04-28-2017, 07:09 PM
OK, I admit it. I sent a real hot flame to Sen Lankford and got more than the usual form letter. I think somebody actually read my email. 
![[Image: EmailHeader211.30.PNG]](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/JLankford/EmailHeader211.30.PNG)
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns on prescription drug prices.
I understand the fear that life-saving medications may become unaffordable, particularly when costs skyrocket unexpectedly for no apparent reason. Whether a patient utilizes Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, we should improve access to safe and affordable medications while providing as many choices as possible for quality health care.
Developing new and ground-breaking drugs is a costly and time-consuming process. Companies that make the significant investment to craft new and innovative cures and treatments must have the reasonable expectation of obtaining a return on their sizable investment, which can lead to high initial costs.
As you may know, Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) introduced S. 469, the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act on February 28, 2017, which seeks to approve the importation of "affordable and safe" prescription drugs. As Americans monitor prescription prices, we are constantly vigilant to ensure pharmaceutical companies offer drugs at a fair price.
S 469 was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, where it awaits further action. I do not serve on that Committee, but if S. 469 comes to the Senate floor for a vote, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind
As we work toward affordable drug prices we must also ensure we provide Americans with prescription drugs that have been safely and responsibly manufactured, come from clean distributors and pharmacies, and have been tested and proven safe for human consumption. Some states have tried various programs that provide drugs from outside of the United States, but to date there has not been a successful program.
A handful of states actually terminated their programs after spending more than $1 million from taxpayers. While many in our nation look to drug importation to lower the cost of prescription drugs, the cost to ensure imported drugs are safe and effective would likely outweigh any potential savings. Furthermore, importations could greatly increase the risk of counterfeit drugs entering the United States or drugs that do not meet FDA's health and safety standards.
You might be interested to know that in 2003 the Secretary of Health & Human Services received the authority to pursue and implement a drug importation program. However, no Secretary since that time has found it feasible to safely implement such a program, citing a wide array of long-standing obstacles that prevent the Department from fully ensuring the safety of imported medicine.
The United States has the highest quality physicians, hospitals, and prescription medications in the world. Unfortunately, we also face high costs, a vast uninsured population, and essential prescriptions that are too expensive. That is why I believe we need a patient-oriented healthcare system that put patients' needs first, not the desires of government bureaucrats and the pharmaceutical industry. Free-market alternatives are important to keep the costs of medication down for those who need them most. I look forward to the conversation in the U.S. Senate to find solutions to high prescription drug costs and help Oklahoma families.
I will continue to press the FDA to ensure we provide proper congressional oversight of the prescription drug approval process to help Oklahomans have access to the medications they need at a cost they can afford. Please feel free to contact me again via email at www.lankford.senate.gov for more information about my work in the United States Senate for all of us.
1. I sent a real hot flame to SEn Lankford. I think that's how I got an actual reply instead of some lame form letter. It took a while, but like Eric's letters , I managed to get past the usual bureaucratic nonsense.
2. I see the usual Neo-Liberal excuses for keeping drug prices sky high. I'll do a follow up on why "Free Market" crap doesn't work. What good are new drugs if nobody can afford them , comes to mind. I'll tell Sen. Lankford that Big Pharma has no concern for the working poor. I'm sure that using economic class will drive this Rebpug. crazy, ... later on.
3. Access to "Health Insurance"... I have a bone to pick there as well. I'll reiterate that "health insurance" != health care. I think he needs to think outside the bubble here.
4. I will thank him for a reply that's not a fucking form letter, but an actual reply. Credit is where credit is due. I think somebody actually read my flame.
![[Image: iqtrk.gif?crop=15882.12373586.7475859.9721638]](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/JLankford/iqtrk.gif?crop=15882.12373586.7475859.9721638)
5. "Highest quality of ..." Yeah, I'll get back to him on that. What good is highest quality, when nobody can afford it?
.... Hahahahahahahahahah. Rags, the trouble maker. I think I got the formula down to getting real replies. Y'all should have seen that flame I sent to him. It's just like the flames I write here. Yo, Eric, Red and Black auras work, you know. I know you send stuff as well. Next up, the rest of my congressional delegation.
6. Uh, what's this "In God We trust". Meh, Rags is a New Ager like Eric.
7. Dunno, perhaps going to the local Oklahoma Democrats may work? Will it? Can it? Work? Focus like a Lazar beam on economics.
8. So... it seems that the liberal use of expletives and citing bill numbers may be the key. Long live economic progressives. I wish the Democratic party would just ditch this stupid regressive liberalism shit. Illegal alien rights don't play in fly over country. May the regressive black bloc get a serious beat down from wherever. I hate losing agendas like ILLEGAL ALIEN RIGHTS. SO, LIBERALS, PICK AND CHOOSE. ILLEGAL = ILLEGAL. AS A STRATEGIC MOVE, DEPORT ANY ILLEGALS. Now, support liberal labor union rights, shut down H1-B's. etc. The Democratic Party is being stupid. I support the Wall, but the US should pay for it, since we are the beneficiaries
Also, all US troops out of the MIdeast. It's a hellhole, there's no solution. Fuck the MIdeast. Rags don't give a rat's ass about a bunch of backward goat fuckers. Burn, baby , burn, Mideast Oilfields. .
Red and black man. It can get results...
April 28, 2017
Dear Mr. Rags,
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns on prescription drug prices.
I understand the fear that life-saving medications may become unaffordable, particularly when costs skyrocket unexpectedly for no apparent reason. Whether a patient utilizes Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, we should improve access to safe and affordable medications while providing as many choices as possible for quality health care.
Developing new and ground-breaking drugs is a costly and time-consuming process. Companies that make the significant investment to craft new and innovative cures and treatments must have the reasonable expectation of obtaining a return on their sizable investment, which can lead to high initial costs.
As you may know, Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) introduced S. 469, the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act on February 28, 2017, which seeks to approve the importation of "affordable and safe" prescription drugs. As Americans monitor prescription prices, we are constantly vigilant to ensure pharmaceutical companies offer drugs at a fair price.
S 469 was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, where it awaits further action. I do not serve on that Committee, but if S. 469 comes to the Senate floor for a vote, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind
As we work toward affordable drug prices we must also ensure we provide Americans with prescription drugs that have been safely and responsibly manufactured, come from clean distributors and pharmacies, and have been tested and proven safe for human consumption. Some states have tried various programs that provide drugs from outside of the United States, but to date there has not been a successful program.
A handful of states actually terminated their programs after spending more than $1 million from taxpayers. While many in our nation look to drug importation to lower the cost of prescription drugs, the cost to ensure imported drugs are safe and effective would likely outweigh any potential savings. Furthermore, importations could greatly increase the risk of counterfeit drugs entering the United States or drugs that do not meet FDA's health and safety standards.
You might be interested to know that in 2003 the Secretary of Health & Human Services received the authority to pursue and implement a drug importation program. However, no Secretary since that time has found it feasible to safely implement such a program, citing a wide array of long-standing obstacles that prevent the Department from fully ensuring the safety of imported medicine.
The United States has the highest quality physicians, hospitals, and prescription medications in the world. Unfortunately, we also face high costs, a vast uninsured population, and essential prescriptions that are too expensive. That is why I believe we need a patient-oriented healthcare system that put patients' needs first, not the desires of government bureaucrats and the pharmaceutical industry. Free-market alternatives are important to keep the costs of medication down for those who need them most. I look forward to the conversation in the U.S. Senate to find solutions to high prescription drug costs and help Oklahoma families.
I will continue to press the FDA to ensure we provide proper congressional oversight of the prescription drug approval process to help Oklahomans have access to the medications they need at a cost they can afford. Please feel free to contact me again via email at www.lankford.senate.gov for more information about my work in the United States Senate for all of us.
In God We Trust,
![[Image: SenatorSignature48.jpg]](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/JLankford/SenatorSignature48.jpg)
James Lankford
United States Senator
![[Image: youtube24.png]](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/JLankford/youtube24.png)
![[Image: twitter24.png]](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/JLankford/twitter24.png)
![[Image: flickr24.png]](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/JLankford/flickr24.png)
![[Image: Instagram24.png]](https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/Customers/JLankford/Instagram24.png)
United States Senator
1. I sent a real hot flame to SEn Lankford. I think that's how I got an actual reply instead of some lame form letter. It took a while, but like Eric's letters , I managed to get past the usual bureaucratic nonsense.
2. I see the usual Neo-Liberal excuses for keeping drug prices sky high. I'll do a follow up on why "Free Market" crap doesn't work. What good are new drugs if nobody can afford them , comes to mind. I'll tell Sen. Lankford that Big Pharma has no concern for the working poor. I'm sure that using economic class will drive this Rebpug. crazy, ... later on.
3. Access to "Health Insurance"... I have a bone to pick there as well. I'll reiterate that "health insurance" != health care. I think he needs to think outside the bubble here.
4. I will thank him for a reply that's not a fucking form letter, but an actual reply. Credit is where credit is due. I think somebody actually read my flame.
5. "Highest quality of ..." Yeah, I'll get back to him on that. What good is highest quality, when nobody can afford it?
.... Hahahahahahahahahah. Rags, the trouble maker. I think I got the formula down to getting real replies. Y'all should have seen that flame I sent to him. It's just like the flames I write here. Yo, Eric, Red and Black auras work, you know. I know you send stuff as well. Next up, the rest of my congressional delegation.
6. Uh, what's this "In God We trust". Meh, Rags is a New Ager like Eric.
7. Dunno, perhaps going to the local Oklahoma Democrats may work? Will it? Can it? Work? Focus like a Lazar beam on economics.
8. So... it seems that the liberal use of expletives and citing bill numbers may be the key. Long live economic progressives. I wish the Democratic party would just ditch this stupid regressive liberalism shit. Illegal alien rights don't play in fly over country. May the regressive black bloc get a serious beat down from wherever. I hate losing agendas like ILLEGAL ALIEN RIGHTS. SO, LIBERALS, PICK AND CHOOSE. ILLEGAL = ILLEGAL. AS A STRATEGIC MOVE, DEPORT ANY ILLEGALS. Now, support liberal labor union rights, shut down H1-B's. etc. The Democratic Party is being stupid. I support the Wall, but the US should pay for it, since we are the beneficiaries
Also, all US troops out of the MIdeast. It's a hellhole, there's no solution. Fuck the MIdeast. Rags don't give a rat's ass about a bunch of backward goat fuckers. Burn, baby , burn, Mideast Oilfields. .
Red and black man. It can get results...
---Value Added 