259,142 of us just told the government: Hands off our NHS drug prices

This week, we took the voices of hundreds of thousands of us, right to the heart of government. Together with our friends at Just Treatment, we delivered a massive petition – signed by over a quarter of a million of us – to the Department of Health, demanding they protect our NHS from a massive price hike on essential medicines.

Right now, ministers are facing a massive public outcry against a potential decision to pay pharmaceutical companies 25% more for NHS drugs. This isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s a direct result of pressure from the US administration and Big Pharma to force our prices up, pushing the NHS’s stretched budget closer to breaking point.

The Government is currently sitting across the negotiating table from Big Pharma reps, but they need to remember who’s standing behind them: 259,142 angry voters who reject these bullying trade threats. A quarter of a million of us are clear – the Government must reject demands for higher prices for vital NHS medicine. With these negotiations ongoing, it’s vital they listen to us and commit to keeping the NHS well away from any future trade talks.

This isn’t just about numbers on a balance sheet; it’s about people’s lives. People like Raj, who relies on daily lifesaving medication. He told us he’s “deeply concerned about the knock-on impacts of a much higher NHS drug bill,” which could lead to “unpredictable changes in drug availability and access… which for patients like me would be extremely dangerous.”

And there’s Liz, who lives with type 1 diabetes and used to live in the US. She has seen first-hand “how catastrophic it is for patients when governments put the interests of pharmaceutical companies above all else.” She knows that pharma’s number one priority is always their profits, and that a line has to be drawn.

The message from a quarter of a million people couldn’t be clearer. This is daylight robbery of our NHS. This move could take precious funds away from other vital care and send it straight into the pockets of rich pharma executives.

We delivered our giant cheque and petitions right to the government’s doorstep to make sure they can’t ignore us. The government must stand firm, defend the NHS, and ensure affordable drug prices are maintained for everyone who needs them. We’ve made sure they’ve heard our voice. Now we need to make sure they listen.