Former Presidential Contender and California Drug Price Initiative Endorser to Speak Out Against Big Pharma in Los Angeles Tomorrow

What:  Wrapping up the first week of early voting, Yes on Prop 61/Californians for Lower Drug Prices announced today that U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders will appear in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon (10/14/16) for a public rally in support of the measure. This is Sen. Sanders first trip to California since the primary election campaign. The rally will be held at the American Federation of Musicians Hall in Hollywood, starting at 4:30 pm. 

Senator Bernie Sanders will appear alongside Proposition 61 supporters including the California Nurses Association, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, VoteVets and the colloquially referred to “Mylan Moms,” to speak out against Big Pharma price-gouging and lies regarding the measure. The California Drug Price Relief Act is the only initiative on the November ballot in all 50 states to address the issue of drug company price-gouging. The rally follows the first week of ballots arriving at the homes of California voters. TV ads featuring Sen. Sanders supporting Prop. 61 are also currently airing statewide. 

Sanders is also expected to make a stop in the Bay Area on Saturday to promote Prop. 61.

When: Friday, 10/14/16 at 4:30PM

Where: American Federation of Musicians Local 47, 817 Vine Street, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Who:  SPEAKERS

• U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders
• Zenei Cortez, RN, Co-President, California Nurses Association (CNA)
• Steve Dunwoody, California Director, Vote Vets
• Michael Weinstein, President, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)
• Kelly Rudnicki, author of Food Allergy Mama, (former spokeswoman for Mylan who resigned because of their Epi-Pen pricing)

ORGANIZATIONS

• Californians for Lower Drug Prices
• California Nurses Association
• AIDS Healthcare Foundation
• VoteVets
• Social Security Works  

How:

This site is accessible by subway: Metro Hollywood and Vine stop, Take 210 bus (southwest corner of Hollywood and vine) exit on Willoughby

Background

Prop 61 is a simple measure that allows California to leverage its massive negotiating power to achieve lower drug prices for the most vulnerable Californians. Drug companies are scared of Proposition 61 because they know it will put us on the road to lower drug prices!

Proposition 61 would require the state of California to negotiate with drug companies for drug prices that are no more than is paid for the same drugs by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). Unlike Medicare, the DVA negotiates for drug prices on behalf of the millions veterans it serves, and pays on average 20-24 percent less for medications than other government agencies, and up to 40 percent less than Medicare Part D. Prop. 61 empowers the state, as the healthcare buyer for millions of Californians, to negotiate a better deal for taxpayers, saving the state billions.