Trump meets with 'pharma,' demands they 'get prices down'
President Trump met with drug company executives Tuesday to discuss lowering the costs of medication. Drug companies "[get] away with murder," Trump claimed in the run-up to his inauguration, a belief that is shared by Democrats, who have long believed the government should push for lower drug prices for Medicare and Medicaid.
"You folks have done a tremendous job but we have to get prices down," Trump reportedly told the executives Tuesday.
The White House schedule did not specify who exactly Trump met with, labeling his discussion simply as "meet with pharma." White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer did say Amgen's CEO was in attendance, though, and he told Trump the company is adding 1,600 jobs.
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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
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