Davids introduces bill to require pharma companies to disclose cost of drugs in ads
Rep. Sharice Davids wants to require pharmaceutical companies to disclose the price of prescription drugs in advertisements targeted at consumers.
Davids, D-Kansas, introduced legislation Thursday that would require pharmaceutical companies to list the prices of drugs “in all advertising of drugs, including by means of television, newspapers, the Internet, or other media.”
In a news release, Davids said that only the U.S. and New Zealand allow pharmaceutical companies to advertise directly to consumers. She argued the demand the advertisements create for new drugs has helped inflate prices.
“Big pharmaceutical companies flood Kansans’ airwaves with ads for prescription drugs — but leave us in the dark about the price. My bill will hold pharmaceutical companies accountable to the public for their prices and help to halt the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, so Kansas families can finally have some relief,” Davids said in a statement.
Matthew Mellor, a Kansas City man who survived Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, said the legislation would encourage a dialogue about the cost of prescription drugs.
“Yes, I think it would be effective if they actually had to put the price out there because people would go, ‘Holy crap, that’s a lot of money. Why is it so expensive?’” he said.
Mellor said a life-saving drug he used during his leukemia treatment had an annual cost of $100,000.
“For people who are fortunate enough to have insurance, you’re still left paying a fairly significant copay for the drug,” said Mellor, who last year participated with Davids in a roundtable on prescription drug costs when he was living in Overland Park.
This post has been updated to correct the spelling of Mellor’s last name.
This story was originally published February 13, 2020 at 11:35 AM.
