S‑0510.2      _____________________________________________

SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8001

           _____________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Senators Franklin, Thibaudeau, Winsley, Costa and Kohl‑Welles

Read first time 01/08/2001.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.

_1      TO THE HONORABLE GOVERNORS OF THE STATES OF WASHINGTON, OREGON,

_2  IDAHO, ALASKA, AND MONTANA, AND TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE W. BUSH,

_3  PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

_4  AND SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES,

_5  IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

_6      We, Your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives

_7  of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled,

_8  respectfully represent and petition as follows:

_9      WHEREAS, Thanks to significant investments in research and

10  development by pharmaceutical manufacturers, prescription

11  medications offer ever more safe, effective, and economical means

12  of managing and treating a widening range of illnesses and

13  conditions; and

14      WHEREAS, Prescription medications are the most rapidly

15  expanding component of health care in the Northwest and the United

16  States; and

17      WHEREAS, The prices of most prescription medications developed

18  and marketed in the United States are relatively high compared to

19  the prices of these same medications in other countries and other

20  markets; and

                               p. 1                      SJM 8001

_1      WHEREAS, Expenditures on prescription medications for Medicaid

_2  recipients in Washington has risen substantially in recent years,

_3  placing severe strains on the operating budget of the department

_4  of social and health services; and

_5      WHEREAS, The federal government, unlike its counterparts in

_6  other countries, applies neither its regulatory authority nor its

_7  purchasing power to the prices of prescription medication which

_8  consequently are markedly higher in the United States than in

_9  other countries; and

10      WHEREAS, The United States stands virtually alone among the

11  major countries of the world in recognizing and protecting the

12  legitimate patent rights of companies that develop new

13  prescription medications yet places no reciprocal obligations on

14  these companies to provide reasonable and affordable access to

15  these patented medications; and

16      WHEREAS, The federal government, by legislating to ensure

17  relatively low prices for prescription medications purchased by

18  federal agencies like the Veteran's Administration and for federal

19  programs like Medicaid, while maintaining barriers against state

20  governments taking similar measures, has exacerbated the impact of

21  prescription medication prices on the citizens of the state; and

22      WHEREAS, The high prices of prescription medications weigh most

23  heavily on the least fortunate and most vulnerable citizens, the

24  uninsured and underinsured, as well as those stricken by serious

25  and chronic illnesses and conditions requiring intensive and

26  extensive treatment; and

27      WHEREAS, Managing prices of prescription medications and

28  expanding access to necessary medication will decrease the overall

29  cost of health care by reducing the demand for hospital visits and

30  emergency services and the need for surgical and other expensive

31  procedures;

32      NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that in

33  seeking to ensure reasonable prescription medication prices for

34  the citizens of Washington, the state of Washington, through its

35  duly elected and appointed officials, should explore the

36  possibility of acting in concert with other Northwest states to

37  pursue this goal; and

SJM 8001                       p. 2

_1      BE IT RESOLVED, That the Northwest states should consider

_2  cooperative strategies to address the challenge of the high cost

_3  of prescription medications, including:

_4      (1) Model legislation to ensure citizens access to prescription

_5  medications at reasonable and affordable prices;

_6      (2) Joint pricing and purchasing agreements for prescription

_7  medications;

_8      (3) Programs to provide and facilitate access of qualified

_9  citizens to supplies of free and discounted prescription

10  medications offered by pharmaceutical manufacturers; and

11      (4) Initiatives to encourage and ensure medications are

12  prescribed in the most effective manner; and

13      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be

14  immediately transmitted to the Honorable Governors of the States

15  of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and Montana, and to the

16  Honorable George W. Bush, President of the United States of

17  America, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of

18  the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the

19  State of Washington.

‑‑‑ END ‑‑‑

                               p. 3                      SJM 8001