Accountability needed in pharmaceuticals policy

Manufacturers make the world a better place to live, and there’s no clearer example of the impact they have on our daily lives than the wide array of safe and effective pharmaceuticals available to prevent, treat and manage medical conditions.

The production of reliable, quality medication is vital to public health, and manufacturers don’t take this responsibility lightly. That’s why biopharmaceutical manufacturers are committed to improving access to medicines in underserved communities, ensuring low-income and vulnerable populations can receive discounted drugs.

Initially, that was the promise of the 340B drug pricing program, which was designed to provide discounted medications to eligible healthcare providers serving low-income and vulnerable patients. Unfortunately, the program is increasingly being used by large, affluent health systems with little assurance savings are reaching the intended patients.

Consider the numbers: Only 21% of 340B pharmacy locations in Illinois are in low-income neighborhoods, and nearly 60% of participating hospitals provide less charity care than the national average. Unfortunately, legislation under consideration in Springfield would do little to address this. Instead, it would provide substantial protection for covered entities while obscuring the disclosure of their financial arrangements, making it impossible to see how much benefit is diverted from patients to these intermediaries.

If lawmakers want to lower health care costs, we need real transparency and accountability in 340B. Let’s work together to ensure low-income patients benefit from reduced drug prices, not the bottom lines of large hospital systems.

Mark Denzler, President & CEO

Illinois Manufacturers Association

Springfield