Kurt's Work

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Mark Mason:
Joining us now is Congressman Kurt Schrader from the 5th congressional district welcome back to the Mark Mason show sir.

Congressman Kurt Schrader: 
Hey thanks Mark.

MM: 
We’ve had a lot of talk in the last few weeks about EpiPens and the price spikes and the makers of epi pen saying that you know what were we going to put out a generic version, or at least a less expensive version, this is something though you have seen coming for a long time, I think you even you even tried to let people know that this was coming and somehow or another it never got traction.

KS: 
Yeah, a little astonishing after the Shrekeli incident and today they bought their product and jacked the price up 5000% thought that might have been a warning shot across about that there will be some unscrupulous people out there most drug manufactures put a lot of money and heart and soul kind to do the right thing for America, a lot of our people need their help but there are obviously people in every profession who want to game it and I thought after that it would be pretty straightforward we need to come up with a solution that had bipartisan support to prevent this from coming to fruition again and so we introduced – I found a republican buddy of mine from Florida, Gus Bilirakis and we came up with a bill that encourages competition something that our whole countries been based on for years and idea behind it was pretty simple that if we get a generic drug to market in a very short period of time then it’s not to the monetary advantages of these rip off hedge fund dudes by these companies and at some cost to them then hope they get paid back over a long period of time and we have these folks come to market like we do with our bill in 6 months there's very little incentive for these guys to do that.

MM: 
I know and where’s the stopping because it's it looks like congress somehow protecting Mylan and the makers of the epi pen and not allowing the maker of the generic version to make it to the market.

KS: 
That’s an interesting comment I hadn’t heard that line of thought yet certainly with one senator from west Virginia his daughters involved in the Mylan company that I suppose thanks to question though I doubt there's really anything there about certainly just needs to be done the good news is the second and I guess you could say with one incident write that off but incidents you go to really pay attention and the leaders of my energy and commerce committee both on the Democrat and Republican side I have written letters to the FDA asking hey what's the story here and wanting to have hearings about this issue and so I’m working with my colleagues from the other side of the aisle the see if there's an opportunity to bring our bill to a hearing now hopefully sometime in September we’re back now this month then back in the district for October but if we can draw attention to again right now it's very timely and frankly to your point show people that we are on this. Congress is not in pocket of 8 particular hedge fund managers  of any segment of the industry this is something that it's costly even [?] that's ridiculous Norepinephrine just for an injection as a Veterinarian, Mark,  I take offense to that they should be simple inexpensive life-saving deal but we've got to encourage competition do that. The generic markets all these companies have consolidated some over [?] issues some over profitability issues you name it we've got to encourage generic competition and this bill does that.

MM: 
Competition is the American way and therefore if one company has, I don’t want to call it the monopoly, but if they have the inside track and have been given a clear path that's not good for business.

KS: 
It's not good for business it’s not good for health care it's not good for the way the country is supposed to operate so to the FDA I give them credit they try to do the right thing but the other hand they don’t have enough personnel everyone wants to go to the front line the process unfortunately not to the FDAs credit takes forever compared to European model that's why a lot of these overseas to get a lot of their RnD done we need to streamline that this bill I hope basically says hey FDA we've got a drug shortage or no competition for some of these generic type products that people are taking advantage of it you've got to approve an application within 6 months moreover to encourage drug companies to come in and do this they’ll  get  a priority voucher where they can actually move their product to the top of the line they don't have to go through the normal 18 months two-year process and that's a huge thing that gets the pharmaceutical companies attention they feel like wow this could be real and then a third part of it there’s this deal where will make sure ok we want to accelerate these drugs to market still safe so there's been this risk management strategy that they have to go through that and now we’re looking saying hey it's just another way a few of the game-players are using this once to these safety concerns as a way to delay these products from coming to market so we try to cover two or 3 ways to accelerate these products to market make sure folks don't have to go through this

MM: 
Adrenaclick, which is an alternative that doesn't seem to get a lot of support I think a lot of doctors don't prescribe because it's different than an EpiPen and then everybody's familiar that the EpiPen in a life-saving situation seconds matter but you know with a little training if people are aware how it's done they could save themselves a boat load of money, pharmacists in Oregon are not allowed to change the prescription but other states like California Washington they do allow that so that's kind of out of your sphere of influence but you know maybe conversation or two with some of the local lawmakers that might help some people along the way.

KS: 
Interesting concept I think that’s good to bring up I think they should see these alternatives to me again near the old intractable happened Epinephrine is a standby drug use a lot in veterinary medicine my colleagues in the medical world use it and I think it's got to be available under strict guidelines for folks that can’t get to the doctor after being stung by a bee in and are allergic or contract a food allergy that accidentally they got to have that life-saving equipment right now and I think it's up to consumers a little bit we've got to do our education are their alternatives. Another piece of the puzzle is to make sure that there’s an opportunity for folks to go to the website and find out hey if I can’t get an EpiPen then what are my alternatives. I think that the education process may inform consumers a big part of what health care is going to be about going forward.

MM: 
Point taken you’ve got some personal responsibility Congressman Kurt Schrader hang on the line here we are talking a call about this year's election cycle after labor day this is the week it really kicks into high gear you’re there on the front lines you’re in the halls of congress let's hear what people are thinking first Congressman Kurt Schrader on the show with mark mason he'll be with us right after Charlie Paxton with the KPAM newsroom he's already to go with the day’s breaking news.

MM:
Congressman Kurt Schrader, the 5th congressional district, joining the Mark Mason Show here, we talked about the EpiPen and his crusade for all these drug makers to quit gouging us, and we appreciate all of the work you’re doing on that. We’ve got to talk about the election cycle. We’re now in, past Labor Day, in election season. I mean, this is it. The last eight plus weeks before election day. What are your thoughts, I can’t wait to hear them.

KS:
Well I’m worried about Kurt Schrader mostly.

MM:
Well of course.

KS:
My job Mark. And I think we’re in good shape. I think frankly people are looking for problem solvers, people that are effective, people that have shown a propensity to work across the aisle. That describes Kurt Schrader. So I’m just trying to just be the guy that I’ve always been, told to me here that I’m one of the most effective legislators in Congress in our short eight years and I’d like to think that pays dividends. It’ll be interesting to see what the national, Presidential race the way it is, how that comes down.

MM:
Well I wonder are you getting some of your colleagues, your Republican colleagues, are they nervous?

KS:
Oh, they’re very nervous. Most of them are very, very worried about Trump at the top of the ticket. The buzz that we just got back into town this last weekend here, most of them, unless you’re from certain areas where he’s a big draw which is kind of interesting. It is a big country Mark. In parts of the south or some of the mountain states, or actually parts of Long Island New York, he is apparently got some cache, but I think for most of the folks in these contested battle ground states, they’re running as fast and as far away from him as they can get. You know, I don’t think the politics of fear or prejudice or hate are a good thing for this country. They’re just not good for an election.

MM:
When his campaign talks about under voters and people rising up, are you seeing or feeling any of that, that people who are out and amongst the living and contributing to society as saying one thing but when they get in the voting booth they’re gonna go Trump no matter what?

KS:
No I don’t see that. I think most Oregon voters are very responsible voters. Kasich which I think was most of my Republican colleagues preferred person prior to him dropping out, Trump became the de facto person and I think at the end of the day, most Oregonians,  its nice to talk about this, it’s fun to watch reality TV unfold before our eyes but when you want to make sure that your Commander in Chief that has control over our nuclear arsenal, that is gonna have, conduct our relations with Russia, you don’t want to be their best friend. We have this great history of immigration in our country that we depend on for labor and growth in culture and the interaction of creative thinking. I think that’s what’s great about American and frankly what’s great about Oregon – we’re a mecca these days. I think when people go to those booths, I think all walks of life, all political philosophies are gonna say wow, I’m not that excited about either candidate but who’s actually go the chops to do the job, who at least has the experience. 

MM:
Alright, and you’re pointing at Hillary Clinton obviously, or Gary Johnson, I’m not sure which, or Jill Stein. But, okay, let me ask you this. Paul Ryan is your leader there in the House of Representatives. And Hillary Clinton. I mean again, we’re talking about oil and water. And there’s a comment, a leaked comment from the halls of Congress saying that if Hillary is President and Paul Ryan has 2020 aspirations to run for President, that these next four years will be intolerable in the House. 

KS:
Oh boy, I don’t know about that. I mean, if young master Ryan wants to run for President in 2020, he’s got to show he can get something done. If we have four years of gridlock and that’s on his watch I’m not sure that shows to his advantage and Paul - I like to think is a guy that is a smart and can figure out and likes to figure out how to do things if we can get past the rigid ideologies that folks have maybe he’s got to show that he can make a difference here depends on what gets done and to a certain extent who gets credit however ok mark  in my experience folks back home they don't really give a ton of credit to one-side or the other or blame to one side or the other if something gets done that's good for everybody and if something doesn’t get done it's a pox on all your houses so I think it's just really smart policy and really good politics to actually just get things done that Oregonians care about and we did that this last year and a half just that no one talks about it unfortunately we’re our own worst enemies. 

MM: 
Merrick Garland is waiting to be appointed to the Supreme Court or at least be reviewed by and that's the senate that's not your bailiwick but it it's indicative of the deep divide the still there in congress will this go away if Hillary is elected and then what happens if Donald Trump's elected.

KS: Well I think if Clinton is elected Merrick Garland looks pretty damn good pretty quick to lot of Republicans given what some of the people that secretary Clinton might put up for Supreme Court. I think that would probably get done in fairly short order.

MM: How embarrassing would that be you held out for that and then all the sudden as it’s said - the emperor has no clothes.

KS: 
Well I think it's a travesty that we don't have someone appointed to the supreme court made if people worry about the political machinations in Washington DC all you’ve got to do is look at republican leadership in the Senate to see how bad it’s really gotten is that type party you want to control you see with Trump that’s like a person that’s never played football in high school, college and yet you’re going to make him quarterback? That’s just ridiculous.

MM: 
That’s the Kurt Schrader I know! And we love. So listen we appreciate it keep up the good fight there in the best of luck I hope we talk to you before election day I know that's top mind for you as well we appreciate you take time out to talk to listeners and the people of Oregon. Thank you my friend and good luck in the next session.