The ACR Government Affairs Committee and other leaders are strategizing how best to advocate on behalf of international members in order to minimize disruptions in patient care, education, research and, of course, travel to the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting.
FDA/Drug Prices/Biosimilars
Amid some confusion about what is happening with FDA leadership and streamlining, the ACR has come out with a strategy to reduce specialty drug prices by supporting the FDA biosimilars unit. Your Government Affairs Committee is promoting support for the FDA through appropriations funding and the use of innovative hiring practices to make the biosimilars approval process more efficient and shepherd safe/effective products to market to compete and lower drug prices.
As for the political and logistical landscape here, it’s unclear if the administration’s hiring freeze affects the FDA.
Early in March, President Trump again addressed drug prices by announcing meetings with lawmakers and an upcoming new system to enhance market competition.
To-Do List
- Tell your member of Congress to create a rheumatology research fund at DOD. It will take you less than a minute!
- Join the AMA! We need about 200 more ACR members to join this year in order to keep our AMA delegates and leverage rheumatology initiatives with them. Call 800-621-8335 or sign up online. When you sign up to join or renew with the AMA, let us know you did by sending an email to [email protected].
- Invest in RheumPAC.
- Sign up for the ACR’s Advocacy Listserv.
All for now. On to March Madness—and I don’t just mean in Washington!
Angus B. Worthing, MD, FACP, FACR, is a practicing rheumatologist at Arthritis & Rheumatism Associates, PC, in Washington, D.C., and the chair of the ACR’s Government Affairs Committee.
