Patients need help of prescription boards

As a doctor who cares for patients with cancer, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the skyrocketing costs of prescription drugs devastate patients and their families. In Illinois, this issue is hitting people hard: in 2020, 54 percent of Illinoisans reported worrying about the cost of their prescriptions, and nearly one in three reported cutting pills in half or skipping filling a prescription due to high costs.

Chances are, you or someone you know likely falls into one of those categories. Even if you haven’t had to make these tough choices, high drug prices affect all of us by driving up our health insurance premiums. Illinois has the opportunity to lead the way in addressing this crisis by establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB).

PDABs evaluate high-cost drugs and offer solutions, like holding pharmaceutical manufacturers accountable and setting fair price limits to protect patients from predatory pricing. States like Maryland and Colorado have already established PDABs, using them to identify and cap high-cost drugs — laying a strong foundation Illinois can build on.

With a new presidential administration on the horizon and Medicare drug price negotiations potentially at risk, Illinois cannot afford to delay action. Establishing a PDAB now would provide urgently needed financial relief for patients across our state and position Illinois as a leader in health care reform that prioritizes patients over profit.

Patients deserve affordable access to medications and Illinois has the power to make that a reality. I urge my colleagues, our communities, and our lawmakers to support the creation of a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to hold pharmaceutical manufacturers accountable and bring much-needed financial relief to those who need it most.

Dr. Shikha Jain

Hinsdale