Landslide Win for Prop D, SF Drug Pricing Measure!

In News by AHF

Proposition D, a first-in-the-nation drug pricing ballot proposition, garnered 80% of the vote—72,978 of 95,612 total votes cast; Measure now requires city officials to “use all available opportunities to reduce the city’s cost of prescription drugs.” In addition, it urges state and federal representatives to sponsor legislation “to reduce drug prices paid by the government.”

SAN FRANCISCO (November 6, 2013) Backers of San Francisco’s ‘Yes on D’ campaign cheered the landslide victory Tuesday night of Proposition D, a first-in-the-nation drug pricing measure that allowed San Franciscans to speak out on the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs. The measure garnered 80% of the vote—72,978 of 95,612 total votes cast in an election that saw turnout of approximately 22%. The measure now requires San Francisco city and county officials to “use all available opportunities to reduce the City’s cost of prescription drugs.” In addition, it also instructs state and federal representatives to sponsor legislation “to reduce drug prices paid by the government.”

“This is just a tremendous, tremendous victory for those needing access to lifesaving medications but have difficulty getting them because of enormous costs of drugs today,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a primary sponsor of the proposition. “This is also only a first stop: we plan to take this measure to other cities around the country in a full frontal attack on the pricing and policies of the entire pharmaceutical industry. And a very heartfelt thanks to the voters of San Francisco for their overwhelming support of Proposition D.”

“The outpouring of support we faced on this campaign was incredible–all San Franciscans are suffering because of rising prescription drug prices, and Prop D allowed so many to speak out on this critical issue,” said John Baldo, campaign manager for ‘Yes on D.

“Proposition D was placed on the ballot by nearly 18,000 San Franciscans and had unanimous support from the Board of Supervisors, the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Democratic Party, the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club, and a coalition of health advocacy and neighborhood organizations,” said Dale Gluth, Bay Area Regional Director for AIDS Healthcare Foundation, who worked closely on the campaign over the past year. “I want to thank all our ‘Yes on D’ partners and volunteers as well as the voters of San Francisco who made this vision a reality.”

“Yes on D’ backers also created a compelling “Yes On D” Campaign Video that featured supporters like Leah Pimentel, a DCCC Member featured with her son who suffers from severe asthma.

In addition to finding ways the city can reduce its cost of the more than $23 million San Francisco spends on medications, the measure looks to shine a light on the ability for drug manufactures to set any price for essential medications, no matter how high the cost.

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