As a young mother, one of my daily worries is about my ability to provide my daughter with the necessities of life. That’s why I’m so concerned about the rapid rise of prescription drug prices in the United States. Drastic price spikes are putting life-saving medication out of the reach of people who need it the most.
It’s true that pharmaceutical companies have produced medications and have improved and saved lives. These medications required years of expensive research and development and I am incredibly grateful for their time and effort. But, it’s troublesome when drug companies raise prices drastically and almost overnight — after they have already recouped their costs.
While there is much disagreement about the future of healthcare in our country, the need to act to lower the prescription drug prices has vast support. I urge Virginia’s Members of Congress to work together to tackle this growing issue by speeding up the approval of generic drugs by the Food and Drug Administration. Their bipartisan leadership will increase competition to lower prices and ensure patients continue to have access to the medication they need to stay healthy.
Rina Shah
Reston