Inside STAT: Democrats feud over drug pricing policy, as progressives push to be bolder

REP. LLOYD DOGGETT (D-TEXAS) LISTENS TO SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE NANCY PELOSI (D-CALIF.). (ERIC GAY/AP)

Tensions between the Democratic party leadership and the more progressive flank have escalated in recent weeks, and these fights — often in public view — have kept Democrats from forming a cohesive strategy to lower drug prices. For instance, liberal members of the party recently scolded House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s aide Wendell Primus for aggressively pitching pharmaceutical policy they said didn’t follow the speaker’s campaign promises. And Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) publicly dressed down a veteran committee aide recently, accusing her of shaping legislation to favor drug companies. STAT’s Lev Facher and Nicholas Florko have more on the ongoing feud here.