West Virginians are being squeezed at every turn. From rent to groceries to transportation, our cost of living is rising. Yet, nowhere is that burden more painful than with prescription drugs. In 2023 alone, 64% of West Virginians struggled with a health care affordability burden.
Drug prices have increased astronomically in recent years. In some cases, prices have surged up to 5,000%. For the thousands of West Virginians dealing with asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the more than 30% increase in the cost of their medication isn’t just inconvenient, it’s life-threatening.
Meanwhile, Big Pharma has been taking advantage of Americans, charging us three times more for the same exact medication than patients in other developed countries pay. For example, a common COPD drug costs $248 here at home, but only $64 in Australia and $49 in France. And Ozempic costs $936 in the U.S. compared to $87 in Australia and $93 in the U.K.
That’s not just free market pricing. That’s Big Pharma exploiting American patients, while taxpayers foot the bill. Big Pharma’s weight loss drugs have costed Medicare almost $50 billion. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies flood our airwaves with direct-to-consumer ads that push expensive, but often less effective medications.
And here’s the kicker, pharmaceutical companies get a tax deduction for these ads, meaning taxpayers are paying to be sold expensive drugs they may not need and can’t afford. While West Virginians struggle to afford life-saving medication, Big Pharma is paying less in taxes than everyday West Virginians do. In 2022, drugmakers paid only 10%. In 2023, they even received a refund!
President Trump has been one of the few leaders willing to stand up to Big Pharma and put Americans first. His “Most Favored Nation” executive order was a bold step in the right direction, making sure Americans pay the lowest prices paid by other developed countries and flipping Big Pharma’s current script of profits first and patients second. He has also pushed to increase prescription drug price transparency with his executive order and hold Big Pharma accountable for charging Americans higher prices, bringing in long-overdue reforms.
While President Trump is working tirelessly to put America first, Big Pharma continues to fight for bigger profits. We need bold reforms to end Big Pharma’s price hikes, stop tax breaks for pharmaceutical ads, and make sure that no West Virginian has to choose between paying the rent and filling a prescription.
Skylar Wotring, Co-Chair
West Virginia Federation of Young Republicans
