Wyden Renews Demand for Trump's Deals with Big Pharma

Wyden Renews Demand for Trump's Deals with Big Pharma

Ahead of Finance Committee Vote on HHS Deputy, Ranking Member Calls for Trump Administration to Disclose If There Are Any Real Savings for Patients and Taxpayers

Text of the Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee (Committee) Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today called on Donald Trump's nominee to be the second-in-command at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to follow through on commitments to disclose agreements made between the federal government and pharmaceutical companies, before the Committee votes on his nomination.

"The Trump administration continues to use Oval Office fanfare to gaslight Congress and the American people, suggesting these agreements offer the United States the 'lowest prescription drug prices anywhere in the world,'" Wyden wrote. "There is absolutely no proof to back up this claim; in fact, all available information suggests the primary beneficiaries of these sweetheart deals are the pharmaceutical companies that negotiated tariff relief, fast-track drug approvals, and blanket exemptions from international reference pricing Medicare pilot programs. Almost a year of unfulfilled promises and obfuscation of Congress amounts to an operational and moral failure."

In the letter, sent to Chris Klomp, the nominee to be Deputy Secretary at HHS, and the lead negotiator of these agreements, Wyden calls on the administration to disclose:

1. All agreements between HHS and pharmaceutical manufacturers concerning most-favored-nation pricing.

2. All agreements and other materials related to the GENEROUS Model, including agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers and states Medicaid programs.

3. All documents concerning anything of value provided to pharmaceutical manufacturers in connection with these agreements.

Wyden has put a spotlight on Trump's efforts that claim he's lowering drug prices while trotting Big Pharma CEOs in front of Oval Office cameras. This spring, every Democrat on the Committee introduced legislation that would reveal the terms of these agreements and whether patients and taxpayers receive any savings from these deals.

The text of the letter is here.

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