HEATHER: WELCOME BACK, NEW
PROPOSAL TO FIGHT THE NEW OPIOID
CRISIS, 15 STATES YO SUE SEE
THEM THERE, UNVEILING PLANS TO
TAX DRUG MAKERS FOR PRESCRIPTION
PAIN KILLERS, SO IS THIS THE
RIGHT MOVE CRACK DOWN ON THE
RAMPING USE OF OPIOIDS IN OUR
COUNTRY?
HERE THE WEIGH IN RADIOLOGIST
DR. NICOLE SAPHIER.
DESCRIBE OVERALL WHAT IS THE
PLAN BEHIND THIS?
THIS IS THE PLAN TO HAVE THE
DRUG MAKERS PAY FOR THE DRUGS
BASICALLY, A LITTLE MORE?
>> THE OPIOID CRISIS HAS COST
THE UNITED STATES OVER A
TRILLION DOLLARS IN THE LAST TWO
DECADES, THAT'S ASTRONOMICAL
AMOUNT OF MONEY.
HOWEVER, FAR MAJORITY OF THE
MONEY LOST IS DUE TO LOST JOBS
FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
ADDICTED OR OVERDOSED ON ILLEGAL
OPIOIDS.
MY CONCERN IS LEVYING TAX FROM
THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IS
NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING BUT
EXCEPT RAISE PRICES FOR THOSE
WHO ARE LEGITIMATE TAKING
MEDICATION.
I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT, WE DO
NEED TO BRING REVENUE TO HELP
WITH THIS BUT IN THE SAME STAND
SHOULD WE SAY WE SHOULD BE
SIGNING OR TAXING ANY LEGISLATOR
THAT'S OBSTRUCTION TO BORDER
SECURITY BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY
WHERE ALL THE ILLEGAL OPIOIDS
ARE COMING FROM, YES, TAXES
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY MAY
BRING IN REVENUE BUT THAT'S NOT
GOING TO MAKE A DENT IN THE
OPIOID CRISIS.
HEATHER: IN PENNSYLVANIA, ONE OF
THE PROPOSALS IT WOULD TAX 10%
OF THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE
FIRST SALE OF A DRUG IN THE
STATE, SO WHAT EXACTLY WOULD
THAT MEAN?
>> WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO IS
WHEN THE MEDICATION IS BEING
SOLD SRRY THE PHARMACEUTICAL
COMPANY IS GOING TO BE TAXED ON
THAT ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A NEW
PRESCRIPTION.
WHAT IS THE PHARMACEUTICAL
COMPANY GOING TO DO?
HEATHER: HOW HAY WILL MAKE UP
THE COSTS?
>> INCREASE AND TAXPAYERS WILL
HAVE A TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECT.
HEATHER: WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AT
THE OVERALL LOBBYING EFFORT TO
IMPOSE, $100 MILLION IN LOBBYING
EFFORT BY DRUG MAKERS, BETWEEN
2006 TO 2015.
>> THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY BY FAR
HAS THE LARGEST LOBBYING EFFORTS
AND, YES, THEY'VE ALREADY
RELEASED THEIR LOBBYISTS TO TRY
AND TACKLE THIS AND I DO THINK A
LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY IS WASTED
ON LOBBYING ESPECIALLY FOR
PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES, I DO
THINK THEY ACTUALLY MAY HAVE
SOME POINT BEHIND LOBBYING
EFFORTS.
HEATHER: WHAT OTHER OPTIONS
WOULD IT BE OTHER THAN PASSING
PRICE TO CONSUMERS?
>> PHYSICIANS REALLY NEED TO BE
EDUCATED.
YOU HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF
PHYSICIAN WHO IS ARE PRESCRIBING
OPIOIDS THAT DON'T NECESSARILY
KNOW WHAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO
BECOME ADDICTED AND WHAT DON'T
-- WHAT DOES NOT, ESSENTIALLY WE
NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT
OVERPRESCRIBING OPIOIDS FOR PAIN
THAT CAN BE MANAGED BY TYLENOL,
IF THEY TAKE IT TOO LONG, THE
LONGER THEY TAKE OUTSIDE THE
INCREASE RISK TO BECOMING
ADDICTED.
PHYSICIANS NEED TO BE AWARE AND
EDUCATING THE FACT THAT BY
SHORTENING DURATION THEY ARE
DECREEING RISK OF PEOPLE GETTING
OPIOID ADDICTION.
HEATHER: AND I KNOW THAT YOU AND
I DISCUSSED BEFORE ALTERNATIVE
TO DRUGS THAT WOULD BE SO
ADDICTIVE?
>> IN INTERVENTION RADIOLOGY, WE
HAVE AMAZING TECHNOLOGY RIGHT
NOW THAT WE ARE USING WITH PAIN
CONTROL, NERVE BLOCKS, INFUSIONS
OF DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS AND BY
THE WAY, IVTYLENOL HAS SHOWN TO
BE BETTER, THE PROBLEM IS
EXPENSIVE.
HEATHER: PERHAPS MAKE THE
OPIOIDS MORE EXPENSE AIF
ALTERNATIVES LESS EXPENSIVE SO
PEOPLE CAN BE INCLINED TO USE
MORE.
>> WE NEED TO TALK TO INSURANCE
COMPANIES BECAUSE THEY MANDATE