OMA Opposes “Ohio Drug Price Relief Act”

This week the OMA board of directors voted to oppose the “Ohio Drug Price Relief Act,” an initiated statute that will appear on the November 2017 general election ballot. If passed, the State of Ohio would be prohibited from entering any agreement for prescription drugs unless the net cost is the same or lower than the lowest price paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Services.

Experts who have studied the issue say it would be difficult if not impossible to implement.

The proposal is backed by the AIDS Health Care Foundation, a Los Angeles-based organization headed by controversial activist Michael Weinstein.

In its statement opposing the measure, the OMA wrote: “As manufacturers, we are concerned with any plan to impose artificial price controls on products. The OMA is concerned that price controls would not stop with medication but would apply to other products purchased by government.”

And, “The Ohio ballot issue is a near copy of an initiative on the California statewide ballot in November 2016. The initiative’s flawed design earned the opposition of every major California newspaper and was defeated by voters.”  3/22/2017