Oregon House Bill Could Hurt Medical Research

Greetings, I am  Pastor E.D. Mondaine, a local Portland Oregon Pastor, community leader, small business owner, entrepreneur, and I am in opposition to Oregon House Bill 4005.

HB 4005, proposes to mandate biopharmaceutical companies to disclose propriety information. The passage of this could severely hurt our community and others.

My concern is that HB 4005 could hurt and severely hinder the hard work for companies to do research and development that have the potential of producing medications that could help people in the Communities of Color. Statistics prove that there are higher rates of breast cancer and other forms of cancer that affect  African American communities.

There is an urgent need for these companies to be empowered to find cures and produce better medications for diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and sickle cell anemia.

The measures of HB 4005 disregard the fact that medicines are not the dominant drivers for healthcare-sending growth. Healthcare spending growth is due to other factors and healthcare services such as long-term care, hospitalization and provider services.

From my perspective, this bill is not truly “transparent" and doesn't require other players in the supply chain to the same transparency requirements.

I can’t identify anywhere in it language, the benefit to patients.

There are other measures that would most assuredly help close the gap of disparity where it concerns affordable medication to marginalized and disenfranchised communities which include:

1. prohibiting insurance plans that switch drug coverage in the middle of the year;
2. require that insurance carriers offer a co-pay plan to help patients manage costs;
3. require more transparency in drug coverage so that patients shopping for an insurance plan can understand what their medication out-of-pocket exposure will be.

All of the above listed policy options were readily available to implement this year, however, we are wasting valuable time on addressing abstract legislation that at best is unfruitful. that will deliver zero benefit to patients. Simply requiring biopharmaceutical companies to disclose pricing, which they are already required to do under federal law, will not help patients.

I fail to see where this new measure would neither benefit patients nor decrease healthcare costs.

I am in opposition HB 4005 and urge you to be as well. My hope is to encourage you to call or email any state legislator that you know and tell them to not vote in favor of this bill.

You can find your state senators and state representatives here.

Respectfully submitted,
Pastor E.D. Mondaine Jr.