More Cures > Fewer Cures

Press Release

The single best thing about our health care system might be our commitment to conquering new diseases. Our country leads the way in bringing new cures to market, which saves lives and improves patients' quality of life. Forty years ago, five year cancer survival rates were 39 percent for whites and 27 percent for blacks. Now, five year survival rates for all cancers have increased to 70 percent and 63 percent, respectively. This is remarkable progress. With new technology like gene editing, we stand at the cusp of curing some of the most deadly, debilitating illnesses. My colleague, Rep. Ron Wright from Texas, was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and was given only 16 months to live. He received a new treatment and his tumors decreased rapidly. Thanks to innovative treatments and drug innovation, he can work with me today 16 months later.

While we have made remarkable progress, it is also true that prescription drug prices are too high. No one should worry about whether they can afford life-saving medications, and Congress can and should do more to help ensure cures are affordable. This week, rather than considering bipartisan reforms, Speaker Pelosi decided to bring legislation to the floor that should be called the "Fewer Cures Now Act."

This misguided bill gives government bureaucrats the power to set drug prices. If a manufacturer refuses to "negotiate" with the government and agree to their price, the company can be taxed up to 95 percent on their gross revenue until they comply. For years, the U.S. has led the way in innovative treatments, but this bill would turn back the dial. Between 2011-2018 of the 270 new medicines launched globally, 100 percent of them were available in the U.S. The second closest was Germany -- where the government sets prices on prescription drugs -- with only 67 percent of those drugs available. When we limit available drugs, we eliminate options for patients and make it harder for doctors to properly treat them.

The Council of Economic Advisers estimates there could be up to 100 fewer cures over the next decade. The Congressional Budget Office estimates we could see nearly 40 fewer cures over the next two decades. So the only question between the analysts is how many fewer cures we will see. How is this progress? America's drug innovation helps people around the world and losing access to these cures would be catastrophic. The polio vaccine, for example, prevented more than 16 million people from suffering paralysis. We should encourage companies to innovate and pursue treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's, ALS, or cancer. It only takes one cure to save thousands, and possibly millions, of lives.

This bill, which is opposed by President Trump and many in the Senate, has no chance of becoming law. The only reason this bill is being considered is to fool the public into believing that impeachment is not House Democrats' sole focus.

What's most frustrating is there is an alternative based on bipartisan solutions that we've developed. A bill I'm a cosponsor of, the Lower Costs, More Cures Act, helps lower the cost of prescription drugs without stifling innovation. Our bill prevents drug manufacturers from stalling development of generics and allows the FDA to approve multiple generics to stir competition -- among its provisions. This bill will also help seniors by capping their annual out-of-pocket costs under Medicare Part D at $3,100 and making insulin more affordable by setting a cap for seniors under Part D at $50.

Our solution also improves the transparency of drug costs and looks at costs added between manufacturer and delivery. It requires insurance companies to make the cost of drugs more transparent, so patients have the knowledge they need before a prescription is written. Additionally, this legislation would require pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to report their rebates and discounts for prescription drugs. This will give consumers full transparency before receiving a prescription, while incentivizing PBMs to be competitive instead of keeping rebates on prescription drugs provided by manufacturers, which directly increases the cost of prescriptions.

Some Democrats have said fewer cures is "worth it" for lower drug costs. As a physician and cancer survivor, I can tell you it is not. Those 100 lost cures could cure your disease, or the disease of a loved one. I will continue to work with my colleagues and fight for bipartisan legislation that encourages our manufactures to innovate and save lives.

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