Doggett Reacts to HHS Decision to Deny Xtandi Petition
Contact: Doggett.press@mail.house.gov
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee, responded to the Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to deny a petition for a hearing concerning price gouging on prostate cancer drug Xtandi, which was developed with taxpayer dollars.
“Today’s decision is a blow to prostate cancer patients, their families, and taxpayers. Developed with U.S. taxpayer research dollars, Xtandi costs American patients $180,000 a year—as much as six times as much as patients in other countries. This excessive price gouging cost taxpayers $2 billion to cover Medicare beneficiaries’ treatment in 2020 alone. The Biden Administration has missed yet another opportunity to do something meaningful to lower prescription drug costs and protect taxpayer investments. Its decision protects monopolists over taxpayers and patients, despite clear statutory authority and reasonableness to intervene. This decision effectively rubber stamps continued Big Pharma abuse.”
Rep. Doggett has led several efforts over three Administrations urging HHS to exercise its taxpayer-protection authority on Xtandi and other excessively priced drugs:
- January 10, 2023 letter: https://www.warren.senate.gov/oversight/letters/senators-warren-king-and-representative-doggett-urge-hhs-to-use-its-authority-to-lower-the-price-of-cancer-treatment-drug-xtandi
- June 23, 2022 letter: https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/warren-doggett-lead-100-members-urging-hhs-exercise-authority-lower-drug
- February 17, 2022 letter: https://www.warren.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/warren-king-doggett-urge-hhs-to-exercise-march-in-rights-for-life-saving-cancer-drug-xtandi-to-dramatically-lower-its-price-for-millions-of-americans
- February 8, 2022 letter: https://doggett.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/doggett.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2.8.22-letter-to-hhs-re-xtandi-petition.pdf
- July 28, 2021 letter: https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2021.07.28%20Letter%20to%20Secretary%20Becerra%20re%20Drug%20Pricing%20Authorities.pdf
- March 29, 2021 letter: https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bicameral-effort-stop-proposed-rule-undermining-long-standing-tool
- April 4, 2017 letter: https://doggett.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressional-democrats-trump-we-re-calling-your-hand-lower-prescription
- March 28, 2016 letter: https://doggett.house.gov/media/press-releases/press-release-rep-doggett-and-lawmakers-nih-and-hhs-act-now-drug-affordability
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