Chronic Disease Patients Prioritized in Trump Administration Executive Order

Successfully addressing the true cost drivers in health care requires policies that recognize the promise of small molecules and stop the perils of PBMs

April 16, 2025 (Washington, D.C.) The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order that, in part, called for fairness in the treatment of both small molecule medicines and biologics in the context of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program:

“PFCD emphasizes the significance of the Trump Administration’s most recent executive action, laying down a marker of support to address a critical imbalance created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and calling for congressional action to fix it.  As the President acknowledged, the so-called “pill penalty” serves as a significant deterrent for the development of the pills, tablets, patches, and other small molecule medicines on which almost anyone living with a chronic disease relies to improve their health. Amending the IRA to equalize the eligibility timeline for price-setting both small molecule and biologic medicines at 13 years is a critical step in improving overall health outcomes and quality of life for the millions of Americans living with one or more chronic conditions, while at the same time ensuring America remains at the forefront of medical innovation. PFCD remains committed to working with Congress and the Administration on these critical health care issues and calling for passage of the Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures (EPIC) Act, which would fix the pill penalty.

“PFCD also commends the Trump Administration for its recognition of the role Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) play in raising the costs of prescription drugs for consumers, employers, and insurers, including Medicare. PBMs impede patient access to the medicines their health care providers recommend and put significant risk on medication adherence which is imperative for people living with chronic conditions. We look forward to working with the Trump Administration and Members of Congress to adopt PBM reforms that facilitate patient access, pharmacy choice, and lower costs for all stakeholders.”

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