CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN FIGHTS TO LOWER PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES, INTRODUCES THE "STOPPING PHARMA'S RIPOFFS AND DRUG SAVINGS FOR ALL" ACT

Congressman Pat Ryan Fights to Lower Prescription Drug Prices, Introduces the “Stopping Pharma’s Ripoffs and Drug Savings For All Act”

Legislation will make it easier to produce generic drugs, lowering prices for Hudson Valley families 

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY –  Today, Congressman Pat Ryan introduced legislation to lower the price of prescription drugs for Hudson Valley families. The “Stopping Pharma’s Ripoffs and Drug Savings For All Act” would stop Big Pharma’s abuse of current U.S. patent law and make less-costly, generic alternatives easier to produce. The entirety of the press conference is available here. 

“For too long, Big Pharma has been allowed to game the system, rake in record profits, and rip off hard working Hudson Valley families. I’m pushing relentlessly to finally hold Big Pharma accountable and lower the cost of prescription drugs,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Hudson Valley families are feeling the pressure of making ends meet – this is a straightforward fix that will provide direct relief. I’ll keep fighting to make healthcare more affordable for everyone in the Hudson Valley.”

“I’ve had Type 1 diabetes since I was 12 years old. I’ve had to rely on insulin and medical necessities on a daily basis to keep me healthy. I loathe the fact that kids like me, that already have so much on their plate, also have stress about affording insulin” said JT Crawford, a 15 year-old NY-18 resident and Type 1 Diabetes Advocate. “Thank you to Congressman Ryan for listening to my story and fighting alongside kids like me across the Hudson Valley.”

"As the CEO of  Cornerstone Family Healthcare, I strongly support Congressman Ryan’s 'Stopping Pharma’s Ripoffs and Drug Savings For All Act' (H.R. 6436). This crucial legislation addresses the inflated costs of prescription drugs caused by the misuse of the patent system by pharmaceutical companies,” said David Jolly, President & CEO of Cornerstone Family Healthcare. “By ensuring that brand name drug companies must justify additional patents, this act promotes affordable healthcare, aligning with our mission to provide accessible services to underserved communities. We commend this effort to make essential medications more affordable and accessible for all Americans." 

“This legislation is a crucial step toward rectifying the exorbitant costs of prescription drugs that have burdened countless Americans. The bill strikes a necessary balance, preserving innovation incentives while addressing systemic changes that will help mitigate the cost pressures,” said Susan Browning, Western Regional President for Nuvance Health and President of Vassar Brothers Medical Center. “Congressman Ryan's commitment to accountability while striving for greater affordability aligns with our mission to ensure accessible healthcare for all hard-working families.”

“NYSNA believes health care is a human right. Nurses work around the clock to keep New York families healthy, but too often, those tremendous efforts get undercut when patients can't afford the medications they need to stay healthy,” said Dutchess County resident Margaret Franks, BSN, RN, MEDSURG-BC Lower Hudson/NJ Reg. Director, Vassar Brothers Medical Center. “Thank you to Congressman Ryan for introducing this crucial legislation that bolsters the hard work and dedication that our nurses undertake to ensure that every patient can access the quality healthcare they need to get and stay healthy."

"The price of prescription medications can often be onerous for many older adults, forcing those on a fixed income to make difficult choices,” said Dutchess County Office for the Aging Director Todd Tancredi. “We appreciate any Congressional action to keep drug costs low for Dutchess County seniors, and we thank Rep. Ryan for introducing this bill.”

“The cost of prescription drugs is often times so exorbitantly high, many older adults on a fixed budget struggle to afford them. This could be a life or death situation,” said Orange County Office for the Aging Director AnnMarie Maglione. “The Pharmaceutical companies are long in need of regulation, review and reform. We are fortunate to have such a strong, passionate advocate working for us in Washington as Congressman Pat Ryan to address this."

“Everywhere I go I hear from neighbors who are struggling to make ends meet, and for seniors on a fixed income the rise in costs have become overwhelming,” said Dutchess County Executive-Elect Sue Serino. “For most, these are lifesaving medications, and no one should be forced to decide what bills to pay so they can afford their prescriptions. Our community is facing an affordability crisis, and we need our partners in federal government to help address these serious issues and provide relief.”

"Our state's seniors face soaring prescription drug costs and higher prices on everything from gasoline to food. We owe it to them to work together in a bipartisan way to bring down these costs and raise their quality of life,” said State Senator Rob Rolison (39th District). “ I applaud Congressman Ryan for introducing legislation to prohibit double-patenting in prescription-drug development. This will increase competition and drive down prices, allowing lower-cost generic medications to enter the market more quickly.”

“Pharmaceutical companies have gamed the system for too long, extending their exclusivity and blocking consumer access to more affordable generic versions,” said Assemblyman Jonathan Jacobson (104th District). “We must battle the skyrocketing cost of healthcare from every angle, including the artificially high cost of prescription drugs. I applaud Representative Ryan for this legislation, which could not be done on a State level. I will continue to work with the Congressman on critical issues affecting our constituents, from Central Hudson to lead-contaminated water lines to health care.”

The average American spends $1,200 per year on prescription drug costs. While generic drugs constitute 80% of prescriptions filled for Americans, name brand drugs account for 80% of prescription drug spending by Americans. Presently, pharmaceutical companies maintain patent exclusivity on a new drug for 20 years, preventing the manufacture of generic alternatives and maintaining a monopoly on the market for that drug. 

Presently, pharmaceutical companies are allowed to extend the 20 year period of patent exclusivity by making trivial changes like minor tweaks to formulations, dosing, or adding extended release that do not impact the drug’s benefits. This practice of “double patenting” allows the company to maintain artificially high prices on a drug long term. 

The Stopping Pharma’s Ripoffs and Drug Savings For All Act would amend current patent law by forcing name brand drug companies to bear the burden of proof to demonstrate how each subsequent patent truly differs from the original patent’s drug and is entitled to its own period of exclusivity. 

Congressman Ryan has built a record of taking on big corporations that exploit Hudson Valley families for profit. Congressman Ryan spearheaded efforts to hold Central Hudson accountable for its egregious billing practices, demanding the resignation of its CEO and holding a workshop series to connect Central Hudson customers directly with assistance from company representatives. Ryan has since called for the utility company to suspend its planned rate hikes while its billing issues remain. Ryan has demanded big corporations that have polluted the Hudson River bear the cost and responsibility for conducting full clean ups of their pollution, including calling on General Electric to clean its PCB toxins from the River and telecommunications companies to remove networks of legacy cables found to leach toxic lead into the surrounding environment. Most recently, Ryan has led a charge to prevent big oil companies from being allowed to anchor polluting barges in the Hudson River.

Ryan has also made big deliveries to make affordable healthcare more accessible across NY-18, including securing over $2 million for Sun River Health in Beacon and major federal funding for Cornerstone Family Healthcare. Ryan also cosponsors the Drug Shortage Prevention Act.

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