South Raleigh News

Attorney General Josh Stein has advocated for increased transparency in drug pricing by urging the Court to uphold state laws that mandate pharmaceutical manufacturers report information about new prescription drugs and historical pricing data for existing medications.

“Prescription drug prices can be astronomical,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “That means North Carolinians are making tough decisions between paying for life-saving medications or paying their bills. I will take every opportunity to help ease rising prices for North Carolina families. That includes making sure pharmaceutical companies are transparent about drug prices so we can ensure that they are playing fair.”

The amicus brief, filed before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Pharmaceutical Res. & Manufacturers of Am. v. Stolfi, supports Oregon’s defense of House Bill 4005, an Oregon law requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to report specific information about new prescription drugs and historical pricing data for existing drugs.

According to a 2019 Gallup-West Health National Healthcare Study, more than 13 percent of American adults—or about 34 million people—reported knowing at least one friend or family member in the past five years who died after not receiving needed medical treatment due to inability to pay for it. In the amicus brief, the coalition argues that state laws like Oregon’s serve important state interests, as recent dramatic increases in drug pricing impose harms on states and their residents.

The brief also highlights various measures adopted by a bipartisan group of states to hold pharmaceutical manufacturers accountable, including laws promoting drug price transparency. Further, it emphasizes the importance of laws that collect data to provide greater understanding of drug spending and help guide policy solutions to address high drug costs.

Attorney General Stein was joined in filing this brief by the Attorneys General of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont Washington and the District of Columbia.

A copy of the brief can be found here.

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