Staff Reports
Once again, it looks like big American companies can't help but break the rules without getting caught. This time, our favorite villains, the pharmaceutical companies, are being forced to give refunds to pharmacies in rural, hard-working communities. Surprisingly, these conservative-leaning towns always seem to get hit the hardest.
https://x.com/RedState/status/1704515761677471979?s=20
It's not surprising at all—I've written about this issue many times on RedState—that pharmaceutical companies, even though they're making a lot of money, will do anything to avoid giving discounts on medications that are needed by federal law. The mass media loves to report on things one at a time without seeing the bigger picture, so let me help you put the pieces together. Big Pharma's new way to make more money is to refuse to give rural patients discounts on life-saving medications. Since 2020, they have been doing this, and guess what? The repeat offender, AstraZeneca, isn't the only one. Eli Lilly, Sanofi, Novartis, and Merck & Co. have all joined the party by adding new rules or starting new projects.
Companies were breaking the rules so much that there was a protest last week. Ryan White Clinics for 340B Access sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to get the companies to follow the rules. But here's the catch: our government doesn't seem to be doing anything to stop these rule-breakers. Even though the drug makers may get a slap on the wrist, there's no reason to think they won't do it again.
And it's not just about whether or not it's all legal. By not giving deals, these drug companies are not only hurting patients from poor areas who rely on these medicines, but they are also breaking the law. Finally, these companies are being made to give back the extra money they took from the providers. Glasko-Smith-Kline, Purdue Pharmaceuticals, Meitheal Pharmaceuticals, Tolmar, Inc., and Janssen Biotech, a division of Johnson & Johnson, are all feeling the heat. Kudos to Purdue Pharmaceuticals for making Oxycontin, a drug that has helped rural America a lot.
Isn't it amusing? By asking too much, these companies are breaking the law, but the newsrooms don't seem to care. It's almost like they forget to cover it on purpose when it affects red places more than other areas. But then, I guess we shouldn't be surprised.
Joe Cunningham is a Senior Editor for RedState, a former teacher and coach, and the host of the Joe Cunningham Show. He has seen how these drug companies hurt people, and he is not afraid to speak out against them. He's here to keep you up-to-date and make you laugh by telling you the stories that matter.
