Opinion: Don’t Let Auchincloss Sell Us Out To Big Pharma

NEWTON, MA — The following opinion piece was submitted by Newton residents Jean Weinberg and Lynn Weissberg.

As constituents of Congressman Jake Auchincloss, we are very concerned about his uncritical support for pharmaceutical companies at the expense of his constituents struggling to afford the high prices of prescription drugs. We worry he is undermining a bill now in Congress that would lower drug costs because Big Pharma has given him substantial contributions, including a SuperPAC funded by many pharmaceutical executives that helped him win last year.

Recently, many of us received a flyer in the mail lauding the Congressman as a “Champion of Health Care Innovation” and urging him to “defeat H.R. 3” (the Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act). The mailer refers to people supporting drug pricing reform as “radical,” and was sent by the American Life Sciences Innovation Council, which seems to exist only to give “awards” to officials who are “champions” of the pharmaceutical industry. A few weeks ago, The Alliance for Patient Access - funded primarily by pharmaceutical companies - also gave our Congressman an “award” for his support of pharmaceutical companies.

When questioned about his support for Big Pharma’s excessive profits, (far above what is needed for research and development), he’s dodged the questions.

Auchincloss has not denounced the mailers; nor has he returned the pharmaceutical executives’ contributions. Recently, he signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R.3, but only after being loudly criticized for co-leading a letter sent to Speaker Pelosi that endangers the success of prescription drug reform.

His belated decision to co-sponsor the bill gives him cover but we don’t know what he’s doing behind the scenes. Let Congressman Auchincloss know that Congress must act to reduce drug prices. Ask him to wholeheartedly support H.R.3, and to value his constituents above his deep pocketed pharma donors.

Jean Weinberg
Staniford St.

Lynn Weissberg
Alden St.