WASHINGTON, D.C. [06/26/2018]—Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pressed Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alexander Azar for more answers following their exchanges with him during a recent Senate Health Committee hearing.
You can read a copy of the full list of questions Sens. Smith and Warren sent to Mr. Azar today here.
Sens. Smith and Warren urge Secretary Azar to provide details about what President Trump meant when he said drug companies would voluntarily reduce prices, the number of meetings that administration officials have had with drug manufacturers to discuss voluntary reductions, and how the administration will ensure that drug manufacturers do not break any forthcoming voluntary pledges to reduce prices. Last month, the senators sent letters to top pharmaceutical companies asking if they had voluntarily reduced prices in response to the Administration’s plan—and not one company had done so. In fact, one company suggested it plans to increase its drug prices instead of lowering them.
Sens. Smith and Warren also raised concerns to Secretary Azar about runaway drug company profits and CEO pay, both of which come at the expense of providing families relief from high prescription drug costs. The questions Sens. Smith and Warren submitted today echo their previous inquiries because Americans deserve answers, and their call to Secretary Azar includes the following:
“Our June 11 letter raised questions about President Trump’s promises that drug manufacturers would voluntarily reduce prices and that this would help solve the problem of high drug prices. We ask that you provide answers to the following questions on the drug industry’s voluntary efforts to reduce prices:
“1. What did President Trump mean when he stated that ‘We’re going to have some of the big drug companies in in two weeks and they’re going to announce … voluntary massive drops in prices’? When will this announcement be made?
“2. What individuals in the Administration have met with drug manufacturers to discuss voluntary proposals? What has been the nature of these discussions?
“3. What specific commitments on pricing have you obtained from drug manufacturers?
“4. What is the nature of these voluntary proposals? Will these voluntary agreements reduce prices on drugs that cost the most or contribute the most to overall spending?
“5. How will the Administration ensure that drug manufacturers do not break any of the voluntary pledges they may make to reduce drug prices or to constrain price increases?
“6. Who from the Administration is negotiating with or communicating with drug manufacturers with regard to voluntary price reductions?
“a. Please provide a list of all meetings, phone calls, or other communications between Administration officials and drug manufacturers about voluntary drug price reductions.
“b. Please provide copies of all e-mail or other communications between Administration officials and drug manufacturers about voluntary drug price reductions.
“c. Were drug manufacturers offered any policy or political concessions or any kind of quid quo pro by the Administration in exchange for voluntarily reducing prices? Did any HHS or Administration officials agree to support (or withhold support for) any legislative or administrative proposals to reduce prices in exchange for voluntary reductions in prices?”
You can read a copy of the full list of questions Sens. Smith and Warren sent to Mr. Azar today here.
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