CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new report released today by Patients For Affordable Drugs Action shines a spotlight on how Senator Thom Tillis has worked to protect Big Pharma’s profits and keep drug prices high while North Carolina residents struggle to afford their prescriptions. The report is the latest piece of a multi-million dollar campaign launched by the organization to highlight Senator Tillis’ record on drug prices.
Read the report here.
“Senator Tillis is working for Big Pharma instead of working for the people of North Carolina to lower the cost of prescription drugs,” said David Mitchell, a cancer patient and the president of Patients For Affordable Drugs Action. “Because of Thom Tillis, patients and consumers are struggling to afford essential medications during an unprecedented public health crisis that is threatening lives and livelihoods. We are making sure North Carolinians have the facts about Thom Tillis before they vote.”
Since Thom Tillis entered office as a U.S. senator in 2015, he has consistently worked to advance policies that benefit drug corporations and harm North Carolina patients. The senator has actively advanced legislation that would keep Big Pharma’s favorite loopholes open, protect monopolies, and allow drug corporations to keep raising prices.
Here’s what the report finds:
North Carolina patients are suffering and ready for change: 30 percent of North Carolinians do not take their medication as prescribed due to the high cost. 96 percent of North Carolina voters say it is important for the president and Congress to address high drug prices.
Tillis rakes in Big Pharma cash: Senator Tillis has taken $344,126 from the pharmaceutical industry since he took office in 2015. In 2019 alone, Tillis received more money from PACs tied to drug corporations than any other member of Congress.
Tillis gives Big Pharma legislative handouts:
Tillis voted to give tax cuts to Big Pharma while drug corporations raised prices on patients, funneling $7 billion back into the pockets of pharma company executives and shareholders.
Tillis introduced legislation that would strip generic manufacturers of the power to challenge brand-name patents and wrote a bill that would make it easier for brand-name drug companies to obtain monopolies and maintain pricing control.
Tillis resurrected an old Senate subcommittee to promote patent changes that would help Big Pharma.
Tillis answered a call from pharma lobbyists to weaken a bill that was designed to rein in patent abuses and decrease Big Pharma’s monopoly power.
The report is the latest activity from Patients For Affordable Drugs Action in its seven-figure campaign demonstrating Senator Tillis’ record of working for Big Pharma. The campaign includes TV, radio, and digital ads featuring the stories of three North Carolina patients struggling with high prescription drug prices and detailing the ways Senator Tillis has consistently sided against them. Those ads, along with more information about Senator Tillis’ record, are featured on the campaign website.
Patients For Affordable Drugs Action is a political action committee founded to make sure politicians hear from real patients and not just the pharmaceutical industry political machine. Big Pharma spent $298.2 million lobbying in 2019 and donated $29.3 million to help elect politicians in the last election cycle. Patients For Affordable Drugs Action received principal funding from Action Now Initiative, LLC. Patients For Affordable Drugs Action is an independent organization and refuses funding from any organization that profits from the development or distribution of prescription drugs.
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Paid for by Patients For Affordable Drugs Action, www.p4adaction.org. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.