The power of informed choice: Passage of SB3 a leap forward for prescription drug reform

Madison, WI – “Take any survey of the most trusted professions in the United States, and you will find doctors near the top of every ranking. Drug manufacturers? Not so much. The prescription drug industry has shown time and again that it is unworthy of our trust. As we’ve seen with Oxycontin maker Purdue Pharma, which pled guilty late last year for their role in precipitating our national opioid crisis, when left unchecked, drug companies will do just about anything in search of profit.

“Unlike, say, a toaster or cordless drill, drug consumers often don’t have the ability to make an informed choice. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure and your doctor says there’s one pill you need to take to prevent serious illness, you don’t have the ability to take your dollars elsewhere, or to withhold your purchase altogether.

“Even if there is a generic alternative available of your prescribed medication, which may cost one-tenth of the price of the name-brand version, your insurance company may prevent you from choosing that generic pill, or even being informed that it exists. A particular pharmacy may be able to offer you a better deal WITHOUT going through your insurance company, but they may be prevented from telling you this under current legal agreements they have no say in.

“The legislation I co-sponsored, SB3, which overwhelmingly passed the legislature today, helps us reverse course, providing consumers with greater price transparency and the ability to make informed choices. When combined with Governor Evers’ prescription drug affordability plan in his 2021 Budget, which would allow the State of Wisconsin to explore importation and bulk purchases of medications, Wisconsin could become one of the leading states in prescription drug reform.

“It’s time Wisconsin began to live up to its motto once again, and I for one am incredibly proud that today we took meaningful steps FORWARD.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.