Dear Editor,

As an owner of a community pharmacy, deeply involved in public health initiatives in San Diego County, specifically HIV, Hepatitis C, Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health, I care deeply about improving patients’ access to medications. While I am grateful for innovative tools like patents to improve access to life-saving care, I am increasingly alarmed by the barriers imposed by PBMs that hinder patient care and worsen health outcomes in our community.

A recent article written by The New York Times underscores the urgency of this issue, revealing how PBMs are driving up prescription drug costs and squeezing small pharmacies like mine. I’ve witnessed firsthand how PBMs impose negative reimbursements for HIV and Hepatitis C medications, making it financially unsustainable for us to continue providing vital treatments to our patients.

Patients in our community are being turned away because local pharmacies cannot afford to cover the costs of these medications due to inadequate reimbursements. This situation not only jeopardizes individual health but also threatens to exacerbate the HIV epidemic in San Diego.

In my over 30 years of serving patients in my community, I’ve seen the profitability of HIV medications decline drastically, from marginally profitable to completely unprofitable, due to PBM practices.

Lawmakers must confront this issue soon, and they can start by signing onto the DRUG Act. I hope Rep. Peters works with his colleagues to pass this legislation by the end of the session.

Sincerely,

Ivy Rooney

San Diego, CA 92103