Sanders to join diabetes patients on trip to Canada to buy cheaper insulin

Sen. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) announced Thursday he will accompany patients with diabetes on a bus trip to Canada to buy insulin that’s available at cheaper prices than in the U.S.

The move comes as Sanders seeks to burnish his progressive bona fides as he vows to lower drug costs if elected president.

He will make the trip with members of Insulin4All on July 28.

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“Because of pharmaceutical industry greed, the U.S. price of insulin has nearly doubled in recent years, even though the drug can be purchased for one-tenth of the price in Canada,” Sanders’s campaign said in a statement. “That price discrepancy is widespread across many medicines, which has fueled the more than $69 billion in annual pharmaceutical industry profits, even while millions of Americans cannot afford the prescription drugs they need.”

The campaign added that Sanders made a similar trip to Canada two decades ago, when he joined women with breast cancer on a trek to buy medication that was 10 percent of the price being charged in the Green Mountain State.

Sanders has sponsored legislation that would give the federal government the power to authorize generic versions of medicines if drug companies charge prices that are higher than those in other industrialized countries. He also introduced a bill in November to strip drug companies of their monopolies if their prices are deemed excessive.

Prescription drug prices have emerged as key issue for Democrats and the party’s base. Several presidential candidates have released plans that they say would lower drug costs.

Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.), one of Sanders’s chief progressive rivals in the presidential primary field, has unveiled a plan that would allow the government to step in and manufacture certain drugs that lack competition.

Sens. Kamala HarrisKamala Devi HarrisRand Paul introduces bill to end no-knock warrants The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook McEnany says Juneteenth is a very ‘meaningful’ day to Trump MORE (D-Calif.) and Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Democrats demand Republican leaders examine election challenges after Georgia voting chaos Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk MORE (D-Minn.), two other White House hopefuls, helped introduce a bill in December that would permit the government to intervene and stop certain price spikes for drugs.