Sen. Sanders Calls Drugmakers a ‘Health Hazard for the American People’

[cal04]

Sen. Bernie Sanders issued the following statement Tuesday on his proposal to rein in skyrocketing prices for prescription drugs:

“The pharmaceutical industry has become a health hazard for the American people. We now pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs and 1 in 5 Americans – including patients suffering with cancer – cannot afford to fill the prescriptions their doctors write.

“The time is long overdue for Congress to listen to the needs of the American people and not the enormously-profitable pharmaceutical industry. The top three drug companies racked up $45 billion in profits last year after the industry doled out $250 million on lobbying and campaign contributions.

“In 1999, I was the first member of Congress to take Americans across the border to purchase lower-cost drugs in Canada. Americans should not have to leave their country to get affordable medicine. Congress must act now to allow the re-importation of low-cost prescription drugs and Medicare must negotiate drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry to save seniors and taxpayers billions of dollars.”

To read more about Sen. Sanders prescription drug plan click here.

https://berniesanders.com/press-release/sanders-calls-drugmakers-a-health-hazard-for-the-american-people/

[Doctor_J]

1. including the ones that are bankrolling Clinton campaign?

I suppose so.

[KansDem]

2. It's time to nationalize the drug industry

We taxpayers pay to develop a drug, yet, Big Pharma reaps the profits.

— A new report shows taxpayers often foot the bill to help develop new drugs, but it's private companies that reap the lion's share of profits.

In one case, the federal government spent $484 million developing the cancer drug Taxol — derived from the bark of Pacific yew trees — and it was marketed under an agreement with Bristol-Myers Squibb starting in 1993. The medical community called it a promising new drug in the fight against ovarian and breast cancer.

Since then, Bristol-Myers Squibb has sold $9 billion worth of Taxol worldwide, according the the General Accounting Office report released today.

The National Institutes of Health have received just $35 million in royalties from Bristol-Myers, however.

Bristol did not discover the drug. The federal government did — with taxpayer dollars — and then negotiated a licensing agreement with the pharmaceutical giant.

"The federal government repeatedly dropped the ball," said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. "Or they didn't realize they had the ball when it came to protecting the public's interest in Taxol."

ABC News

Let's just forget this perversion and establish the "Department of Health Maintenance;" a government agency to oversee the health of Americans. It's criminal to profit from the injuries and illnesses of others.

If Martin Shkreli and his ilk want more money, they can get second jobs.

[SoapBox]

3. +100

[abelenkpe]

5. Yes, Please! Nt

[passiveporcupine]

7. Hmmmm

I have three or four Pacific Yew trees growing on my property. How can I help people get this medicine from my trees?

I don't want any profit from it...but my Mom had breast cancer twice. If I'd known I could have her chew on yew tree bark and get better, I would have done that.

She did survive breast cancer twice...without chewing on yew tree bark.

[SoapBox]

4. Of course...

Camp Weathervane started waving their hand in the air and squawking, me too, me too!

Bernie has been out in front of the Health and related issues for ages.

[Duval]

6. Bernie, you're The Man! eom

[ancianita]

8. Yes. Hazard is a good word -- to Americans' health and economic well being. Price regulation

is a socialist value. This country needs to do what other OECD countries do -- negotiate from the market power of the single payer position.

This corporate government is, again, leaving Americans twisting in the market wind.