EdinNOSep 2, 2023
George Takei  🏳️‍🌈🖖🏽

Trump met with pharma lobbyists and nixed his promise to have Medicare negotiate drug prices.

Biden just announced Medicare would negotiate drug prices on ten popular drugs used by millions of seniors.

The first is empty talk. The second is bold action.

Sep 2, 2023 at 3:09pmWeb
Show threadAkaSci 🛰️Sep 2, 2023
@georgetakei
And how did the pharma industry respond?
With the usual misinformation and propaganda.
Because that's how they do business.
Show threadMikeSep 2, 2023
@AkaSci @georgetakei
Well big pharma if I have a choice, you lose.
Show threadMsbSep 2, 2023
@AkaSci @georgetakei
Well, if Pharma wants the government to stop meddling with silly regulations, maybe it's time to oblige and stop meddling, but I wonder how quickly they would be crying after someone reminds them that patents, trademarks and copyrights are also government regulations...
Show threadAkaSci 🛰️Sep 2, 2023
@msb @georgetakei
Allowing the government to negotiate drug prices is not meddling.
Prohibiting the government from doing so is meddling, which is what republicans did in 2003 with the MMA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicare_Prescription_Drug,_Improvement,_and_Modernization_Act
Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act - Wikipedia

Show threadMsbSep 2, 2023
@AkaSci @georgetakei apparently my sarcastic tone wasn't obvious. :)
Show threadMaryPotSep 2, 2023

@AkaSci @georgetakei

OMFG!!! The prices Medicare will be able to negotiate will ONLY be bad pharma's bottom line!

Someone should get out there and post the profits all pharma companies have had the past decade... and then add how many court cases they have lost because they "marketed" their drugs unethically!

Show threadxs4me2Sep 2, 2023
@georgetakei Trump = empty…
Show threadDonna WhitmanSep 2, 2023
@georgetakei It's phenomenal for #POTUS to do that. Some of those medications are deadly expensive up here in Canada and I suspect even worse south of the border.
Show threadJamie MasonSep 2, 2023

@georgetakei

Everything that tRump did was empty or self-motivated..

Jamie

Show threadFrances LarinaSep 2, 2023

@jamieannmason @georgetakei

And I think if one dug deep enough those empty gestures would turn out to also be self-motivated. He is a true narcissist; they can move through the world in no other way.

Show threadSulfide_SleuthSep 2, 2023
@georgetakei
It is action this is true, but 10 drugs is hardly bold action. Standards are really quite low of this is bold. Hold them accountable for real change, all drugs should be covered 100% anything less is unacceptable.
Show threadKevin LeecasterSep 2, 2023
@PhilGopon @georgetakei
Yeah, since progress is so slow we should just let the Republicans back in charge by criticizing the progress Democrats have been able to eke out despite so many Americans not caring enough to bother voting. I see your point.
Show threadJargogglesSep 2, 2023

@GreenFire @georgetakei
"Yes, this is good, but I don't think it could be considered bold."

"Oh, so you want the fascists to win?"

Inventing enemies like this is doing much more harm than what you're imagining that @PhilGopon is doing.

Show threadTorlais NeoiniSep 2, 2023

@georgetakei

It is action, but it’s not bold action. Bold action would be to specify a minimum allowable profit of no more than 1.5X on all drugs with funded enforcement and mandatory fines w/ jail time for CEO’s and their crony lackeys that violate the rule. Artificially inflated manufacturing costs are actionable offenses.

Show threadTang_FishSep 2, 2023
@georgetakei great information for those willing to listen. Most of the GOP voter base don't give a damn. All they want is a Daddy God Emperor to smooth their wounds.
Show threadWillemSep 2, 2023
@georgetakei Good for Biden.
Show threadScott KnowlesSep 2, 2023
@georgetakei Bold action is setting affordable prices on all non-generic prescription drugs like many countries. Just ten is tokenism on part of drug companies to give Biden and democrats election campaign points. Yes, they're ten most in need to be affordable, but what about rest of them we're overpaying? Where's the boldness to fight for that?
Show threadChris McConnellSep 2, 2023
@georgetakei It's not bold. It's better than the empty talk, but that's a low bar.
Show threadQueen MarySep 2, 2023
@georgetakei Now we just need Democratic elected officials to talk about it. For God’s sake, the guy is saving us and nobody says anything.
Show threadbananas_pizzaSep 2, 2023

@georgetakei didn't insulin prices only grow up after Biden became president? Maybe im misinformed, but considering the facts i have there are no good president yet

except of Kanye West, of course(joke)

Show threadJerry 🦙💝🦙Sep 2, 2023
@alihan_banan @georgetakei it went down for people on Medicare, but is roughly the same for everyone else: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/republicans-block-insulin-price-cap-really-gone-rcna42177
After Republicans block insulin price cap, is it really gone for most?

The insulin price cap in the Senate reconciliation bill was blocked by Republicans. What happens next?

NBC News
Show threadbananas_pizzaSep 3, 2023
@jerry @georgetakei do they intend to cap prices or what? Im not living in America and thank god dont have diabetes, but ive seen many articles about insulin prices going all up in 2021 from $10 to $30-50 just like that. I tried to find one of them, but in 5 minutes of trials, all searcher showed me are articles from 2023(
Show threadKeith SoltysSep 2, 2023
@georgetakei
Bold action? Hardly. Just brings the US on line with other developed countries
Show threadMcJaggerSep 2, 2023
@georgetakei I’ll buy it when I see the end negotiation.
Show threadgeographileSep 3, 2023
@georgetakei it's a start
Show threadHelenaSep 5, 2023
@georgetakei and still seniors cheer Trump, it's like he kicks them and they come back for more.