When I was diagnosed with cancer, I didn’t panic about the diagnosis – I went to work researching my treatment plan. What caught me off guard wasn’t the complexity of the disease, but the price tag of the medication I needed to survive. One lifesaving drug cost nearly $20,000 per month, and even with insurance, my out-of-pocket cost was close to $3,000 just to get started. As I continued to weigh my options, one thing quickly became clear: Big Pharma must be held responsible for these skyrocketing drug costs.
Unfortunately, my story isn’t rare. Across the country, families are making the same agonizing decisions when it comes to affording essential medications. Whether it’s a mom trying to afford her child’s asthma inhaler or a veteran rationing insulin to make it through the month, hard-working Americans are being forced into dangerous corners by out-of-control prescription drug prices.
And while regular folks suffer, pharmaceutical companies continue to rake in record profits. Big Pharma raises drug prices year after year, often at a rate exceeding inflation, and charges Americans more than three times higher for the same medications compared to consumers in other countries. When it comes to cancer drugs in particular, Big Pharma knows it can line its pockets—cancer treatments generated at least $200 billion in global sales for the pharmaceutical industry in 2024.
At a time when many Americans are struggling to put food on the table, Big Pharma continues to show no remorse. Instead, these powerful pharmaceutical corporations continue to manipulate the rules, block cheaper alternatives from entering the market, and abuse the patent system to keep prices for American consumers high.
Earlier this year, Washington had a chance to take a stand, but instead of meaningful reform, pharmaceutical companies walked away with another handout. Buried deep in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act are provisions that did nothing to lower drug costs for patients but everything to protect Big Pharma’s profits. That’s not reform – it’s surrender.
President Trump agrees that high drug prices are holding Americans back and introduced his “Most-Favored-Nation” executive order in April, tying U.S. drug prices to the lowest price paid by other developed countries. It was a smart, bold move rooted in common sense and conservative values. Unfortunately, Big Pharma continues to leverage its deep connections in Washington to prevent these common-sense policies from taking effect. In fact, they have been calling for increased prices overseas as opposed to lowering prices here at home. The time for reform has never been clearer.
A functioning free market relies on competition, accountability, and transparency—none of which exist in today’s pharmaceutical pricing structure. Instead, Big Pharma uses its monopoly power, sweetheart deals, and consistently high prices to put consumers at a permanent disadvantage. If we’re serious about fixing this, we need action that puts people before profits. These aren’t partisan demands – they’re basic expectations from families trying to stay healthy without going broke.
When I faced cancer, I was lucky. I had a support system and the tools to navigate a system designed to confuse and exhaust patients. But no American should have to fight two battles at once – one against their illness and another against Big Pharma, which has figured out how to profit from people’s desperation.
We can’t Make America Great Again if Americans can’t afford the medicine we need to stay alive. This isn’t just a healthcare issue. It’s a moral one, and a test of whether our leaders in Washington are serious about fighting for working families – or just content to let the drug manufacturers keep calling the shots.
The pharmaceutical companies have had their say. Now, it’s time for the American people – and those who represent us – to take back control.
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