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Consumer, Health and Senior leaders
of the OURx Coalition endorse broad package
of  pharmaceutical reforms

SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The OURx Bill of Rights Coalition today endorsed a sweeping package of bills that are intended to ensure more affordable drug prices, better consumer information and greater accountability by the pharmaceutical industry.

Prescription drug costs have increased by double-digits in recent years, and all Californians are paying the price. Prescription drug coverage is shrinking, co-pays are rising, and consumers face more and more difficulty paying for the medications that they need. Deceptive and unfair marketing and pricing practices place consumers at a disadvantage, and stand in the way of reliable, informed consumer choices. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies continue to scale the Fortune 500 list with profits that far exceed other industries.

"Too many California seniors are forced to choose between paying for their medications and paying the rent," said Nan Brasmer, President of the California Alliance for Retired Americans. "Escalating drug costs are unsustainable for seniors on a fixed income."

"The impact of high drug prices cuts across the private and public sector indiscriminately," added Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "Seniors, people of color and people suffering from catastrophic illness often have little or no private insurance and can be devastated by the outrageous cost of life-extending drugs. The same is true of state government and the millions of low-income citizens that the state serves through Medi-Cal, mental health, developmental services and other state programs."

Responding to this growing and unabated crisis, a number of consumer, health and senior groups are joining with state legislators to advocate for a variety of policy changes to corral high drug prices and promote responsible pricing and marketing practices by drug companies in California. The policy agenda is designed to meet four objectives:

   *  Explore all possible avenues to make prescription drugs more affordable for California consumers and taxpayers;

    *  Provide better information to consumers to make more informed choices about their own prescription drugs;

    *  Reform marketing and pricing practices within the prescription drug market so they are fair and do not disadvantage the consumer;

    *  Ensure transparency and accountability in the drug industry so that patient health and safety is the primary goal.

The OURx Bill of Rights Coalition joins a number of legislative leaders to pursue comprehensive reform, including Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer, Assembly Health Committee Chair Wilma Chan and Senate Health Committee Chair Deborah Ortiz. The bills range in subject from bulk purchasing by the state to new standards for pharmacy benefits manager to public transparency of drug companies' contracts with the state. A complete list is attached.

The OURx Bill of Rights Coalition represents seniors, communities of color, consumers and working people in California. Members of the OURx Bill of Rights Coalition Steering Committee include:

   AIDS Healthcare Foundation

   California Alliance for Retired Americans (CARA)

   California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO

   CalPIRG

   Congress of California Seniors

   Consumers Union

   Greenlining Institute

   Health Access

   Latino Coalition for a Healthy California

   Older Women's League

   Senior Action Network

    Measures supported by the OURx Bill of Rights Coalition

    OURx BILL OF RIGHTS

   2005-2006 AGENDA AND LEGISLATION

 The OURx Bill of Rights Coalition represents seniors, communities of color, consumers and working people in California. We believe that all Californians deserve access to safe, effective and affordable prescription drugs purchased in a fair and transparent marketplace.

We call on all elected leaders to stand with us to support four principles for prescription drug reform in California -- and all legislative measures that support these principles:

   1.  Affordable Drug Prices: State and federal governments should explore all possible avenues to make prescription drugs more affordable for California consumers and taxpayers.

   2.  Better Consumer Information: All Californians need access to better       information to make more informed choices about their own prescription drugs.

   3.  Fair Marketing and Pricing: Marketing and pricing practices within the prescription drug market should be fair and should not       disadvantage the consumer.

   4.  Accountable Industry Practices: The pharmaceutical industry should be      transparent and accountable to consumers with patient health and safety as its primary goal.

    2005-2006 BILLS & MEASURES SUPPORTED BY THE OURx COALITION: 

   AFFORDABLE DRUG PRICES

   *  AB 75 (Frommer, Chan) would establish a discount program for low-income Californians using the leverage provided by the state Medi  Cal program.

    *  AB 76 (Frommer, Chan) would establish a new Office of Pharmaceutical Purchasing that would purchase prescription drugs on behalf of several state agencies. 

   *  AB 95 (Koretz) requires drug manufacturers to provide a rebate to the State for drug marketing costs for life-threatening medications purchased by the State. 

   *  AB 306 (Baca) would establish a prescription drug purchasing pool to       include employers and uninsured residents of California.

    *  The "Cheaper Prescription Drugs for California Act (Cal Rx Plus)" ballot initiative would establish a discount program for low and middle-income Californians, and Californians with high drug costs, using the purchasing power of the state and particularly its Medi-Cal program.

    BETTER CONSUMER INFORMATION 

   *  AB 71 (Chan, Frommer) would compile data about adverse drug reactions reported by consumers. 

   *  AB 72 (Frommer, Chan) would require drug makers to provide data about the safety and effectiveness of drugs marketed in California.

   *  AB 73 (Frommer, Chan) would provide consumers with information about  pharmacies outside the U.S. that meet state safety standards and sell medications at significantly reduced prices. 

   *  AB 74 (Gordon) would establish a hotline for consumers to access information about prescription drug discount programs available in California.

    *  SB 329 (Cedillo) would establish a Prescription Drug Safety and Effectiveness Commission to create a website about the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs in California. 

   FAIR MARKETING AND PRICING

    *  SB 401 (Ortiz) would prohibit drug companies from including advertisements in the written materials a patient receives with a  prescription.

    *  SB 163 (Scott) would require a pharmaceutical company entering into a       contract with the State to disclose the percentage of its operating budget that is spent on marketing.

    ACCOUNTABLE INDUSTRY PRACTICES

    *  AB 78 (Pavley) calls for better standards for drug industry middlemen known as "Pharmacy Benefit Managers." 

   *  AB 1359 (Chan) would protect seniors by establishing standards for prescription drug plans offered in California as part of the federal Medicare reform legislation. 

   *  SB 452 (Alarcon) would delete current provision exempting pharmaceutical contracts from the Public Records Act. 

Governor Schwarzenegger has developed a proposal to create a drug discount card for low-income, uninsured Californians -- Senate Bill 19 (Ortiz, Poochigian). While the OURx Bill of Rights Coalition has not yet taken a formal position on SB 19, we remain skeptical that this proposal will generate meaningful or lasting discounts for the state's uninsured population.