Opinion: Expensive drugs hammer San Diegans, force risky decisions

I was 39 years old when I heard the words no one wants to hear: “You have breast cancer.” The diagnosis was devastating, but what nearly broke me was the cost of staying alive. My oncologist prescribed a chemotherapy medication that cost thousands of dollars a month — far more than I could afford.

I did what too many Californians are forced to do: I searched for any option with a lower cost, which ultimately resulted in me crossing the border to Tijuana every few weeks to buy my chemo pills. Even with the travel and time off work, it was still hundreds — sometimes thousands — of dollars cheaper than filling my prescription here at home. I survived cancer, but I’ve never forgotten what it felt like to have my life hang in the balance because of a price tag.

Now, nearly three decades later and still working as a nurse in San Diego. I see my own story play out over and over again in the faces of my patients — especially older adults and people from underserved parts of the community. They skip doses to stretch their medication, cut pills in half or forgo refills entirely. For some, these choices are the difference between controlling a chronic illness and a trip to the emergency room.

This is not about personal responsibility or “budgeting better.” It’s about the fact that Big Pharma sets prices as high as it wants and raises them year after year, with little accountability. Drug companies blame others — insurers, regulators, politicians — but the truth is clear: The biggest driver of high prescription drug costs in this country is the manufacturers themselves.

San Diego has one of the largest older adult populations in California and is also one of the most diverse cities in the country. That means the impact of unaffordable medicine hits us especially hard. Communities of color already face higher rates of chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. When lifesaving prescriptions are priced out of reach, these disparities grow wider.

It’s not just about individual health. When patients can’t afford their medications, they often end up in the hospital with preventable complications — driving up health care costs for everyone. As a nurse, I can tell you that the most expensive health care is the care you need when you’ve been forced to go without.

California has tried to bring down drug prices, but Big Pharma spends millions to protect its profits. It fights every serious attempt at reform, all while pointing fingers at everyone else. Behind the scenes, it’s betting most Californians won’t notice as it drives prices even higher.

We need lawmakers — at every level — to stand up to these corporate interests. That means supporting policies that allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, stopping anti-competitive tactics that keep cheaper generics off the market and holding companies accountable when they raise prices without justification.

But this fight isn’t just for politicians. It’s for every Californian who has ever had to decide between paying for medicine or paying the rent. It’s for the family members who’ve watched a loved one’s health decline because they couldn’t afford their prescriptions. And it’s for the future — because if we don’t act, the problem will only grow.

I survived cancer because I found a way to get the medicine I needed. But no one in San Diego, or anywhere in America, should have to cross a border or empty their savings just to survive.

We are a nation of innovation and compassion. We can lead the world in curing diseases and still make sure the people who need those cures can afford them. But that will only happen if we demand it — loudly, persistently and together.

Our health should never be for sale to the highest bidder. It’s time we remind Big Pharma that in California, we value lives over profits.

Brown is a nurse who lives in San Diego.