Al Franken And Ethical Drugs

Adrian,

In 2014, some Members of Congress launched an investigation on the escalating costs of prescription drugs, and released information showing staggering price increases for ten generic medicines, with increases ranging between 388% and over 8,000% over just a one year period.

Eight-THOUSAND-percent.

That's like going to the grocery store and finding that a dozen eggs, which usually cost about $3, now cost about $240. And at least you can choose not to buy the eggs. For patients that need these prescription drugs, they have to pay the increase or risk death.

These price increases, which we've seen in the brand-name and generic drug markets, have gone on long enough. There's a plan in Congress right now to fix this problem. We have to get it done.

Will you click here, add your name, and demand Congress act to bring down prescription drug prices?

I've been traveling around a lot lately, talking to a lot of people worried about their health care. Wherever I go, in Minnesota or elsewhere, one of the main concerns I hear is drug prices.

How am I supposed to afford my prescriptions? What happens if I lose health coverage? What are we doing to stop the drug companies from gouging us?

All good questions. Instead of trying to jam through an ACA repeal that will take health care away, Congress should be focused on bringing prescription drug costs down.

It's 100% doable. My colleagues and I are committed to doing it. We need to know that you are, too.

Join us by adding your name.

Thanks! Al

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Dear Al:

On first reading I found myself agreeing with you and that was a shocking development, but on reflection I found a way to continue to despise almost everything you do and think.  How can someone that is funny-looking and slurs like Daffy Duck have so much ego?

I do agree "ethical drugs," those prescribed by doctors, can be as evil as Heroin, cost too much when they should not as the processes making them become less expensive over time so raising prices on existing drugs is not acceptable beyond our four percent annual inflation we have had since 1913 or in a case of a new regulation raising production cost substantially by outlawing a source.

On analysis it seems the drug approval process is overly rigorous and expensive. It would seem to be sensible to have terminally ill people given the option of participating in a new drug trial. If anything regulatory excesses have very much contributed to the corruption seen in the drug maker ranks. Every layer of complexity becomes another opportunity for skullduggery. This should be reviewed and improved immediately and that is something you probably could do!

Adrian Vance