Spanberger Vetoes Affordable Medicine Act
TL/DR –
The Affordable Medicine Act, aimed at creating a Prescription Drug Affordability Board to review drug prices and set payment ceilings, has been signaled for veto by Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger. The legislation had previously received wide bipartisan support. Nonprofit advocacy group Freedom Virginia has criticized the veto, drawing attention to a $50,000 contribution to Spanberger’s inauguration committee from Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, implying a conflict of interest.
Gov. Spanberger Plans to Veto Widely Supported Affordable Medicine Act
Today, Gov. Abigail Spanberger has hinted at her plan to veto the Affordable Medicine Act, despite receiving an overwhelming bipartisan majority vote.
The bill was crafted by State Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, along with other legislators, with the aim of forming a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. This proposed board would have the authority to regulate prescription drug prices and establish maximum payment limits for certain state-regulated health plans.
Gov. Spanberger’s disapproval of the bill has bewildered many, especially considering her past veto of bills that would ensure the recognition of public-sector employee collective-bargaining rights and support paid family and medical leave legislation.
The Affordable Medicine Act, contrary to the aforementioned bills, had significant backing from Republicans and was passed by a 95-4 vote in the House of Delegates, and a 34-6 vote in the State Senate. These majorities were even larger than those seen over the past two years when similar measures were vetoed by former governor Glenn Youngkin.
Freedom Virginia, a nonprofit advocacy group, has expressed its disappointment in the governor’s decision. In a statement released on Tuesday, the group said, “This is more than just a veto of a piece of legislation; this is the governor showing her true priorities and betraying the message she’s been touting since her time in Congress, that she wants to lower the cost of medicine.”
Freedom Virginia further elaborated on how Spanberger’s veto echoes the narratives put forward by Big Pharma, which stands to lose from the implementation of a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. The group draws attention to Big Pharma’s hefty $50,000 donation to the Spanberger inaugural committee, implying a connection between the donation and her decision to veto the bill.
This speculation is reinforced by PhRMA’s (Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America) stance on their “Our Agenda” page, stating, “The United States leads the world in biopharmaceutical innovation. Unfortunately, our inefficient system is costing Americans more than it should and limiting our ability to focus on keeping people healthy. Price setting creates more bureaucracy and threatens future cures without helping most patients. We need to defend American leadership – preserving jobs, access to cures and future innovation.”
Jim Dau, AARP Virginia State Director, also commented on Gov. Spanberger’s surprising veto. Dau referred to her previous support for the Inflation Reduction Act, which permits Medicare to negotiate lower prices for expensive prescription drugs, and was recently validated by the Supreme Court. He emphasized that the veto of the Affordable Medicine Act, a bill that 82 percent of Virginia voters support, is particularly disconcerting.
Dau highlighted that over a third of Virginians have refrained from purchasing prescribed medication due to high costs. Despite the governor’s veto, he reaffirmed AARP’s commitment to continue to fight for lower prescription drug costs for Virginians.
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