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APCR Comment on Senator Bennet Negotiation Amendment 3635 to S. Con. Res. 14

posted: August 11, 2021

The Academy of Physicians in Clinical Research (APCR) is an organization of physicians conducting clinical trials to bring new, cutting edge therapies to patients. Our members are currently exploring innovative treatments for a wide range of diseases including cancer, cardiac illness, infectious diseases as well as other acute and chronic conditions. Our members also care for patients and see on a daily basis the difference that new medicines can make.

As lawmakers take a needed look at solutions to tackle patients’ rising health care costs, they should focus on reforms that will have the most direct impact on the lives of patients. Proposals that address patient out‐of‐pocket costs, such as an out‐of‐ pocket cap in the Medicare Part D program, are commonsense changes to our system. By instituting this cap, we can provide more certainty for patients living with serious illness.

On the other hand, we are concerned by the amendment introduced by Senator Bennet and cosponsored by Senators Cortez Masto, Hassan, Kelly, and Warnock that may cause harm to the complex health care ecosystem as well as the research and development enterprise in which we as physician researchers participate. Ideas such as price controls may adversely affect the R&D pipeline. Without the proper incentives in place, researchers may find it to be more difficult to bring breakthrough treatments to market. By limiting the universe of available treatments, patients may suffer as a result.

Let’s focus on policies guaranteed to help patients, not ones where the potential costs far outweigh the benefits.