Author: Staff

  • The Drug Pricing Lab

    Drugs and PillsA nonpartisan research and policy center at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

    Drug Pricing Lab Tracker [1]

    The DPL Policy Tracker keeps tabs on federal policy proposals to address US drug pricing issues.

    About the Drug Pricing Lab

    Dr. Bach’s Drug Pricing Lab (DPL) is based at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The DPL focuses on the development of rational approaches to drug pricing and health insurance coverage that sustain innovation while ensuring patient access and affordability. The DPL focuses its efforts on four major work streams:

    1. Research on the current state of U.S. drug pricing and its effects
    2. Development of solutions to align drug prices with value
    3. Pilot programs to test solutions in real world settings
    4. Evidence-based and unbiased resources for policy makers

    The DPL conducts non-partisan, independent academic research, which is made publicly available. All views expressed are our own, and do not represent the views of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The DPL receives funding from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.

    References:

    1. Drug Pricing Lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering




  • The Disaster of “Trickle Down” Economics – Trump, You Are Wrong

    Economics
    Trickle down economics doesn’t work

    Trump continues to propose ideas that line his own pockets leaving the ordinary citizen out in the cold.

    Local Taxes: Local tax incentives would probably fail when ordinary citizens realize they can no longer deduct these assessments. [1]

    Wages: Line workers would never see pay raises.  Tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations mean that executive bonuses will increase, shareholder dividends will increase and the corporation’s bank accounts will become even more inflated.  History has proven that the money for these wealthy tax incentives do not “trickle down” to the ordinary worker. [2][3][4]

    References:

    1. The Washington Post, November 17, 2017, Renae Merle, Peter Jamison – In towns and cities nationwide, fears of trickle-down effects of federal tax legislation
    2. Investopedia – Trickle-Down Theory
    3. The Balance, April 29, 2017, Kimberly Amadeo – Why Trickle Down Economic Works in Theory But Not in Fact – Does Trickle-Down Economics Work?
    4. Wikipedia – Trickle-down economics




  • Aiken Schenk Honored at HRC Gala

    It began with a simple question. In December 2013, as Shawn Aiken and his wife arrived at their church in Tempe, Arizona, Joe Connolly, a fellow church member, asked Shawn whether he knew any lawyers who might be interested in challenging Arizona’s ban on same-sex marriage. Shawn thought about and discussed the case with his wife, Lynn, and decided that he did know a firm that would represent Joe and his husband, Terry Pochert—his own.

    On January 6, 2014, less than a month later, his law firm, Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi P.C., filed a lawsuit on behalf of Joe, Terry, and other Arizona couples, asking to strike all Arizona’s laws prohibiting same-sex marriage. On October 17, 2014, the Hon. John W. Sedwick found that Arizona’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional and that Arizona must recognize all marriages entered into in other states. In just ten months, Aiken Schenk had delivered on its promise. As a result, all Arizonans would have the freedom to marry the person they loved.

    Aiken Schenk acknowledges the decades of hard work done by the LGBT community, especially Lambda Legal, HRC Arizona, Why Marriage Matters, ACLU, and others who laid the groundwork for Arizona’s (and the country’s) shift on same-sex marriage.

    Aiken Schenk thanks the courageous clients who risked their privacy for the betterment of their community: Joe Connolly, Terry Pochert, Chris Devine, Mason Hite, Clark Rowley, David Chaney, Holly Mitchell, Suzanne Cummins, Meagan Metz, Natalie Metz, Renee Kaminski, Robin Reece, Jeff Ferst and Peter Bramley.

    Finally, Aiken Schenk acknowledges the invaluable contributions of the members of the entire legal team, all of whom were instrumental in winning this historic lawsuit against the State of Arizona: Aiken Schenk attorneys Heather Macre and William Knight; Flagstaff co-counsel Mik Jordahl and Ryan Stevens; Ellen Aiken, a Scottsdale attorney; and, Phoenix attorneys Mark Dillon, Susan Bovee, and Herb Ely. Shawn thanks his family, especially his wife, Lynn, for her constant love and support; and, his son, Eric, a law student, and daughter, Ellen, both of whom contributed to the result in the case.

    The lawyers at Aiken Schenk Hawkins & Ricciardi practice in the areas of business litigation, personal injury, bankruptcy, estate planning, and asset protection. The firm celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

  • Freedom of Speech Got Her Fired

    References:

    1. Newsbusters.org, November 9, 2017, Kyle Drennen – NBC Treats Woman Like a Hero for Flipping Off Trump

  • Sen. John McCain Unloads Regarding Trump’s Remarks on Russia

    Senator John McCain:

    There’s nothing ‘America First’ about taking the word of a KGB colonel over that of the American intelligence community. There’s no ‘principled realism’ in cooperating with Russia to prop up the murderous (Bashar) Assad regime, which remains the greatest obstacle to a political solution that would bring an end to the bloodshed in Syria. Vladimir Putin does not have America’s interests at heart. To believe otherwise is not only naïve but also places our national security at risk. [1]

    In response to Trump’s remarks:

    Every time he sees me, he says, ‘I didn’t do that.’ And I believe — I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it. But he says, ‘I didn’t do that.’ I think he’s very insulted by it, if you want to know the truth. [1]

    References:

    1. AZCentral.com, November 11, 2017, Dan Nowicki – John McCain hammers Donald Trump for taking Vladimir Putin’s word over U.S. intelligence