WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) today issued the following statement after President Biden pushed for an expansion of the Inflation “Reduction” Act’s (IRA) government-controlled drug pricing mandates, which threaten the development of up to 342 cures and treatments and has already resulted in multiple cancer and rare-disease drugs being pulled from the market:
“The drug pricing mandates in President Biden’s so-called Inflation ‘Reduction’ Act are some of the worst pieces of legislation I’ve seen during my time in Congress. To hear this president, once again, tout this law as a success is unconscionable and proves that he is completely out-of-touch with patients’ needs. American innovation cures the world. Instead of incentivizing more research and development, this administration is choosing to push unworkable price controls that have already resulted in patients losing access to several cancer drugs. What other cures and treatments will be excluded from patients because of this? The cure for cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s? Patients can’t afford to find out.
“As a pharmacist my top priority has always been, and will continue to be, ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health care. We need lower prescription drug costs, there’s no question about that; but we can do it without sacrificing research and development by reining in the pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the middlemen that are responsible for many prescription drugs being unaffordable and inaccessible. I welcome conversation with the White House about this issue and sent them a letter last week explaining exactly how PBMs rob patients blind and what it will take to fix it.
“I will continue to work with House Republicans to restore hope and build a health care system that puts patients before profits. I encourage this Administration to join us.”
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