1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

The exploitative practices of vertically integrated pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their inherent conflicts of interest have undermined patient choice, driven up drug costs, and imperiled the survival of independent community pharmacies. The proposed bipartisan Patients Before Monopolies (PBM) Act seeks to restore balance and prioritize affordability by prohibiting the joint ownership of PBMs and pharmacies. This critical reform would eliminate the ability of these healthcare conglomerates to engage in self-dealing by steering patients to their own pharmacies while unfairly underpaying competitors. Urgent action is needed to increase transparency, foster competition, and put patients before profits in the pharmaceutical industry. I urge swift passage of this legislation to rein in the abuses enabled by unchecked consolidation and vertical integration of PBMs.