Being one of many Sisters of Mercy committed to serving, advocating, and praying for those in need throughout the world, and specifically in the State of Ohio, I would like to speak in support of Issue 2, the Ohio Drug Price Relief Act.

Having spent over 40 years providing counseling services for our most vulnerable and underserved families, I have witnessed parents having to make difficult choices between food for their table and life-saving medicines for their family.

Forced to make such a decision in this great American society laden with plenty of resources is abominable.

People are confused regarding Issue 2.  Some of this confusion is due to misleading advertising pushed by big drug companies.

There is much clouding of the information. But, let’s be clear.  The big drug companies want you to vote against Issue 2 so that they can keep things exactly as they are now and continue to gain outrageous profits for medicines that cost them little to produce.

In reality, we have more and more citizens unable to afford necessary medications.

A YES vote on Issue 2 helps all Ohioans by saving tax money and lowering drug prices.  Passing Issue 2 helps reduce drug prices for 4 million Ohioans, including 164,000 children.

It also saves tax dollars so that they can be better spent supporting our schools and aiding our first responders rather than going to big pharmaceutical companies who time and time again have shown us that they are more interested in profits than healing their patients.

In contrast, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the main organization supporting Issue 2, is a non-profit dedicated to providing its patients with advocacy and medicines regardless of their ability to pay.

They currently serve more than 800,000 patients around the world and have helped over 17,000 here in Ohio.

They are not in this for the money.  Like many of us, this organization understands its calling to help others.  And, that is what Issue 2 can do.

Don’t be confused by the drug companies.  Voting YES for Issue 2 is our chance to serve our communities and change lives.

To keep things as they are is unconscionable and unsustainable.  No one should be sick because they are poor or poor because they are sick.  Please vote YES on Issue 2.

 

Sister Fran Repka is a member of the Sisters of Mercy and former Executive Director of Mercy Professional Services.