In addition to the numerous groups and institutions that stood in support of AB 463 (Pharmaceutical Cost Transparency Act of 2015) at the California Assembly Health Committee hearing on April 21st, six civil society groups that we are aware of have submitted letters or statements in support of the bill.
In alphabetical order, these include:
1. American Medical Students Association (AMSA)
2. National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians (NCAPIP)
3. National Physicians Alliance (NPA)
4. Public Citizen
5. Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM)
6. Young Professionals Chronic Disease Network (YP-CDN)
We have attached these letters/statements in pdf format below.
AMSA
“Although pharmaceutical companies contend that current drug prices reflect the cost of research and development (R&D), numerous studies have shown that companies spend more on marketing and advertising than they do on R&D. Furthermore, manufacturers of orphan drugs and biologics receive long-standing patent protection and numerous federal tax credits. In light of these realities, we must know more about how drugs are priced, and companies’ rationale behind charging our patients exorbitantly high prices that threaten to make healthcare unaffordable and inaccessible.”
NCAPIP
“AB 463 is a reasonable step toward understanding how drugs are priced. The bill requires drug companies to submit information for only those most expensive drugs -those priced at over $10,000 per year – allowing policymakers to look at those treatments that have the largest cost impact and minimizing the reporting requirements on drug companies. This move towards transparency can help further discussions over how we can address prices in the long term.”
NPA
“…[W]e support AB 463 as it would allow for greater scrutiny of prescription drug pricing so that purchasers and policymakers can ensure affordable healthcare access for our patients. …Such industry transparency will be extremely valuable to understand the drivers behind drug pricing and be used to make informed decisions about drug purchasing.”
Public Citizen
“AB 463 would mark an important step toward bringing transparency to an opaque research and development system, as well as to other costs used by multinational pharmaceutical firms to justify extortionate pricing of medicines. Passing this bill would help push back against Big Pharma’s price-gouging.”
UAEM
“As university students committed to access to medicines and concerned with unsustainably high drug prices, we are fully in support of AB 463, which would require needed transparency on the part of pharmaceutical companies.”
YP-CDN
“We support AB 463 as it would lead to pharmaceutical industry transparency that is necessary to ensure fair drug prices for our patients and continued healthcare coverage success in California.”