Letter: Government shouldn't dictate cost of medications

The Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act purports to set requirements and establish programs to, among other things, regulate the prices of prescription drugs, health care costs, and insurance coverage.

Under HR3, the United States Department of Health and Human Services would then be in charge of negotiating the prices for certain drugs.

Concerns can be raised that governmental agencies or politicians may be acting with the intent of furthering their own agendas rather than in the best interests of the people.

The government does not need to start dictating the prices of medications or adding regulations; what is needed is for the government to enact policies that advance new medical developments - especially in the middle of a global pandemic. America is a leading innovator in medicine and in the pharmaceutical industry, and the future of cutting edge medicines and treatments is at stake.

As a teacher, I've seen firsthand just how difficult the past year has been on students and their families. Many of my kids come from low-income, first-generation backgrounds, and remote learning has been tough - making connections over a screen just isn't the same as in a classroom.

Thanks to the vaccines developed by the pharmaceutical industry, we are slowly able to get back to doing the things we love.

It is not lost on me that these vaccines were made possible due to the framework of our health care system and an approach focused on cooperation.

By lifting restrictions and partnering with the private sector, our government actually helped pharmaceutical companies develop these vaccines.

We should continue this approach to encourage further medical innovation and the government should start to view researchers and scientists as partners in public health, rather than as dollar signs that need to be controlled.

Kathy Clemens

Glenview