Hello, everyone, and nice to see you again after an extended weekend break, which included a holiday on this side of the pond. Our time was well spent but, nonetheless, the usual routine has resumed. What can you do? The world, such as it is, keeps spinning, at least for now. So time to get cracking. We are reaching out to our list of secret contacts, measuring the to-do list, and firing up the coffee kettle — our choice today is wild mountain blueberry. Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here are a few tidbits to get you going. Hope you have a productive day and conquer the world. And as always, do keep in touch. …
A large majority of Americans support allowing the U.S. government to negotiate for Medicare drugs and this support holds steady even after the public is provided the arguments being presented by parties on both sides of the legislative debate, Kaiser Health News writes, citing a Kaiser Family Foundation poll. In all, 83% support negotiations. Along party lines, 95% of Democrats, 82% of independents, and 71% of Republicans back negotiations. Most adults do not believe high drug prices are needed for drug makers to invest in new research, instead agreeing that “even if U.S. prices were lower, drug companies would still make enough money to invest in the research needed to develop new drugs.”
Amgen (AMGN) showered Krysten Sinema, the Arizona Democrat who has recently spoken out against her party’s drug pricing proposals, with more than $20,000 in political donations over the course of just 10 days, STAT’s D.C. Diagnosis newsletter dishes. The donations, which were made in late June, primarily came from the company’s top executives. The donations stand out because the executives who showered her with campaign cash gave so few to other politicians this year. The donations are also the latest example of drug company executives personally donating to the small group of moderate Democrats who have raised concerns with the drug pricing proposals being considered in Congress.
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