Letter: People Are Suffering In San Diego Every Day Due To Ridiculous Drug Prices

By Editor, Times of San Diego

September 28, 2021

As a constituent of Rep. Scott Peters, I want to respond to his recent op-ed regarding H.R. 3 — his own party’s plan to lower prescription drug prices.

I have worked at multiple county hospitals throughout California and currently in the UC San Diego Health system. Our most vulnerable patients are the ones who suffer most from this type of unfounded, unresearched commentary.

Medications necessary for survival have been made unaffordable. Many patients cannot even follow physician recommendations due to lack of financial security.

We should worry less about hypotheticals and more about the people currently suffering every day in our community due to ridiculous prescription drug prices. Physicians want to help our patients now.

Peters argues that H.R. 3 will stifle the development of new drugs by cutting big pharma profits, but he is purposefully misleading San Diegans. The pharmaceutical industry is the most profitable sector in the country.

In truth, we could pass H.R. 3 and the industry would still be able to maintain both its R&D budgets and its status as the highest grossing industry in the nation.

Life-saving policies like H.R. 3 should be a no brainer. After more than a year of grief and loss, Peters’ no vote on H.R. 3 wasn’t just wrong-headed—it was heartless. We need Congress to pass H.R. 3.

Dr. Seth FischerUC San Diego Health

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