Copyright 2000 Federal News Service, Inc.
Federal News Service
July 18, 2000, Tuesday
SECTION: PREPARED TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 757 words
HEADLINE:
PREPARED TESTIMONY OF JOHN D. GOLENSKI, ED.D. ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
RXHEALTHVALUE
BEFORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON
HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND PENSIONS
SUBJECT - "PRESCRIPTION
DRUGS: WHAT DRIVES INCREASES."
BODY:
Mr.
Chairman and members of the Committee, my name is John Golenski. I am Acting
Executive Director of RxHealthValue, a coalition of consumer organizations,
labor unions, physician groups, pharmacists, insurers, business groups, large
employers, and concerned individuals recently formed to address questions of the
value of prescription drugs. Current membership in the coalition includes AARP,
Families USA, the National Consumers League, the Senior Coalition, the AFL-CIO,
UAW, SEIU, AFSCME, the American College of Physicians, the American Medical
Group Association, the Lahey Clinic, the American Hospital Association, Blue
Cross Blue Shield Association of America, the Alliance of Community Health
Plans, Kaiser Permanente, the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacists, PCS Health
Systems, the Washington Business Group on Health, the Midwest Business Group on
Health, the Pacific Business Group on Health, General Motors, Ford, GTE, and
USWest. In his recent New York Times article about the coalition, Milton
Freudenheim reported that RxHealthValue's combined organizations represent
approximately 135 million Americans' interest in assessing and securing value
for the resources they expend--through taxes, deferred wages and direct
purchase-for prescription drugs.
RxHealthValue's core mission is to
ensure Americans' access to health- improving medications. The members of
RxHealthValue believe that current trends in utilization and costs of
prescription drugs threaten the long-term availability of necessary
pharmaceutical therapies. The results of the RxHealthValue-sponsored
Brandeis-PCS study just described by my colleague, Dr. Stanley Wallack, point to
the reasons for the urgency and enthusiasm with which the coalition members are
working to develop both private and public sector recommendations. In recent
plenary sessions, RxHealthValue members have committed the coalition, through
consensus vote, to the following strategies: Sponsoring research to inform and
educate consumers, providers, employers and third-party payers about the
benefits and costs of prescription drugs as they contribute to overall health;
Proposing solutions in the market for prescription drugs that encourage
competition, foster appropriate and safe utilization of drugs and encourage
innovation that improves on currently available therapies; and Encouraging the
creation of independent, science-based institutions to conduct clinical research
regarding the comparative value of drugs within therapeutic classes. Members of
the Committee have just heard a report of the first sponsored research. At
RxHealthValue's inaugural press conference at the National Press Club on May
10th, the coalition also presented its first three recommendations:
1.
That the FDA, in a collaborative process with consumer and patient advocates,
providers and manufacturers, develop standards for full disclosure of risks and
benefits information for all prescription drugs advertised directly to
consumers.
2. That the FDA require improved post-marketing surveillance
of prescription drugs by manufacturers, especially of"fast-track" medications,
to monitor adverse drug reactions (ADRs).
3. That independent,
non-profit institutes, governed by boards with substantial consumer
participation, conduct and publish scientific research regarding the comparative
value-clinical and economic-of prescription drugs.
In addition, an
expert panel of coalition members' staff are preparing a set of recommendations
for end-of-summer release regarding the issues of intellectual property rights,
patents, patent extensions and exclusivity as they impact
competitiveness in the pharmaceutical market. The coalition expects to continue
further policy research and construction of recommendations. It is the
conviction of the participating stakeholders in RxHealthValue that only a
vigorous, open and information-rich dialogue can answer the question of value
and secure access to health-improving prescription drugs for all Americans. They
have convened this effort to advance their shared interest in increasing the
amount and quality of independent information available to guide treatment,
coverage, and policy decisions and to inform consumers who increasingly seek
information about health choices. RxHealthValue aims to be available to
Congress, state legislatures, and the public to provide balance in the public
policy debate with a focus on the value of pharmaceuticals.
Mr.
Chairman, thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify today.
END
LOAD-DATE: July 20, 2000 
