As the 2024 presidential campaign continues to slowly unfold, healthcare policy issues like drug pricing and abortion are likely to surface as major talking points for both Republican and Democratic candidates.

One year after historic drug pricing reforms were passed as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, the issue has continued to sustain significant attention from both lawmakers and the public. 

Notably, support for more drug pricing legislation is becoming increasingly bipartisan, according to a recent poll from the Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing (CSRxP).

The advocacy organization briefed reporters Tuesday on the poll’s findings, which was presented by Republican Erik Iverson of Moore Information Group in collaboration with Democrat Celinda Lake of Lake Research Partners.

The survey found 70% of voters across the political spectrum are concerned about drug prices and one-third of them have trouble affording them.

The poll results also revealed that support for legislation that would lower drug costs spanned the political spectrum, with Democratic, Republican and independent voters widely supporting two bills introduced this year that aim to curb prices and improve transparency.

The Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act, introduced in January by Senators John Cornyn, (R-Texas), and Richard Blumenthal, (D-Conn.), would prohibit manufacturers from “product hopping.” 

This is a practice where drugmakers switch to a follow-on product after the patent on a reference drug expires. Manufacturers withdraw the reference drugs from the market once the patent expires in an attempt to limit competition.

“The pharmaceutical industry’s shameless abuse of the patent system has driven costs sky-high for consumers by keeping generics off the market and stifling innovation,” Blumenthal argued in a press release at the time.

Voters also like the FAIR Drug Pricing Act, which was introduced in March by Senators Tammy Baldwin, (D-Wisc.), and Mike Braun, (R-Ind.) This bill would strengthen transparency among drug companies when they hike up prices.

Nearly 80% of voters said they supported the Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act, while 87% said they supported the FAIR Drug Pricing Act, according to the CSRxP poll.

“Voters want to know — the public want to know — if these pharma companies are making unfair gains, if they’re jacking up the price,” Iverson said in the call. “They want to have some sunshine put onto those prices so the public can be aware if there’s price hikes.”

Nearly three-fifths of respondents said they believe pharma companies are most responsible for high drug prices, compared to only 18% who believe the government is responsible and 4% who believe pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are.

The poll results show that pharma companies are still the main culprits in the public’s eye, despite increased scrutiny on PBMs in Congress as of late.