On Tuesday, the U.S. House Oversight and Reform and Senate Finance Committees held their first hearings on drug pricing. The fact that the first hearings held in these committees were about skyrocketing drug prices sent a clear message to Big Pharma that Congress is ready to hold them accountable for their price-gouging tactics.
Check out some of the reactions to the hearing on social media below:
.@RepCummings @POTUS and I all have one thing in common: we are committed to improving access and affordability with respect to prescription drugs.
We must rethink regulations distorting prices and ensure there is adequate competition in the market.
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) January 29, 2019
Kathy Sego testified at my Finance Cmte hearing 2day on drug prices. Her son depends on insulin so her family is greatly impacted by the high cost of prescription drugs. Lowering drug… https://t.co/ST2l8spkZ8
— ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) January 29, 2019
“We have seen time after time that #drugcompanies make money hand over fist by raising the prices of their drugs—often without justification, and sometimes overnight—while patients are left holding the bill.”
— Oversight Committee (@OversightDems) January 29, 2019
Moving entreaty to House Oversight Committee on soaring drug prices from a mother whose daughter died after rationing her insulin: “I know there’s rules and regulations and policies, but we want to save more lives. It can be done. And you are the people who can make it happen.”
— Emmarie Huetteman (@emmarieDC) January 29, 2019
Powerful testimony this morning @SenFinance from mom Kathy Sego, mom to young man with Type 1 Diabetes. Her fears are mine. In college Hunter offered to pick up his own prescription and found out insulin cost $1,700 for one month’s supply. What happens next brings her to tears.
— Juliana Keeping (@julianakeeping) January 29, 2019
#HouseOversight Chairman Cummings emphasized that looking at drug pricing needs Congress’ “immediate” attention.
— Shira Stein (@shiramstein) January 29, 2019
Drugmakers refused to testify before the Senate finance committee on drug pricing. Sen. Ron Wyden pointed out that even tobacco companies showed up in the 90s: “They all lied to me, but at least they showed up.”
— Sarah Owermohle (@owermohle) January 29, 2019
Tune into @SenateFinance at 10:15 AM to hear Kathy’s story—one that I’m sure is all too familiar. Americans with life-threatening conditions should not be forced to choose between a death sentence and a debt sentence.
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) January 29, 2019
Today, we had the first Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing, where we questioned experts on how we can lower drug prices. pic.twitter.com/BYVVq9AxOE
— Rep. Glenn Grothman (@RepGrothman) January 29, 2019