THE MIDDLEMEN: The Opaque Industry Secretly Inflating Prices for Prescription DrugsPharmacy benefit managers are driving up drug costs for millions of people, employers and the government.
By Rebecca Robbins and Reed Abelson This is the first article in a series about how pharmacy benefit managers prioritize their interests, often at the expense of patients, employers and taxpayers. Americans are paying too much for prescription drugs. It is a common, longstanding complaint. And the culprits seem obvious: Drug companies. Insurers. A dysfunctional federal government. But […]
Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing: Ensuring Affordable & Accessible Medications: Examining Competition in the Prescription Drug Market
Thank you, Chair Durbin, Ranking Member Graham, and members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, for holding this important hearing today. We appreciate the Committee’s leadership in exploring opportunities to ensure affordable and accessible medications. We share the perspective raised by several witnesses that a healthy prescription drug market rests on strong and dependable intellectual property […]
STATEMENT in Recognition of World IP Day
April 26, 2024 The Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association (PILMA) is proud to join stakeholders from across the biopharmaceutical and labor communities in recognizing World Intellectual Property Day. Today is an opportunity to reflect on the pivotal role of intellectual property (IP) rights in not only powering innovation and the development of new cures, but in […]
COMMENT to National Institute of Standards and Technology on the Negative Implications of March-in Rights
On February 6, 2024 PILMA submitted the following comment on the Negative Implicants of March-in Rights. PILMA writes to express concern over the administration’s intention to use the Bayh-Dole Act to seize drug patents. PILMA is a coalition between unions in the building and construction trades and biopharmaceutical companies dedicated to creating union jobs and […]
IAFF General President’s Letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce on WTO
On Jan 22, 2024, IAFF General President, Edward Kelly, sent the following letter to the Honorable Gina Raimondo on changes to the WTO. Download the letter here. January 22, 2024 Dear Secretary Raimondo, The International Association of Fire Fighters represents 343,000 fire fighters, paramedics, and officers across our nation. Our members are on the front […]
Ironworkers General President’s Letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce on WTO
On Dec 18, 2023, Ironworkers General President, Eric Dean, sent the following letter to the Honorable Gina Raimondo on changes to the WTO. Download the letter here. The Honorable Gina RaimondoU.S. Secretary of Commerce1401 Constitution Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20230 Dear Secretary Raimondo: On behalf of the 120,000 members of the International Association of Bridge, Structural, […]
Waiving intellectual property rights for COVID research would hurt Pennsylvania
In October, two University of Pennsylvania scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for their research on the technology underpinning the COVID-19 vaccines. Their inspiring work is just the tip of the iceberg. Over the past three and a half years, countless scientists across the state jumped into action, researching COVID-19 and the potential […]
Drug Pricing Policies Put American Jobs at Risk
This article originally appeared on RealClearHealth.com When you think of the biopharmaceutical industry, you might think of people in lab coats conducting research. What might not immediately come to mind are the men and women who build the labs and manufacturing facilities that these researchers rely on. America’s biopharmaceutical sector relies on skilled plumbers, pipefitters, welders, […]
PHILADELPHIA STEAMFITTERS LOCAL 420 TRAINING CENTER
On Thursday, September 21, 2023, Steamfitters Local 420 hosted a facility tour for industry leaders, union representatives, and legislators to convene and highlight the partnership between the biopharmaceutical industry and skilled union labor. Industry partners included Merck, Lilly, GSK, and others. The tour illustrated the synergistic relationship between biopharmaceutical companies and skilled union labor. It […]
Statement Regarding PBM Reform and Transparency
See the Statement The unions and member companies of PILMA have consistently called for reform in the supplychain; namely, addressing the opacity in the system with middlemen such as insurancecompanies and PBMs. Specifically, PILMA has urged Congress to act to: With a market that sees the largest PBMs controlling more than 80% of the covered […]