O P I N I O N

THE SOAPBOX

Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.

Receiving a medical diagnosis that requires ongoing treatment and multiple medications is a life-changing event for any individual or family. Beyond the immediate concern for their loved one’s health, families must also confront the added anxiety and financial strain that come with medical costs, particularly the high price of prescription drugs.

Although the United States is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, in 2024 the mean household income was $108,000, while average annual household expenses reached $78,535 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). These figures highlight a sobering reality: for many American families, a large share of their income is allocated to essential living costs, leaving limited resources for savings or discretionary spending. This situation reflects the growing financial pressures faced by households across the country (U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics, 2026).

Prescription drug prices in the United States are the highest in the world. Pharmaceutical companies often justify these high costs by citing the need to fund research and development (Schwam & Lovejoy, 2024). However, these expenses are largely borne by patients, many of whom depend on these medications for their health and survival.

A significant factor contributing to this problem is the close relationship between pharmaceutical companies and lobbyists in Washington, D.C. While innovation certainly requires investment, these companies frequently devote substantial funds to marketing and lobbying, aiming to shape laws and regulations in their favor rather than focusing on developing affordable and effective medications (Cheng, 2024).

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is the leading organization representing the interests of drug companies in the United States. Although PhRMA claims to support incremental improvements, it often resists major reforms, such as implementing drug price caps based on international standards. PhRMA argues that such controls would harm the industry’s global competitiveness and reduce investment in new medicines (Democracy Centre for Transparency, 2025).

PhRMA and its member companies also make significant contributions to political campaigns, including large donations to national organizations such as the 2025 presidential inauguration committee. These financial contributions, which can total hundreds of thousands of dollars or more, are intended to ensure that pharmaceutical companies’ interests are prioritized by government leaders (Democracy Centre for Transparency, 2025).

Lobbyists for the pharmaceutical industry maintain a persistent and influential presence in Congress, actively shaping legislation to benefit drug companies rather than the citizens who elect policymakers. These lobbyists rigorously oppose reforms such as allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, a policy that could generate substantial savings for taxpayers and seniors (Cheng, 2024). Instead, they promote measures that extend patent protections, preventing lower-cost generic medications from entering the market. This practice enables pharmaceutical companies to maintain monopolies on essential medications, resulting in ever-increasing prices and placing many life-saving drugs out of reach for millions of Americans (Cheng, 2024).

Consequently, Americans pay much more for prescription drugs than people in other developed nations. This financial burden disproportionately affects seniors on fixed incomes, single-parent households, and working families with significant health needs (Schwam & Lovejoy, 2024). Many are forced to make difficult choices between paying for medications and meeting basic needs such as food or education. Some individuals even ration their medications or skip doses, risking serious health consequences.

The outsized influence of pharmaceutical lobbyists raises ethical concerns about the priorities of our government. When corporate lobbying and financial contributions outweigh the voices of ordinary Americans, the system fails to serve the public interest (DC Tranparency, 2025). Medical decisions should be guided by public health needs, not corporate profits.

Nurses play an important role in speaking up for patients and healthcare workers. They should let lawmakers know where the system is failing and push for better staffing and access to basic healthcare, treatments, and affordable prescription drugs (Cleveland et al., 2022).

Nurses can make a difference by supporting professional organizations, like the American Nurses Association, and backing laws that promote price transparency and quality care. By raising awareness about patient safety and healthcare reform, nurses at every level can help reduce costs and improve outcomes (Cleveland et al., 2022).

Comprehensive reform is urgently needed. Policies must promote greater transparency in drug pricing, strengthen regulations to limit lobbying influence, encourage competition from generics and biosimilars, and empower both consumers and government programs to negotiate fair prices (DC Tranparency, 2025). While innovation in medicine is essential, it must not come at the expense of patients’ access to affordable, life-saving drugs.

Ultimately, this issue transcends economics—it is a question of equity, compassion, and the values that define us as a society. It is our collective responsibility to demand change, support those in need, and ensure that every American can access the medications necessary for a healthy and dignified life.

References
Cheng, L. (2024, February 8). Big Pharma’s lobbying efforts contradict its claims to care about drug access. Public Citizen. https://www.citizen.org/news/big-pharma-lobbying/

Cleveland, K., Motter, T., Rudsill, P., & Benson, L. (2022). The Affordable Care Act: Considerations for leveraging the power of nursing. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.3912/ojin.vol27no02man01

Democracy Centre for Transparency. (2025). Hidden power of drug lobbyists: political influence and regulatory pushback in US. Retrieved June 21, 2026, from https://dctransparency.com/hidden-power-of-drug-lobbyists-political-influence-and-regulatory-pushback-in-us/

Schwam, D., & Lovejoy, S. L. (2024, February 1). Prescription drug prices in the U.S. are 2.78 times those in other countries. Rand. https://www.rand.org/news/press/2024/02/01.html

U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics. (2026, February 12). TED: The Economics Daily. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2026/housing-and-transportation-accounted-for-50-percent-of-household-spending-in-2024.htm