Congress to Drug Industry: Fix Drug Prices, Or We Will

Rising public anger over drug prices has put the drug supply chain on borrowed time, a leading Republican Congressman warned industry executives in a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing last week.

“You have the expertise to solve this,” Rep. Michael Burgess (R-Texas) told a panel of drug industry executives. “If you don’t solve it, we will—and you probably won’t like the expertise that we have.”

Burgess is a physician and the ranking member of the committee, which convened two panels of executives along the drug supply chain to talk about ways of driving down prescription drug costs. Although Democrats are in control of the House, Burgess made clear that patience has worn thin in both parties.