RELEASE: Rep. Khanna Calls on Sec. Azar to Take Action Against Exorbitant Hepatitis C Prescription Drug Prices
Washington D.C. – Today, Rep. Ro Khanna (CA-17), with more than a dozen of his house colleagues, sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, urging him to exercise his existing authority to use patented pharmaceuticals to help millions of Americans with hepatitis C access the expensive drug therapies they need.
An estimated 2.7 to 3.9 million Americans have chronic hepatitis C. The disease is the leading infectious cause of death, killing more than 20,000 Americans every year. Due to excessive prices such as Gilead's Harvoni drug, which costs $96,000 for a 12-week treatment, most public and private health insurance providers are forced to limit reimbursement to only those patients with the most severe liver damage.
Under 28 U.S. Code § 1498, Sec. Azar is authorized to use patented inventions to serve the public good, provided the government reasonably compensates the patent holder. This action would help hepatitis C patients with less severe symptoms get treatment before their condition deteriorates or before they spread the disease, saving thousands of lives and hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars. In 2001, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson merely considered using his Section 1498 authority and as a result was able to successfully negotiate for millions in savings for Cipro, a drug given to people exposed to anthrax.
"Many of these deaths directly result from patients' inability to access medicines due to their outrageously high prices," said Rep. Khanna. "American taxpayers are also victims of this pricing, which negatively impacts state and federal budgets."
"President Trump has routinely promised that Americans will see lower drug prices under his Administration, yet he has failed to live up to his word," said. Rep. Pocan. "Now, President Trump and Alex Azar, the new Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, have the opportunity to deliver on this promise. I urge Secretary Azar to lend a hand to the millions of Americans who are struggling to afford lifesaving medication."
"Taxpayers foot a hefty bill so companies like Gilead can conduct research and develop lifesaving and life-extending drugs. But the market is broken. Skyrocketing prices are keeping breakthrough therapies out of the hands of the patients who need them. No one should have to choose between paying for something they cannot afford or risking a loss they cannot endure. But if we don't take commonsense steps to bring down the costs of prescription drugs, more and more Americans will face that choice," said Rep. Welch.
"It's simply outrageous to force those with Hepatitis C to pay such exorbitant amounts for life-saving medications," added Rep. Pingree. "Secretary Azar should be doing everything in his power to deliver relief to the millions of Americans with Hepatitis C who are struggling to afford treatment and to the states that are fighting to address this public health crisis."
The letter has been signed by: Rep. Khanna (CA-17), Rep. Doggett (TX-35), Rep. Pocan (WI-02), Rep. Schakowsky (IL-09), Rep. Pingree (ME-01), Rep. Grijalva (AZ-03), Rep. Ellison (MN-05), Rep. Welch (VT-At Large), Rep. Moore (WI-04), Rep. Raskin (MD-08), Rep. Kaptur (OH-09), Rep. DeLauro (CT-03), Rep. Blumenauer (OR-03), Rep. Cohen (TN-09), Rep. Norton (DC-At Large), Rep. Cummings (MD-07), Rep. Chu (CA-27), and Rep. Hanabusa (HI-02).
The letter has been endorsed by: Public Citizen, People of Faith for Access to Medicines, Social Security Works, Knowledge Ecology International, Health Global Access Project (GAP), Community Health Outreach Work (CHOW) Project, Hep Free Hawaii.
Read the full letter to Sec. Azar here.
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About the Office
Congressman Khanna represents the 17th District of California, which covers communities in Silicon Valley. Visit his website at khanna.house.gov. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter @RepRoKhanna.
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