In the February/March 2018 issue of Neurology Now, we explain why prescription drugs are so staggeringly expensive and what patients and doctors can do about it. In this online extra, we explain how citizens can get involved to help change public policy.
Write, email, or call your elected representatives in Congress and your state legislators, and share your personal story. Or share your story through Patients for Affordable Drugs (patientsforaffordabledrugs.org), an independent national patient organization focused exclusively on achieving policy changes to lower the price of prescription drugs.
Founded in February 2017, the group has already collected more than 8,500 patient stories and 25,000 email addresses. Founder David Mitchell predicts the community will reach 75,000 members by mid-2018. "We bring people to Washington or to their state capitals to speak with their legislators. If they can't travel, we set up FaceTime appointments," says Mitchell. "It's essential that we as patients speak up on our own behalf."