Leroy, an Oregonian, suffers from a loss of vision in one eye. He’s had surgery to relieve the pressure he experiences, and was prescribed Rhopressa, a tiny bottle of eyedrops not even a few inches tall.

Each prescription is $320 — and his insurance only saves a few dollars. He would need to fill that prescription a few times a year, and the cost really adds up, so Leroy doesn’t fill the prescription and is instead dealing with that loss of vision and eye pain on his own.

This story is all too common. The rising cost of prescription drugs is a persistent concern for many Oregonians. A 2021 poll found that half of Oregonians aged 18 and older were “somewhat worried” or “very worried” about affording their medications. Even more alarming, 1 in 4 Oregon adults (26%) reported not filling a prescription, cutting pills in half, or skipping doses due to the cost.

That’s why in 2017, health care advocates formed the Oregon Coalition for Affordable

Prescriptions (OCAP). Over the past seven years, we’ve been laser-focused on two key goals: making prescription medications more affordable and ensuring price transparency for all Oregonians.

Our advocacy led to the establishment of the Oregon Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) by the Oregon Legislature in 2021. This board, similar to those in 10 other states, is responsible for conducting affordability reviews on prescription drugs and insulin products, providing legislative policy recommendations each December.

Why is this necessary? Because time and again, the pharmaceutical industry has shown that they prioritize profits over patients. A 2021 U.S. House of Representatives investigation revealed that from 2016 to 2020, the 14 leading drug companies spent $56 billion more on stock buybacks and dividends than on research and development. Even more telling, much of their research is funded by federal grants — meaning our tax dollars already foot a significant portion of their R&D bill.

So the next time pharmaceutical companies argue that the Oregon PDAB shouldn’t be allowed to declare prescription drugs unaffordable or set price limits, remember this: Big Pharma isn’t as concerned about innovation as they are about padding their profits.

Recognizing the urgency of the issue, Oregon lawmakers took bold steps to strengthen the PDAB’s ability to protect patients and rein in exorbitant drug prices. In 2023, they passed a bill requiring the PDAB to develop a plan for setting “upper payment limits” (UPLs) on how much government and commercial health plans can pay for prescription drugs deemed too costly by the board.

PDAB’s full report, approved on Nov. 20, lays out potential steps and methodology for creating upper payment limits in Oregon. They will present this report to the state Legislature on Dec. 11, and lawmakers may introduce new legislation in the 2025 session.

The Oregon Prescription Drug Affordability Board is a vital tool in the fight against high prescription drug prices. By focusing on affordability, transparency, and patient-centered care, the PDAB can significantly improve the lives of Oregonians. Big Pharma knows this; that’s why they’ve sent letter after letter to PDAB in an attempt to dissuade them from holding pharmaceutical companies accountable.

Prescription drugs cost too much because pharmaceutical companies charge too much. It really is that simple.