House Democrats: GOP blocking investigation into high drug prices

Jackie22

Jackie22

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House Democrats: GOP blocking investigation into high drug prices

by Rachel Weiner at the Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...blocking-investigation-into-high-drug-prices/

"SNIP.............


Democrats on the House Oversight Committee are chastising Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) for rebuffing their efforts to investigate price hikes by two pharmaceutical companies.

"My constituents are dying," Ranking Member Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) said at a news conference Wednesday morning. "They are dying because they cannot get a cure."

In a letter to Chaffetz, he and other members said Republicans have "refused every request" to hold hearings or issue subpoenas to drug companies. They ask Republicans to allow them to move forward next month: "Even if you have no interest in investigating these abuses on behalf of your own constituents, we ask that you not block us from investigating them on behalf of ours."

Cummings has for months been urging an investigation into Valeant Pharmaceuticals, which is now being probed by federal prosecutors, and has demanded documents from both Valeant and Turing Pharmaceuticals. After those requests were refused, he and his fellow Democrats in September pushed for hearings where the CEOs of the two firms would testify.
 

Because the GOP is only interested in maintaining the profits of the big pharmaceutical companies.. You know.. their donors.....
 

QuickSilver said:
Because the GOP is only interested in maintaining the profits of the big pharmaceutical companies.. You know.. their donors.....
Click to expand...

As if the Democrats don't have wealthy donors. Such crass insults and lies from the never do anything wrong far left folks.
 
If a person looks at the amount of money the drug companies feed our politicians, it quickly becomes apparent as to why our health care costs are twice as much as the rest of the Western world.
 
I think the greed in our present health care system is going to bring down the whole mess....and probably within the next decade. Every facet of our present system is designed to maximize the Profits of the providers, with patient care and well being a distant 2nd priority. The attempt to revise the system via the ACA is quickly proving that there is nothing "Affordable" in the Affordable Care Act....all it is doing is shifting the ever increasing costs around. At some point, in the near future, neither individuals, nor the State and Federal governments are going to be able to continue to subsidize this greed...and perhaps, then, our politicians will be Forced to explore the methods that are working out quite well for much of the rest of the world.
 
When you say "providers" who are you talking about? Hospitals? Doctors? Nurses? So the answer is for people to NOT have insurance and for hospitals to fold under the weight of the uninsured? OR to pass the loss on to insurance companies who gladly pass the loss on to consumers? What would YOU replace the ACA with?
 
Where was this motivation the last couple of decades. Long before Obama Care anyone who paid attention to medical costs in detail knew this. Probably because both sides of the aisle were recipients of lobbying. And letting a third party ie insurance co pay the bill thus avoiding those pesky details of cost didn't help either. I would let the FTC finish their probe for price gouging then hold hearings on drug costs. Hope these hearings are for an actual investigation and not a podium.
 
QuickSilver said:
When you say "providers" who are you talking about? Hospitals? Doctors? Nurses? So the answer is for people to NOT have insurance and for hospitals to fold under the weight of the uninsured? OR to pass the loss on to insurance companies who gladly pass the loss on to consumers? What would YOU replace the ACA with?
Click to expand...

When I say "Providers", I am talking about virtually EVERYONE who is currently involved in our Health Care Industry.....Insurance companies, drug companies, doctors, hospitals....et.al. Currently they are ALL chasing the dollar.

The "ask your doctor" TV ads cost 100's of millions per year...and those who take those pills are being ripped off for the cost of the TV commercials. IMO, drug ads should be treated the same as cigarette ads...banned.

7 or 8 of the top ten highest paid careers in the US are in the medical field...and only about 2% of today's med students are planning on being family doctors...the rest are all trying to become "specialists", because of the huge amount of money they can make. We already have about 25,000 family doctors less then are needed, and many of the existing doctors are planning on quitting because of the ACA BS, etc. There is a serious shortage of primary care doctors quickly coming.

http://www.businessinsider.com/ther...are-doctors-and-its-only-getting-worse-2013-9

The AMA lobbies hard to limit the number of med students...so as to prevent anything remotely resembling a surplus of doctors...which might lead to competition, and reduce costs.

The ambulance chasing lawyers force doctors to pay huge sums of money for malpractice insurance....the cost of which is passed along to the patients.

Our entire system is a total mess, and getting worse every year. It is doomed, and when it breaks down, all Hell is going to break lose.


The ONLY solution is a move towards a SP-UHC system such as Canada, Europe, and most of the rest of the world uses. Med students need to be "encouraged" to enter family practice...via scholarships, etc., for those who want to become primary care doctors....instead of money grubbing "specialists". Our laws need to be changed to free doctors from all these frivolous lawsuits...except in cases of obvious malpractice. The practice of prescribing drugs for every little "ailment" needs to be discouraged. AND...Finally, we need to penalize people who abuse their own health. Cigarette smokers already have to pay a premium for their insurance...the same should be applied to the Obese...which is quickly becoming this nations most severe health problem.
 
Yes.. I agree the USA is so far behind other countries. There is no reason our heathcare should be employer based.. There should be UHC.. Do you think the current climate in Congress would ever entertain such and idea? All you hear from the Right is repeal and replace Obamacare.. however, when asked. "Replace it with what?" no one seems to have and answer..
 
I think most of the congress is so concerned with being reelected so they can continue to feed at the taxpayers trough, they have no time to consider our little problems.
 
QuickSilver said:
Yes.. I agree the USA is so far behind other countries. There is no reason our heathcare should be employer based.. There should be UHC.. Do you think the current climate in Congress would ever entertain such and idea? All you hear from the Right is repeal and replace Obamacare.. however, when asked. "Replace it with what?" no one seems to have and answer..
Click to expand...

If a person spends some time digging through the data at OpenSecrets.org, it becomes apparent that the various factions of our Health Care Industry make generous donations to most of our politicians...on BOTH sides of the aisle. It is Very Unlikely that any of them will propose anything that kills that Golden Goose. Only when the majority of people Finally begin to feel the squeeze, will there be any serious attempts to revamp our health care system. After all, Nothing happens in Washington until it becomes a crisis.

About the Only politician in Washington that seems to have Any Interest in the well being of Seniors is Elizabeth Warren. Today she made this proposal...which probably stands a "snowballs chance".

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...al-security-increase_563a722ce4b0b24aee48a970
 
This article was in our local newspaper today, and the Senate is launching an investigation into the drug price hiking and the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals Martin Shkreli. One of the Senators involved in the investigation is Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri is the other mentioned in the article.

Senate panel summons price-hiking CEO of Turing Pharma

Originally published November 4, 2015 at 9:35 am Updated November 4, 2015 at 1:20 pm

A Senate committee is launching an investigation into prescription drug pricing, responding to public anxiety about companies hiking prices for once-inexpensive medicines.

By MATTHEW PERRONE
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate committee has launched an investigation into exorbitant drug price hikes by Turing Pharmaceuticals and three other companies, responding to public anxiety over rising prices for critical medicines.

The Senate’s special committee on aging requested documents and information Wednesday from Turing, Valeant Pharmaceuticals and two other drugmakers already under scrutiny for recent price spikes.


Notably, the senators called for a face-to-face meeting with Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO, Martin Shkreli, “as soon as it is practicable.” A former hedge fund manager, Shkreli has become the public face of the pricing controversy, after his company raised the price of the anti-infection drug Daraprim by more than 5,000 percent. The drug, which Turing acquired in August, is the only U.S.-approved treatment for a deadly parasitic infection that can affect pregnant women and patients with HIV.


Turing said in an emailed statement: “We are reviewing the committee’s request and, as we have and continue to do with similar congressional inquiries, we look forward to having an open and honest dialogue about drug pricing.”

Separately, Democrats in the House of Representatives called on their Republican colleagues to summon the Turing and Valeant CEOs to a congressional hearing and issue subpoenas to collect documents from their companies.

Both firms have refused to turn over documents requested by Democrats on the House oversight committee.

Valeant is already under investigation by several members of Congress for its general business strategy, which involves buying smaller drug developers and then jacking up the prices of their medicines.
Both Turing and Valeant have also received multiple subpoenas from federal prosecutors seeking information about drug pricing and other policies.

Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, said a hearing on the issue is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 9. Collins chairs the aging committee and McCaskill is its ranking Democrat.

“We need to get to the bottom of why we’re seeing huge spikes in drug prices that seemingly have no relationship to research and development costs,” said McCaskill, in a statement. She added that some of the increases resemble “little more than price gouging.”

The committee also sent letters to Retrophin Inc. of San Diego and Rodelis Therapeutics of Alpharetta, Georgia. The lawmakers question Retrophin about its decision to raise the price of a kidney drug, Thiola, from $1.50 per tablet to $30 per tablet. Company shares tumbled roughly 13 percent in trading Wednesday to $18.90.

The letter to Rodelis questions the company’s price increase on a tuberculosis drug by more than 2,000 percent to $10,800 per bottle.

The Senate aging committee was initially formed to oversee Social Security, Medicare and other programs for seniors. It has no authority to write laws but often investigates industries that prey on seniors.


Last week a national poll found that sky-high drug prices remain the No. 1 health concern among Americans, according to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Responding to this public outrage, Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have each laid out plans to use federal authority to curb price increases.

http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/senate-panel-investigates-drug-price-hikes/
 
Misty said:
This article was in our local newspaper today, and the Senate is launching an investigation into the drug price hiking and the CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals Martin Shkreli. One of the Senators involved in the investigation is Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri is the other mentioned in the article.

Senate panel summons price-hiking CEO of Turing Pharma

Originally published November 4, 2015 at 9:35 am Updated November 4, 2015 at 1:20 pm

A Senate committee is launching an investigation into prescription drug pricing, responding to public anxiety about companies hiking prices for once-inexpensive medicines.

By MATTHEW PERRONE
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Senate committee has launched an investigation into exorbitant drug price hikes by Turing Pharmaceuticals and three other companies, responding to public anxiety over rising prices for critical medicines.

The Senate’s special committee on aging requested documents and information Wednesday from Turing, Valeant Pharmaceuticals and two other drugmakers already under scrutiny for recent price spikes.


Notably, the senators called for a face-to-face meeting with Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO, Martin Shkreli, “as soon as it is practicable.” A former hedge fund manager, Shkreli has become the public face of the pricing controversy, after his company raised the price of the anti-infection drug Daraprim by more than 5,000 percent. The drug, which Turing acquired in August, is the only U.S.-approved treatment for a deadly parasitic infection that can affect pregnant women and patients with HIV.


Turing said in an emailed statement: “We are reviewing the committee’s request and, as we have and continue to do with similar congressional inquiries, we look forward to having an open and honest dialogue about drug pricing.”

Separately, Democrats in the House of Representatives called on their Republican colleagues to summon the Turing and Valeant CEOs to a congressional hearing and issue subpoenas to collect documents from their companies.

Both firms have refused to turn over documents requested by Democrats on the House oversight committee.

Valeant is already under investigation by several members of Congress for its general business strategy, which involves buying smaller drug developers and then jacking up the prices of their medicines.
Both Turing and Valeant have also received multiple subpoenas from federal prosecutors seeking information about drug pricing and other policies.

Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, said a hearing on the issue is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 9. Collins chairs the aging committee and McCaskill is its ranking Democrat.

“We need to get to the bottom of why we’re seeing huge spikes in drug prices that seemingly have no relationship to research and development costs,” said McCaskill, in a statement. She added that some of the increases resemble “little more than price gouging.”

The committee also sent letters to Retrophin Inc. of San Diego and Rodelis Therapeutics of Alpharetta, Georgia. The lawmakers question Retrophin about its decision to raise the price of a kidney drug, Thiola, from $1.50 per tablet to $30 per tablet. Company shares tumbled roughly 13 percent in trading Wednesday to $18.90.

The letter to Rodelis questions the company’s price increase on a tuberculosis drug by more than 2,000 percent to $10,800 per bottle.

The Senate aging committee was initially formed to oversee Social Security, Medicare and other programs for seniors. It has no authority to write laws but often investigates industries that prey on seniors.


Last week a national poll found that sky-high drug prices remain the No. 1 health concern among Americans, according to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. Responding to this public outrage, Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have each laid out plans to use federal authority to curb price increases.

http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation-politics/senate-panel-investigates-drug-price-hikes/
Click to expand...


Thanks for this post, Misty.....IMHO, Collins is one of the few Republicans that tries to work with Democrats occasionally, I'm sure Conservatives rate her with a 'F'.
 
Conservatives in the UK are also opposed to cheaper medicines or perhaps I should say, in favour of protecting the profits of big pharma.

Tory health minister deliberately blocks law to give NHS cheap drugs when patents expire


alistairburt.jpg

Alistair Burt Crown copyright

A Conservative health minister has deliberately blocked a new law to provide cheap and effective drugs for the NHS by championing medicines whose patents have expired. Alistair Burt spoke for nearly half an hour to “filibuster” the proposed Off-Patent Drugs Bill, a plan that had cross-party support from backbenchers.

Because the proposed law is not supported by the Government it only has a limited amount of time to be debated in Parliament, or has to be shelved.
Mr Burt deliberately used up the bill’s time by speaking at length for 27 minutes, despite heckles and jeering from Labour, SNP, and Conservative benches.

The proposed law would have compelled the Government to seek new licences for medicines that were not covered by patents but which could benefit patients. Currently, such medicines tend to go un-licensed because there is no profit incentive for pharmaceutical companies to bring forward an application for a licence.

Proponents, including charities, say the bill would open up a range of treatments for diseases such as breast cancer, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s – and save the NHS millions of pounds.But the Government said it did not support the bill because “there is another pathway”.

“I will talk until half past two and I make that very clear,” Mr Burt told MPs at the beginning of his speech – indicating that he would force parliament to reject the law. At one point the minister accused MPs who supported the bill of “shroud waving” – exploiting a death for political gain.

He later apologised after he was told by a colleague that the comment was “at the very least inappropriate” in the context of a bill that could save lives.

The law was brought forward by newly elected Labour MP Nick Thomas-Symonds, and had previously been proposed in the previous Parliament by Jonathan Evans. Mr Thomas-Symonds wrote in the Independent in July: “Having the chance to introduce legislation this early in my political career is a real honour.

“I wanted to bring forward a Bill that would have the greatest impact on the lives of my constituents and I believe that the Off-patent Drugs Bill will do just that. I also know this first-hand, having lost my grandmother to breast cancer. She inspired me to go into politics and then to become a breast cancer ambassador, and passing this Bill would be a wonderful tribute to her.”

But the Minister said, to heckles: “The government doesn't support the Bill, still doesn't support the Bill. And I will defend that position. “No sensible government would seek to resist people's access to drugs in any way and the reason for resisting is the government believes there is another pathway. It is not always the case that something brought forward by a charity and advocated passionately by colleagues is always the answer. It's not disgraceful - it's the right answer.”

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of the MS Society, said: “The Government needs to stop dragging its heels on this crucial issue and start taking action – it has missed two opportunities to pave the way for cheap, promising drugs that could make such a difference to the lives of so many people with MS. But the Government has pledged to work with organisations such as the MS Society to find a solution. We will continue to campaign to ensure that it lives up to that promise.”

The incident follows outrage over Conservative MP Philip Davies filibustering a bill to scrap hospital car parking charges for carers.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...rugs-whose-patents-have-expired-a6724526.html
Click to expand...
 
The TPP trade agreement will make drug prices higher giving big pharma longer patents and less ability for the market to produce generics.
 

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