WASHINGTON — Democratic leadership and the party’s progressive flank are feuding over how best to lower drug prices.
In recent weeks, tensions between the two camps have escalated, and some fights have even spilled into public view. In a high-profile tug of war, lawmakers hoping to strike an accord with the Trump administration have been forced to confront a faction pressing Democrats to instead pursue a bolder progressive agenda — albeit one that the GOP-controlled Senate would surely ignore.
Lloyd Doggett is amazing on drug prices and has been fighting the good fight on this issue for YEARS (like Elijah Cummings and Bernie Sanders). Awful that other Democrats are undercutting him.
He’s not my representative any more as I was gerrymandered out of his district, but on this – and many other matters – he is the best! An incredible public servant.
As I head to surgery I am thankful for the drugs that are being discovered..
And I think of those blaming drug companies when less than 15 cents on the medical dollar is drug cost..my father died before his 51st birthday.
The medical discoveries since would have allowed him a longer quality life..
It is the out of pocket nobody seems to care about..we only hear blame the drug co..scape goat politics..
We need antibiotics..a new good one took over a billion to get through approval and Achogen filed chapter 11 as they ran out of money..when those who attack drug co have a loved one dying perhaps they will wish there was a drug for them..instead of high hospital cost and care..
Sorry for the grammar if incorrect as I am nervous heading to the hospital..
Steven Reznik, Hope your surgery and recovery went well.
Although innovation is yes important, you are drinking the Kool-Aid if you believe it justifies current pricing – it does not. Our “intellectual property” laws enable high pricing of things which are not new discoveries at all – like changing the propellant for asthma drugs got drug companies years of further monopolies on old drugs. Moreover the drug companies exaggerate total costs – read Merrill Goozner’s The $800-Million-Dollar Pill to see the sorts of games they play inflating real costs.