Letter to the editor: There's a downside to price controls on medications
The minute I was diagnosed with leukemia, I knew that my life would never be the same. And it’s true. Today, I am in remission, but still, I rely on 12 different medications to keep me cancer-free.
So as a cancer survivor who relies on daily therapies to survive, I find it extremely concerning that Congress is considering implementing government price controls on medications. While I understand the need to make prescription medications more affordable, achieving this goal should not come at the cost of medical innovation.
In the United States, our free-market system has allowed patients to access nearly 90% of all new medications. However, by moving forward with government price setting on prescription medications, we could quickly see the number of new medications available to those suffering from chronic illnesses and rare diseases drastically reduced.
If the government is concerned with the prices of prescription medications, there are many different avenues lawmakers could take. Rebate reforms and capping out-of-pocket costs are viable alternatives that would not put innovation at risk.
As members of Congress take the floor to discuss legislation related to our health care system, I hope that they keep in mind individuals like myself. The actions that they take will have direct implications on how we can go about living our lives.
Shawn Bixler, Hartville
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Letter to the editor: The downside to price controls on medications
