More than eight in 10 people think lowering the cost of prescription medicines is a “top” or “important” priority for Congress, according to a poll Monday that suggests drug prices are top-of-mind for Americans across the political spectrum.
Fewer than 10 percent of respondents said drug prices are “not too important” of a priority, while about 2 percent said Congress should do nothing.
Patients For Affordable Drugs NOW, a nonprofit advocacy group that plans to hold candidates’ feet to the fire over drug-pricing reform this year, funded the survey by GS Strategy Group.
The nonprofit recently said it will spend “more than seven figures” to support candidates from either party who propose effective ways to bring costs down.
President Trump says slashing drug prices is a top priority for him, although he’s pushing market-oriented reforms that fall short of the type of government intervention that liberal Democrats would like to see.
The new poll specifically gauged Americans’ interest in the CREATES Act, which says corporate drug makers cannot box out competition by refusing to let their brand-name drugs be used in testing by would-be generic competitors.
More than 80 percent of voters said they support the legislation, with six in 10 saying they strongly support it.
Support for the bill was strong among all political affiliations — from 79 percent of Republicans to 84 percent of independents and 88 percent of Democrats.
“The choice for members of Congress is clear: They can stand up for their constituents and pass the CREATES Act to lower prescription drug prices or cave to pressure from big drug corporations. There is no other major opposition to the bill,” Patients for Affordable Drugs NOW founder David Mitchell said.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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