Franken urges U.S. to arrange lower drug prices for seniors

DFLer also criticized Coleman for backing a Medicare program. The senator's camp defended his record.

By PAT DOYLE, Star Tribune

Last update: July 30, 2008 - 11:34 PM

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U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken called Wednesday for the federal government to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for seniors and to ban advertising that he says leads to unnecessary spending on medication.

Franken, a DFLer, accused Republican Sen. Norm Coleman of participating in "a massive betrayal of Minnesota seniors" in supporting a Medicare drug program passed in 2003 that bars the government from negotiating with drug companies to lower prices.

But Coleman spokesman Mark Drake noted that Coleman was among six Republicans to join Democrats last year in voting to limit debate and take up a bill that would have allowed Medicare to negotiate drug prices. That effort fell short of the three-fifths vote needed.

At a news conference at a St. Paul pharmacy, Franken said Coleman was "rewarded handsomely" with big contributions from drug companies for his support of the Medicare program, known as Part D. Coleman received $204,000 in contributions from the pharmaceutical and health products industry in this election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Drake said the suggestion that the senator was beholden to drug companies is "ludicrous," that more than a half-million Minnesotans are participating in the program and seniors are saving nearly $1,100 a year on their drug costs.

Drake also said Coleman would be willing to support a government role in lowering prices if there was a guarantee it wouldn't effectively deny seniors access to needed medication.

Franken cited a recent congressional study showing the prescription drug program is costing taxpayers up to 30 percent more than it would have had the government negotiated prices.

Nearly one in four Minnesota seniors spends more than $100 a month in out-of-pocket expenses for prescriptions, he said.

In arguing for a ban on drug advertising to consumers, Franken said such commercials "drum up pharmaceutical sales by encouraging patients to specifically request medication that their medical providers might otherwise not have prescribed."

Drake said Coleman voted for the Prescription Drug User Fee Amendments Act to give the FDA greater authority over direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, requiring more review by the FDA and stiffer penalties for false or misleading ads.

Pat Doyle • 651-222-1210

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