Advocates Converged in DC Calling for Executive Action on Drug Prices from HHS Sec. Becerra

 

Advocates Converged in DC Calling for Executive Action on Drug Prices from Sec. Becerra 

Giant Piggy Bank Piñata was used to Illustrate that
People Must Break the Bank to Access Their Medicines

Washington, DC: Advocates from across the nation, including from West Virginia, converged outside of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) building at 12:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, Oct. 6 to remind Secretary Xavier Becerra that he has the power to help lower drug prices for Americans right now, and make medicines affordable in ways the Inflation Reduction Act cannot, using existing executive authorities.

Participants broke open a giant piñata filled with pill bottles to illustrate that people are forced to “break the bank” to access life-saving medications, and to call attention to how executive action must accompany legislative action to make medicines affordable.

The action was sponsored by the Make Meds Affordable campaign, which includes WV Citizen Action Group, Action Center on Race and the Economy, CPD Action, Indivisible, People’s Action, PrEP4All, Progressive Maryland, Public Citizen, Social Security Works, and T1International.

This event was live-streamed on West Virginia Citizen Action’s Facebook page, as well as Public Citizen’s and many others. A copy has also been uploaded to YouTube (see above). 

Links to news coverage can be found here:
  – Axios: Becerra leaves door open to march-in rights to lower drug prices 
https://www.axios.com/2022/10/07/becerra-drug-price-march-in-rights
  – Countercurrents https://countercurrents.org/2022/10/big-pharma-and-obscene-profits/
  – POLITICO Pulse 10/6 https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-pulse/2022/10/06/abortion-services-dwindle-post-roe-ruling-00060607

Below are a few photos from the event:

###