We are at a strange point in our society where on the one hand, drug companies are heroes for the way they developed vaccines against Covid-19 so quickly – vaccines that have saved many lives and allowed us to think about returning to normal.
One the other hand, they are villains for the way Americans are made to pay the highest prices for prescription drugs in the developed world.
Reaching the agreement to lower drug prices is a major breakthrough because the pharmaceutical companies opposed any changes to the way things are now. They have spent over $23 million in the first 9 months of this year lobbying Congress against any legislation regarding drug prices.
They deployed an army of 3 lobbyists for every 1 member of Congress. And yet this new agreement will open the door to regulate drug prices for the first time.
This happened because of pressure from the American people that was put on Congress through TSCL and other organizations like it, as well as direct pressure from voters on members of Congress
We are pleased and proud to have played a significant part in what appears to be a major victory for seniors throughout the U.S.
However, the House and Senate will not be voting on any legislation this week so we have to wait until at least next week to see if they can reach a final agreement in the House regarding the over-all bill that contains the measure to reduce prescription drug prices. Once it passes the House, it moves on to the Senate, where changes could still be made, although the agreement appears to include the Democratic majorities in both the House and the Senate.
Republicans, virtually unanimously, have decided to vote against whatever the final legislation looks like when it comes up for a vote.
