PCPAN reacts to Express Scripts Senate testimony

WASHINGTON — Preserve Community Pharmacy Access Now — a coalition of consumers, businesses and community-based pharmacists banded together for the purpose of opposing the planned merger between Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions — on Thursday responded to testimony provided by George Paz, Express Scripts CEO, before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights hearing held Tuesday.



According to PCPAN, Paz testified before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights and responded to a question about the merger with, "I can't stop certain pharmacies from going out of business," less than 24 hours after releasing a study claiming that the merger of Express Scripts and Medco would save consumers billions of dollars in healthcare costs.



"Express Scripts CEO George Paz testified that, 'patients-not-profits must come first,' but the remainder of his testimony clearly demonstrated that this proposed merger would result in the elimination of jobs and limit access to pharmacies for some of the most vulnerable citizens in underserved communities throughout the country," stated former Rep. Eva Clayton, chairman of the Preserve Community Pharmacy Access Now coalition. "Particularly now, with an unemployment rate of nearly 9% and no relief in sight, America can ill afford the loss of more jobs and access to pharmacy care that would result from the merger of these two behemoth middlemen."