Ask Senators in Commerce and Labor to support a drug affordability board to ensure families can purchase prescription drugs at reasonable cost.
UPDATE 2/10: HB1724 has been sent to the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. Please take action again to tell the committee you want prescription drug affordability.
HB1724 establishes a board to review increases on prescription drug price. Delegate Delaney (D-Fairfax) has join with Delegate Campbell (R-Rockbridge) to introduce HB1724. This is a bipartisan bill to address the high cost of prescription drugs.
Delegate Delaney is quoted as saying "Big Pharma has gotten away with charging hardworking
Virginians outrageous (drug) prices just so that they can stay alive" (Virginia Mercury 01/10/2025).
If passed and signed by the Governor, it would utilize the advice of health experts who have
analyzed the data for the purpose of suggesting payment caps on specific prescription drugs.
This action would take place under the auspices of our State-sponsored health plans and establish a Prescription Drug review board to evaluate prescription drug price when the price of those drugs begin to increase dramatically. Additionally, review of new drugs that have evolved from biotechnology such as Biologics, and Biosimilars would also be included.
The board would meet at least 4 times each year in an open forum to evaluate the prices of traditional drugs, such as Brand named drugs as well as Generic Drugs. This board would be working under the Virginia Department of Health and would consist of non-legislative citizens. Two members suggested from each legislative body and one member appointed by the Governor. This Board will consider the price of drugs which are considered to be high for patients to afford which in turn presents challenges to our health care system.
According to the Virginia Mercury, Freedom Virginia and Virginia AARP support this legislation and at least 10 other states have already implemented similar boards.
