HOUSTON – A Houston doctor from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center -- a world leader in cancer treatment -- is making a way for doctors and patients to petition Congress about rising costs of necessary cancer drugs.
In a change.org petition posted Monday, Dr. Hagop Kantarjian wrote, "In the United States, all cancer patients must have immediate access to affordable prescription drugs in order to save their lives."
Kantarjian said he hopes to get the attention of President Barack Obama, the secretary of Health and Human Services and all members of the United States Congress.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION
Among some of the strategies the petition wants implemented are:
- Allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices by removing all current legal restrictions
- Allow the importation of cancer drugs across U.S. borders for personal use. Prices in Canada are sometimes close to fifty percent less than what we pay for the exact same cancer drugs in the United States
- Enact and sign into law new federal legislation that prevents drug companies from delaying access to generic drugs
The petition outlines how cancer drug prices are increasing at an alarming rate, "which is causing harm to patients."
The petition goes on to state, "The average price of cancer drugs is increasing by about $8,500 a year. The average household income today for a family of four is $52,000, down 8 percent from a decade ago. Even patients with insurance have out-of-pocket expenses of 20 percent to 25 percent. Since each American has a one of three lifetime chance of developing cancer, every one of us is at risk of being unable to pay for the prescription medicines that will control and cure our cancer. This could force many families to decide whether to pay $25,000 a year for one cancer drug -- about half the household income -- or (to) forgo the treatment to save the money for other necessities. The high price of cancer drugs is causing harm by shortening the lives of patients who cannot afford the treatment. This is an injustice that creates differential treatment conditioned by financial status."