Public Options
Public Pharma, Public Power: Taking Back Control of the Medicine Supply
10. 09. 2026
The event featured welcoming remarks from Dr. Dave Chokshi, HPEP Co-Chair and former New York City Health Commissioner, and Senator Gustavo Rivera, who discussed his leadership on public pharmaceutical legislation and other health justice initiatives in Albany.
The panel examined barriers to affordable medicine in the United States and explored how public pharmaceutical initiatives can expand access to essential medications. The discussion highlighted the New York Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, ArrayRx, and proposals to support independent pharmacists as approaches to addressing the limitations of the profit-driven pharmaceutical system. These initiatives reflect growing momentum across the country to check private market power and strengthen public capacity to deliver affordable medicine.
The discussion featured Shaina Kasper, Allison Hardt, Max Goldberg, Stephanie Krieg, and Dana Brown, with Mara Heneghan serving as moderator.
For additional highlights, see T1International’s event recap.
Resources referenced during the event:
- Public Pharma Resources Page — Health and Political Economy Project at the Institute on Race, Power and Political Economy (HPEP), on behalf of the Partnership for Public Pharma
- Public Pharma Toolkit — T1International and NYU Law’s Science, Health and Information Clinic
- New York Senate Bill S1618 Memorandum and Analysis — Public Interest Experts
- New York #insulin4all Chapter
- Ensuring Affordability & Advancing Public Health with GLP-1s: Policy Guide for State Leaders — HPEP