State of The Union Under President Trump: Strong for Big Pharma, Not for Patients

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In advance of President Trump’s State of the Union Address, Patients Over Pharma released the following statement and background research highlighting his long record of broken promises on prescription drug costs and calling on him to change course and finally take meaningful action for patients.

“President Trump is getting ready to make a new round of prescription drug promises in his State of the Union, but people across the country are still waiting for him to keep the promises he made the last times he addressed Congress and the nation,” said Eli Zupnick, spokesman for Patients Over Pharma.

“Anyone listening to President Trump talk about prescription drug costs should remember that he filled his Administration from top to bottom with Big Pharma lobbyists, executives, and allies who have been working every day to block any meaningful action to bring down drug costs for patients and their families.

“Here is the reality: The state of the union is strong for Big Pharma, their shareholders, their executives, and their lobbyists. But for patients and families who have watched their prescription drug costs increase each year without any meaningful action from policymakers, promises are no longer enough.

“If President Trump is serious about tackling the cost of prescription drugs he will reverse course, announce his support for the House-passed Lower Drug Costs Now Act, and urge Senate leaders to stop delaying and send it to his desk.”

President Trump’s State of the Union prescription drug promises

• 2019 SOTU: “It’s unacceptable that Americans pay vastly more than people in other countries for the exact same drugs, often made in the exact same place. This is wrong, this is unfair, and together we will stop it — and we’ll stop it fast.”

• 2018 SOTU:“One of my greatest priorities is to reduce the price of prescription drugs…I have directed my Administration to make fixing the injustice of high drug prices one of our top priorities. Prices will come down.”

• 2017 Joint Address to Congress: “[I will] work to bring down the artificially high price of drugs, and bring them down immediately.”

President Trump’s prescription drug reality

• Reuters: “Trump chooses Gottlieb to run FDA; Pharma breathes sigh of relief.” [Reuters, 3/10/17]

• Politico: “Trump picks ex-pharma executive Azar to lead HHS.” [Politico, 11/13/17]

• Politico: “Former drug industry lobbyist helps steer Trump drug plan.” [Politico, 5/27/18]

• Politico: “Trump’s HHS secretary nominee boosted drug prices while at Eli Lilly.” [Politico, 11/14/17]

• Despite historic profits and continued massive payouts to their executives and shareholders, Big Pharma once again brazenly raised the prices of over 600 drugs this year by an average of 5.9% – nearly triple the rate of inflation.

• Pharmaceutical companies increased their prices for drugs for patients with cancer, HIV, arthritis, depression, asthma, and many other common health issues – by more than 10% in some cases.

• Trump has refused to call on the Senate to take meaningful action to bring down the cost of prescription drugs by taking up the House-passed Lower Drug Costs Now Act. This comes in the wake of PhRMA spending a record-high $29 million on lobbying in 2019 and pharmaceutical companies bankrolled millions to advocacy groups fighting efforts to rein in drug prices.

• Drug companies received a windfall from the Trump tax reform law: just 4 drug companies registered $7 billion in tax breaks in 2018 as a result of the law and since its passage drug companies have issued nearly $80 billion in stock buybacks to reward shareholders and investors at the expense of patients.

• Meanwhile – story after heartbreaking story shows the impact of rising drug costs on patients.

  • A study published in 2019 found that 1 in 8 heart disease patients reported not taking prescribed drugs due to cost concerns. Researchers estimate as many as 2.2 million Americans with heart disease ration or avoid their medication due to cost.

  • Similarly, the CDC found that roughly one in ten Americans took less medication than prescribed, skipped a dose or delayed filling prescriptions due to cost.

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