UHCAN Ohio Fact Sheet

Ohio Prescription Drug Fair Pricing Act

UHCAN Ohio is a member of the Coalition For Affordable Prescription Drugs, which was formed to promote legislation that will make prescription drugs affordable for all Ohio residents. Since that time, it has drawn the support of organizations who believe public policy should be just that -- policy generated with the interest of all Ohioans in mind. The Coalition's activities are organized on a local level and reflect the fact that it is a grass-roots organization with more than 5.5 million constituents statewide.

The Ohio Prescription Drug Fair Pricing Act (House Bill 290 / Senate Bill 127) was introduced in the House by Rep. Dale Miller (D) and in the Senate by Sen. Robert Hagan (D), June 7, 2001. The Ohio Legislature failed to act. Therefore, the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs is circulating a petition to submit the bill to the Ohio General Assembly. This is the first step in the process to initiate a law. If the General Assembly doesn't act, we gather more signatures and it goes on the ballot in November 2003.

The Ohio Prescription Drug Fair Pricing Act Petition, if it becomes law, enables the State government to negotiate with the drug companies for lower prescription drug prices. The Federal government already does this for its employees and VA hospitals. It's like buying wholesale.

Every resident in Ohio would be eligible. 

Consumers would save 40-60% on prescription drugs. 

There is a mechanism to ensure good faith bargaining by drug companies. 

No new taxes: administrative costs paid by rebates from drug companies. 

Drug companies would not be subsidized for their ridiculously higher prices. Prices would be cut, passing savings on to those who need them. 

Other states are working on proposing similar laws.

Note: In the petition, "dangerous drug" is the legal language used. It means "prescription drug."

The Problem: 

One out of four people in the U.S. has no prescription drug coverage, including an estimated 2.2 million Ohioans (1 in 5). Senior citizens are especially vulnerable since they consume almost 33%of all prescription drugs and often live on fixed and lower incomes.

Prescription drug prices are out of control, rising twice as fast as inflation. 

Americans pay 30 - 70% more for the same drugs than Canadians and Mexicans. 

Often pet medication costs much less than the same drugs when prescribed for humans. 

U.S. prescription drug spending rose nearly 17 % in 1999. Spending rose by $99.6 billion, and analysts predict double-digit increases in spending per year until 2010. In the year 2000, Ohio residents paid some $4.25 billion to brand name drug makers.

Pharmaceutical giants spend two or three times as much on marketing and sales as they do on research and development.

The pharmaceutical industry is the most profitable industry in the world. Drug companies earn profits of 18% (compared with the 5%average of all other companies).

For more information: 

Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs web site: www.rxcoalition.info. 

UHCAN Ohio Columbus Office: 1015 E. Main St. #302, Columbus 43205; 614-253-4340; kimdill@uhcanohio.org.  

UHCAN Ohio Cleveland Office: 5200 Euclid Ave. #520, Cleveland 44115, 216-241-8422; cjmaxey@uhcanohio.org.  

Call UHCAN Ohio if you would like to help us circulate petitions.