Two House Democrats that met with President Trump earlier this year over tackling drug prices are dismayed at the lack of action from the White House.
Reps. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., and Peter Welch, D-Vt., sent a letter to Trump on Wednesday criticizing him for doing nothing on high drug prices. The letter comes as the White House is reportedly drafting an executive order expected to be friendly to the pharmaceutical industry.
Cummings and Welch both met with Trump back in March. Both lawmakers had railed against high drug prices and were buoyant that Trump may share their sentiments based on rhetoric on the campaign trail.
The lawmakers wrote that Trump appeared to “embrace” draft legislation that gives Medicare the power to negotiate for lower drug prices. Trump called on Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price to review the legislation and provide feedback.
“Since our meeting more than three months ago, however, we have heard nothing more from you or Secretary Price,” the letter said. “Instead, recent press reports indicate that you are poised to issue an executive order that would implement administrative actions culled directly from the pharmaceutical industry’s wish list.”
The lawmakers went on to write that such an order “would be a betrayal of the very people who supported you and rely on you to make good on your promises.”
Cummings and Welch reminded Trump that he said that the pharma industry is “getting away with murder.”
“Your statements and your promises gave many of us hope, but your planned executive actions suggest that you have abandoned those promises in favor of the very pharmaceutical lobby you warned of,” the letter added.
The executive order has not been released yet, but news reports suggest it will include several provisions that the pharmaceutical industry would be happy with.
These include extending the patent life of drugs in markets overseas and boosting the approval time of new drugs, according to a report in STAT News.
But Trump has yet to endorse any Democratic-led legislation on giving Medicare negotiating power or separate bills to let Americans buy cheaper drugs from Canada.
Cummings and Welch asked Trump to direct the White House to “embrace the aggressive reform desperately needed by Americans — which you promised in your campaign — rather than the steps they are reportedly considering at the behest of the pharmaceutical industry.”
