By State Representative Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah)
(475 words)
As chairman of the House Human Relations and Aging Committee in the Georgia General Assembly, and with decades of experience in health care and community-based services to the frail, elderly and developmentally disabled, I have witnessed firsthand the impact of high prescription drug prices. Too many patients skip doses, take less than prescribed or delay filling a prescription altogether just to save money. These decisions can have life-threatening consequences. This is not a rare occurrence. It’s a growing crisis affecting families in my district, across Georgia and throughout the country.
The unfortunate truth is that Americans pay more for prescription drugs than citizens of any other developed nation. In 2022, a RAND Corporation study found that United States prescription drug prices were, on average, 2.78 times higher than those in 33 other high-income countries. For brand-name drugs, the gap is even worse where U.S. prices are at least 3.22 times higher.
There have been recent efforts to shift that balance. Under the current Trump administration, several executive orders have been introduced to address the unchecked power of pharmaceutical companies and reduce drug costs, particularly for seniors and low-income families. These executive orders targeted key areas where the system is broken. One of the most significant reforms called for tying the price Americans pay for certain Medicare drugs to the prices paid in other wealthy nations—a concept known as “most favored nation” pricing. Simply put, Americans should not pay more for the same drugs, especially when those drugs are manufactured in the same overseas facilities as the cheaper versions sold abroad.
The executive orders also prioritized competition. They propose accelerating the approval process for generic drugs and biosimilars, which are more affordable alternatives to expensive brand-name medications. The faster these alternatives enter the market, the quicker prices can drop. The administration also directed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to allow states, wholesalers and pharmacies to safely import lower-cost prescription drugs from other countries. This is an effort long blocked by the pharmaceutical lobby.
More than 70 percent of generic drugs used in the U.S. are manufactured overseas. The result has been chronic shortages, national security vulnerabilities and economic risk. We must restore American control of our medical supply chain, create jobs and ensure a stable, affordable supply of essential medications.
All these efforts underscore a critical truth: our current system is broken. It allows pharmaceutical companies to prioritize profits over patients, and it leaves our citizens vulnerable to arbitrary price hikes and drug shortages. This is not sustainable.
Let me be clear—this is not a Republican issue or a Democrat issue. It’s not conservative or liberal. It’s an American issue. The health and well-being of our citizens must come first.
I urge our Congress, regardless of party, to join the current administration to continue the work of holding pharmaceutical companies accountable.
Representative Jesse Petrea represents the citizens of District 166, which includes portions of Bryan and Chatham counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2014 and currently serves as Chairman of the Human Relations & Aging Committee and as Secretary of the Games, Fish & Parks Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations, Appropriations Subcommittee on Health, Health, Industry and Labor, Natural Resources & Environment and Public Safety and Homeland Security committees, as well as the Special Committee on Healthcare.
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