Success: Soaring Pharmaceutical Costs Addressed

Target: U.S. Senator John McCain

Goal: Applaud the introduction of the FAIR Drug Pricing Act for taking the first steps to stop skyrocketing drug prices.

The government is finally stepping in and standing up for the American people when it comes to pharmaceutical prices. Drug corporations have been astronomically raising the prices of prescription drugs, putting many families at risk of not being able to afford vital and even life-saving medication. Petitions like this one have called for change, and this legislation will be an answer to that call.

The FAIR Drug Pricing Act may not be an immediate solution to this problem, but it is a very positive beginning that will pave the way for further action. It requires transparency from drug corporations, which means that they must disclose information like their profits as well as the costs of marketing, research, and development if they plan to increase the price of a drug by more than 10 percent. They will therefore no longer be able to take advantage of the public’s lack of knowledge about their industry, indiscriminately hiking the cost of medications and claiming these huge price increases are justified.

Transparency will lead to accountability. These companies will be exposed for their greed if the numbers they disclose don’t add up, and will be held responsible. It will give policymakers and American taxpayers whose money funds the development of these drugs the context that has been lacking, and give drug companies a strong incentive to stop price gouging. Sign below to thank our government representatives for protecting the health and well-being of the people.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Mr. McCain,

The FAIR Drug Pricing Act is a wonderful first step in addressing the skyrocketing costs of pharmaceuticals. The price gouging many drug corporations are engaged in has taken a huge toll on the American public and needs to be kept in check.

In the wake of the vast hike in the price of life-saving medicines like the EpiPen, which increased in cost from $100 to a distinctly unaffordable $600, price gouging has been brought into the public eye. Many families can no longer afford medications that they desperately need. The transparency that this legislation calls for on the part of the drug companies is a hugely beneficial first step, providing taxpayers and consumers with enough information to understand the drug market.

Drug companies will have a much more difficult time pulling the wool over the eyes of the country, and price hikes that have been motivated by greed will be exposed. This is a great incentive for honesty on the part of these corporations and a source of hope for the return of affordable drug prices. Thank you for standing up for the citizens of this country who need to be able to afford their medications.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Tom Varco