Campaigners furious as Build Back Better framework drops action on drug prices

US President Joe Biden was never going to please everyone in announcing the framework for his Build Back Better Agenda and Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, but the absence of provisions to lower drug prices is an issue that has caused particular anger among some Americans.

A plan that would have permitted Medicare to use its bargaining power to lower the price of prescription drugs for Americans has been dropped from the $1.75 trillion proposal, with Senator Kyrsten Sinema angering many of her fellow Democrats by opposing the measures to make medicines cheaper.

While some blame her for killing the plan, the issue is increasing the heat on President Biden, whose party was elected on a platform of drug pricing reform. As other presidents before him have discovered, the reality of delivering on that promise can be very difficult to achieve.