Letter to the Editor: With prescription price setting may come fewer cures

My family has history of cancer. While I’ve been lucky enough to maintain a clean bill of health over the years, I know I’m only one screening or test away from a life-changing diagnosis.

That’s why I hope our elected lawmakers in D.C. will stand firm with me in opposition to price-setting policies. This sort of legislation could cut into research and development, resulting in fewer new cures and treatment options.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that, if Congress was to enact price-setting policies, patients could see 60 fewer new cures in the next 30 years. And for the 1.6 million Americans who get diagnosed with cancer each and every year, these innovation-stifling regulations could have serious, life-threatening consequences. One of those lost treatments could be the one that saves a life!

If I ever meet the same fate as so many of my family members and receive a cancer diagnosis, I want to make sure that I have access to the best options possible. And that just might not be possible if we fix prescription medication costs. While we certainly need to find a way to lower prescription medication costs, we cannot in the process limit access to cutting-edge cures and treatment options. My health and the health of every other American is far too important.

Samantha Horne

Newark