NORFOLK, Va. — Jillian Goodwin needs 20 prescription drugs to treat cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease impacting her organs.
"These expenses are always kind of front of mind and they're one of the biggest stressors in my life," Goodwin said during a virtual press conference Tuesday morning.
The 31-year old lives in Norfolk and wants to see Virginia follow seven other states in creating an independent state board to oversee and set limits on drug prices.
She and other stakeholders, including AARP, are pushing for a Prescription Drug Affordability Board. They say polling is on their side.
AARP said three quarters of voters support the idea of creating a board.
"It's a shame that we haven't done this yet in the Commonwealth of Virginia," said State Sen. Bill Stanley (R-Franklin County). "The time to act is now. Our population is getting older."
AARP says the cost of prescription drugs is outpacing inflation. They say between2006 and 2020, the average retail price of more than 143 medicines increased more than 300%, while general inflation went up by 32%.
"Prescription drugs don't work if people can't pay for them," said Dr. Rommaan Ahmad, a sports medicine and pain management physician in Northern Virginia. "I've had patients call me in a panic many times because things are getting too expensive."
To create the board, the General Assembly would need to pass a bill, which they failed to do earlier this year, despite bipartisan support.
During a legislative hearing in January, pharmaceutical groups argued there is no proof that the boards are effective at actually lowering prices in other states.
Maryland's board has taken years to develop the rules and regulations.
The pharmaceutical groups also said the federal government is addressing the issue for people who get certain prescriptions through Medicare, thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.
The Youngkin Administration also did not support the bill.
"We don't think a part time board should regulate this industry," said James Williams, Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Resources. "It's a very sophisticated and complicated industry."
With every seat of the General Assembly up for election this year, supporters hope there will be a different feeling about the proposal next year.
"I think what you're going to have is a lot of new, free thinking people that are not beholden to the lobby effort of big pharma," said Senator Stanley.
