MEDIA AVAILABILITY: House Dems Move Drug Bill to Markup, Prescription Price Gouging Must Be Addressed
Experts Can Explain How Legislation Can Stop Prescription Corporations From Extorting the American People
The U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday will markup H.R. 3, Democratic leadership’s prescription legislation to address outrageous drug prices. H.R. 3 passed out of the House Energy and Commerce and Education and Labor committees last week. The committee also will mark up three Democratic proposals to direct the savings from H.R. 3 toward beefing up benefits for Medicare enrollees.
Public Citizen’s experts can discuss H.R. 3’s features, its capacity to generate savings and some of its limitations, as well as proposed amendments to ensure H.R. 3 covers as many drugs and reaches as many people as possible, including the uninsured.
Two Public Citizen experts are available to speak about the merits and limitations of H.R. 3 and how it can be strengthened and improved.
Peter Maybarduk, director, Public Citizen’s Access to Medicines Program
pmaybarduk@citizen.org, (202) 588-7755
Maybarduk can comment on how communities and governments can help overcome U.S. pharmaceutical monopolies to benefit more patients. He is an intellectual property expert and can explain prescription pricing policies.
Steve Knievel, advocate, Public Citizen’s Access to Medicines Program
sknievel@citizen.org, (202) 588-7769
Knievel can comment on expanding affordable access to medicines. Knievel is an expert in policy matters affecting drug pricing and access to medicines in the U.S.