Consumer Watchdog today called out the Kaiser Family Foundation for holding a one-sided debate on drug price controls tomorrow that allows the opponents of Prop 61, the drug makers who raised $90 million against the effort to rein in California’s drug bills, a seat but leaves proponents out.
The drug-pricing panel includes Jennifer Bryant, senior vice president of policy and research for the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), but no consumer advocate, nurse or Prop 61 proponent. PhRMA has spent $471,000 against Prop 61 and was the bundler of the $90 million from the drug makers.
“We are deeply troubled that the Kaiser Family Foundation is holding a drug pricing forum tomorrow, but has invited only the drug industry opponents of Prop 61, which will create bulk purchasing for prescription drugs in the state of California,” said a letter from Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court to the Kaiser Foundation’s President Drew Altman.
“Drug companies and their executives have refused to debate the proponents of Prop 61 in any public forum,” wrote Court. “That’s why it’s particularly shocking that the Kaiser Family Foundation would leave out the Yes on Prop 61 side and give the drug makers the floor.”
For the letter, see: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/resources/kffprop61ltr10-4-16.pdf