ICYMI: Baldwin Hosts Roundtable in Green Bay to Discuss Lowering Inhalers Costs and Holding Drug Companies Accountable

GREEN BAY, WI – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin hosted a roundtable in Green Bay to hear from parents and nurses and discuss her progress to bring down the price of inhalers and hold big drug companies accountable. At NEW Community Clinic, Senator Baldwin heard stories about the reality families and communities face when cost is a barrier to accessing an inhaler. In Wisconsin, more than 500,000 people have asthma and nearly six percent of the population is estimated to suffer from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

“No parent should have to think twice if they can afford an inhaler for their child when they get to the pharmacy – but for decades, big drug companies have been price gouging working families, putting parents in impossible situations,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m proud to have taken on these big drug companies and lowered the cost of inhalers to $35 per month and helped families breathe easy.”

“My son is now an adult still dealing with asthma and the financial burden of expensive inhalers,” said roundtable participant Jayne Black. “These are his words: ‘In a world of escalating inflation, from essential groceries to fuel prices, affording the necessary items to effectively manage asthma can prove to be an immense challenge...The dilemma of choosing between securing basic necessities for oneself and one’s family or ensuing the ability to breathe freely should not be a decision anyone is forced to confront.’”

As a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Senator Baldwin and three of her colleagues launched an investigation into the extremely high prices four large pharmaceutical companies charge for inhalers. Senator Baldwin also called on the four biggest inhaler companies to stop improperly listing patents for inhalers in an attempt to protect their exclusivity and block out competition that may force them to lower their prices. Less than three months after Senator Baldwin launched an investigation into the four major manufacturers of inhalers, three of the companies have made commitments to cap the out-of-pocket costs of their inhalers at $35 for patients at the pharmacy counter. 

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