Former Presidential Contender and California Drug Price Initiative Endorser to Speak Out Against Big Pharma in San Francisco

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 San Francisco at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Saturday (10/15/16) at 12 Noon for a rally in support of the measure. This is Sen. Sanders' first trip to California since the primary election campaign. 

Sen. Bernie Sanders will appear alongside Proposition 61 supporters including the California Nurses Association, AIDS Healthcare Foundation and VoteVets to speak out against Big Pharma price-gouging and lies regarding the measure. 

Prop. 61, 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 San Francisco 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. 

When: Saturday, 10/15/16 at 12:00 PM 

Where: Marriott Marquis Hotel, Yerba Buena Ballroom, 780 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94103

Who:

• U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders
• California State Assemblyperson David Chiu
• Jane Sandoval, RN, Board Member, California Nurses Association (CNA)
• Steve Dunwoody, California Director, VoteVets
• Special Guest: San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, Democratic Candidate for St. Senate

On Saturday in San Francisco, Sanders also leads a “Get Out The Vote” rally for SF Supervisor and Prop. 61 supporter Jane Kim, a candidate in SD 11, commends her “commitment to fighting for working people and taking a stand for progressive values.” 10:30 a.m., Kim’s Campaign Headquarters, 37 Grove St. Contact: Julie Edwards 202 232 1182.

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. 

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.