A coalition of over 50 prominent conservative figures has voiced strong opposition to PresidentDonald Trump's proposed 'most favoured nation' (MFN) drug pricing policy. They argue it would introduce socialist-style price controls and do little to solve America's healthcare problems.
The debate highlights a rift within the conservative movement, particularly over their ideals toward the President.
On Thursday, leaders from major free-market organisationssent a pointed letter to Congress. They criticised the Trump administration's effort to embed the MFN policy into law.
'Imports socialist price controls and values into our country,' they declared.
The signatories include familiar names like Grover Norquist, head of Americans forTaxReform, and Stephen Moore, a former Trump economic adviser and co-founder of Unleash Prosperity Now.
The letter warns that implementing MFN would do more harm than good.
'While supporters of this proposal correctly identify the unique problems facing the American health care system, namely, wealthy countries paying artificially lower prices for prescription drugs than the US and the fact that this depresses innovation and inflates our costs, MFN would not solve these problems,' they wrote.
Trump's MFN policy aims to lower drug prices by negotiating agreements with pharmaceutical companies. It intends to cap US prices based on the lowest prices found in other countries. The administration has alreadystruck deals with 16 drug companiesunder this approach.
The president has been eager forCongressto make the policy permanent. A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Reps. Ro Khanna, Anna Paulina Luna, Marcy Kaptur, and Andy Biggs, introduced legislation last year to codify the deals.
However, many conservatives see it differently. The signatories argue that the assumption MFN would lead to better negotiations is flawed.
Source: International Business Times UK
