I have lived with an overactive thyroid for several years. If you’re unfamiliar with the disease, this means I suffer from a hormone imbalance that causes unexpected weight loss, hyperactivity and mood swings. It’s a horrible condition, and although there are treatments that have helped me feel better, there is still no cure.
Our leaders in Washington must continue fighting for cures on behalf of patients like me — and that starts with rejecting House Resolution 3. I know what it means for those of us with chronic diseases.
Our health care system is not perfect, but HR 3 is not the right way to fix it. The policy uses international referencing to set medication prices, but we’ve seen evidence that this kind of government intervention ultimately fails patients. According to Congressional Budget Office estimates, we could lose out on 30 treatments over the next several years — one of which could be the cure for hyperthyroidism.
Our elected leaders cannot allow HR 3 to pass. It would have damaging repercussions for our health care industry. For instance, if this policy passed a few years ago, the COVID-19 vaccine probably wouldn’t be here today.
Dan Walls
Wilmington
