Generation Patient Participates in FTC and DOJ Listening Session on Lowering Americans’ Drug Prices Through Competition
On June 30th, 2025, our Executive Director, Sneha Dave had the opportunity to represent our young adult patient community at a listening session hosted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) focused on solutions to lower prescription prices for patients. In the session, Sneha explained to regulators the issues our community faces in accessing pharmaceutical therapeutics, including the 21% of Americans aged 18-49 who struggle with affording their medications.
Sneha further explained how anti-competitive behavior within the pharmaceutical industry is the driving cause preventing patients from accessing cheaper alternatives. She detailed the anticompetitive practices of patent thickets, product hopping, and pay-for-delay agreements that require FTC, DOJ, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and congressional coordination to end and ensure access to lower-cost medications for patients.
Access the listening session recording to hear Sneha’s full remarks.
Generation Patient Speaks at FDA Public Meeting on the Reauthorization of The Prescription Drug User Fee Act
On July 14th, 2025, our Policy Manager, Alexander Naum, represented our young adult patient community at a public meeting hosted by FDA on the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA). Created after pressure from HIV/ AIDS activists, PDUFA is intended to support the FDA clinical trial process through funds provided to the agency by pharmaceutical manufacturers. PDUFA is reauthorized every seven years, providing the opportunity for various stakeholders to steer how FDA conducts the clinical trial process.
In this initial reauthorization meeting, Alexander asked FDA to make all stages of negotiations open to the public and independent patient advocacy organizations. In addition, he asked for the agency to release its diversity action plan guidance, especially as it relates to young adult participation in clinical trials. Finally, Alexander asked the agency to disaggregate young adult data into an age group separate from other age groups in pre and post clinical trial data. Download the public meeting transcript from the FDA’s website.
Generation Patient Applauds the Senate Investigation on Direct-to-Consumer Advertising
Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) released a nine-month investigation on telehealth companies, who were essentially acting as direct-to-consumer marketing tool for brand-name pharmaceutical manufacturers. These telehealth companies were often hand-selected or even fully created by these manufacturers as a tool used to steer patients towards particular medications.
The investigation found that patients were often allowed to pre-select their medications prior to any consultation with a provider, undermining the patient-physician relationship and leaving patients at a high risk of receiving substandard care. The investigation found that this type of behavior could implicate the federal health fraud and abuse statutes, including the Anti-Kickback Statute. We hope that this investigation will lead to enforcement of this behavior from HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Unit. Learn more about the investigation here.
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