Senator Bernie Sanders to Block NIH Nominee Until Biden Reveals Plan to Tackle High Drug Prices

Senator Bernie Sanders (I – VT) will vote against the Biden’s pick for NIH director, Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, until the administration lays out plans to reduce high prescription drug prices in the US. This effectively blocks the nomination, as Sanders’ vote is necessary for it to pass. The administration argues that its commitment to lowering drug prices has already been demonstrated by the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act.

According to Annika Kim Constantino , “Sanders, a frequent pharma critic, along with the committee’s Democratic majority issued a report Monday analyzing the cost of prescription drugs that were developed with the help of NIH funding and research. The report concluded that Americans consistently pay higher prices for NIH-backed drugs compared with people in other countries.”

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(Source: CNBC, June 13^th, 2023)