This week, the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved several pieces of healthcare legislation addressing diabetes and other health issues. In a significant advocacy victory for the Society, the Committee passed the INSULIN Act, bipartisan legislation to make insulin more affordable introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), and John Kennedy (R-LA).
The Society worked on the development of and endorsed this important legislation. As a result of our advocacy, the bill continues to advance in the U.S. Senate in bipartisan fashion. The legislation passed the committee by a vote of 17-5 which included the support of 6 Republicans and 11 Democrats. The legislation would take historic steps to lower the out-of-pocket cost of insulin. Specifically, the bill would expand the $35 insulin co-pay cap, currently available to Medicare beneficiaries, to people on private insurance. The legislation would also create a pilot program for ten states to provide programs that help identify people living with diabetes who are uninsured and provide them with insulin at $35 a month. We worked very closely with Senator Shaheen and Senator Collins, the co-chairs of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, to advance this legislation and we are grateful for their continued dedication and leadership. Leading up to the vote on Wednesday, the Society actively worked to secure the support of Senators on the HELP Committee and other Members of Congress. The day before the committee markup, Endocrine Society member leader Dr. Alvin Powers, an endocrinologist and diabetes researcher at Vanderbilt University, was on Capitol Hill meeting with congressional offices urging them to support the bill.
The Society is thrilled that the HELP Committee passed this legislation, but there is much more work to be done. We will continue to urge the Senate and the House to pass this bill. We urge all Endocrine Society members to take action through our online campaign and ask your Senators and Representative to pass the INSULIN Act.
In addition to the INSULIN Act, the Committee also approved the SAFE Drugs Act, which would place restrictions on large scale pharmacy compounding. Compounding is a process where a pharmacist will compound, or customize, a medication for a patient. The Society has endorsed this legislation, which would prevent the practice of large-scale compounding of medications including GLP-1s. Society members have expressed significant concerns regarding the compounding of GLP-1 medications, which we have outlined in our Obesity Playbook. Taking compounded GLP-1 medications carries greater risk because these medications are not reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness before they reach patients. We will continue to watch this legislation closely.
Finally, the Committee advanced the Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act. This legislation would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to apply front-of-package warning labels on foods containing to added-sugar or foods that are ultra-processed. It would also ban child-directed advertising for these types of foods. The Society has not taken a position on this bill, which was only recently introduced in the Senate, but we will monitor this legislation as it moves forward.
This week, the Endocrine Society endorsed the Right to IVF Act, which was reintroduced by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The legislation aims to make it easier to access in vitro fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technology (ART) for parents who want to build their families. The legislation would establish a nationwide right to access IVF, lower the costs of IVF treatment, expand IVF coverage for military families, and require all employer-sponsored insurance programs to cover IVF.
Reproductive endocrinologists play a key role in fertility treatment. The Society has been a leader in advocating for access to IVF treatment. We are encouraged to see members of Congress from both sides of the aisle considering this legislation to preserve access to IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies. Many Americans who wish to start or build their families need access to this medical care. The Society will continue to advocate for our members who treat and research infertility and other hormone health conditions.
We rely on your voice to advocate for our policy priorities. Join us to show our strength as a community that cares about endocrinology. Contact your US representatives or European Members of Parliament through our online platform. Take action and make a difference today.
