FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 9th, 2018

Contact: Linda Benesch, lbenesch@socialsecurityworks.org

The Senate Finance Committee Should Vote Down Alex Azar’s Nomination

(Washington, DC) — The following is a statement from Alex Lawson, Executive Director of Social Security Works, ahead of today’s Senate Finance Committee hearing on the nomination of Alex Azar for Secretary of Health and Human Services:

“Donald Trump ran on a promise to lower drug prices, but he has nominated a man who will do the exact opposite. The last time Alex Azar held public office, he used it to enrich pharmaceutical corporations and create a job for himself at the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly.

During Azar’s tenure as US President and Vice President of Eli Lilly, the price of insulin skyrocketed 350 percent. Five states are currently investigating Eli Lilly for engaging in illegal collusion with other pharma corporations to increase the price simultaneously.

Today’s hearing is an opportunity for Senators to probe Azar on his corrupt past, one that they should take full advantage of. Alex Azar’s greed is deadly, he cannot be allowed to put the entire nation at risk for his profit.”

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Social Security Works is the convening group in the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, which is comprised of more than 350 national and state organizations representing more than 50 million Americans from many of the nation’s leading aging, labor, disability, women’s, veterans’, consumer, civil rights and equality organizations.