Primary Plasma Cell Leukemia is one of the rarest and most aggressive forms of Multiple Myeloma. It only affects 150 patients in the U.S. per year, but this is the reality that befell Paul Kleutghen of St. James, N.C. Paul, a career veteran of the pharmaceutical industry, now has to take daily chemotherapy, and a regiment of three different drugs.

Paul’s daily chemotherapy costs $750 per day and has a Medicare co-payment of $575 for a three-week cycle of drugs. Luckily, Paul is making it by financially, but for other individuals, and families, these costs are unrealistic, and could amount to a death sentence. Something has to change.

ADVERTISEMENT

There are very few things, when it comes to politics, upon which most Americans can agree. However, the need to lower prescription drug prices is one of these rare breeds. One would think that, with this bipartisan agreement, a common sense solution could be enacted.

Such a solution does exist, and it comes in the form of the CREATES Act. As one would expect, the measure is drawing support from all reaches of the political spectrum. Its Senate sponsors include fixtures of the conservative movement, like Sens. Mike Lee Michael (Mike) Shumway LeeMcConnell shores up GOP support for coronavirus package McConnell tries to unify GOP Davis: The Hall of Shame for GOP senators who remain silent on Donald Trump MORE (R-Utah), Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard PaulSecond GOP senator to quarantine after exposure to coronavirus GOP senator to quarantine after coronavirus exposure The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by National Industries for the Blind - Trump seeks to flip 'Rage' narrative; Dems block COVID-19 bill MORE (R-Ky.), and Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy Murkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE (R-Texas). It also includes stalwart Democrats, like Sens. Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph LeahyBattle over timing complicates Democratic shutdown strategy Hillicon Valley: Russia 'amplifying' concerns around mail-in voting to undermine election | Facebook and Twitter take steps to limit Trump remarks on voting | Facebook to block political ads ahead of election Top Democrats press Trump to sanction Russian individuals over 2020 election interference efforts MORE (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar Amy KlobucharBattle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight Sunday shows - Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death dominates Klobuchar: GOP can't use 'raw political power right in middle of an election' MORE (D-Minn.), and Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinTumultuous court battle upends fight for Senate McConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden MORE (D-Ill.).

Trump claims sanctuary cities are fueling the opioid crisis https://t.co/Jz8N2UYANK pic.twitter.com/VRSpivdPRm — The Hill (@thehill) March 31, 2018

This legislation helps lower prescription drug prices without instituting big government price controls or antitrust enforcement. It eliminates some loopholes that brand pharmaceutical companies have been using to prevent generic competition from gaining access to the market. It also gives generics legal recourse to obtain the samples they need to gain FDA approval. It is a free market approach to lowering prices for patients and caregivers across the nation.

Despite the far-reaching support and wide range of benefits, no action has been taken on the CREATES Act. It has been just over 11 months since the bill was introduced. Part of the reason for this inaction is the smear campaign being run by Big Pharma against the bill. This disinformation is being spread by interest groups and advocacy organizations on both sides of the aisle.

Now, it seems Democrats are trying to turn the frustration over this inaction into anger towards President Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE. President Trump promised in his State of the Union address to fix the “injustice” of high drug prices. However, there is no reason this needs to become a partisan issue for either side ahead of any election. Instead, it should actually be fixed. Instead of using patients and caregivers as campaign slogans, help them.

California sues major hospital for allegedly driving up healthcare costs https://t.co/woNioylNSr pic.twitter.com/drJ6o0LMHR — The Hill (@thehill) March 31, 2018

Not only is there the aforementioned bipartisan support, but the support of the public is behind moving this forward. A poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation last month showed that 52 percent of people surveyed thought lowering drug prices should be a “top priority.” They didn’t say it should merely be addressed. They said it should be a top priority. That’s how important this is to American families. Another Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 80 percent think that current drug prices are unreasonable and 72 percent think the pharmaceutical industry has too much influence in Washington. They’re not wrong.

Congressional leadership failed to deliver on substantive health care reform last year. The CREATES Act is a common sense measure that makes sense both on its merits and politically. If leadership wants to show it is serious about improving the quality of life for American families, and ensuring that hard-working Americans can keep more of their earnings, allowing a vote on the CREATES Act is a no-brainer.

We are less than a year and a half removed from a presidential election that saw President Trump elected on the promise of “draining the swamp” and reducing the influence of special interests on our political process. If our elected leaders continue to allow big pharmaceutical companies to manipulate our laws to give themselves monopolies and to squeeze every penny out of Americans’ pockets, this will constitute a massive breach of trust with the American people, and each one of them will deserve the electoral reckoning that will surely come their way.

Jason Pye is the vice president of legislative affairs for FreedomWorks. Daniel Savickas is the legislative outreach manager for FreedomWorks.