WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina M. Khan, Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA) called for an investigation into Pharmacy Benefit Manager’s (PBMs) predatory practices, which lead to higher prices on prescription medications for patients.
Rep. Carter, a pharmacist by trade, is joined by fellow pharmacist Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) in calling for the report, which will hold these pharmaceutical industry middlemen accountable for harming patients' access to lifesaving drugs.
In the letter, the Members write: “Over the past two years, we witnessed how important that access is as the nation continues to rely on pharmacies to care for underserved and at-risk communities by ensuring access to COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and therapeutics. PBMs should not continue to threaten this important access.”
The Members continue: “We believe this investigation is necessary to obtain an understanding of conflicts of interest, anti-competitive conduct and marketplace distortions that are causing prescription drug prices to increase continuously.”
Read the full text of the letter to Chair Khan here.
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