Biden, Harris on joint trip after US drug price cut

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris touted a likely vote-winning cut in medical costs Thursday ahead of holding their first joint public event since Harris replaced the president as the Democratic candidate in November's election.

They will use the appearance at a local college in Maryland to highlight a government deal with drugmakers to reduce the price retirees pay for 10 key medicines, including treatments for diabetes, heart failure and blood clots.

The scope and timing of the deal — which the White House says will save older Americans $1.5 billion and the Medicare federal health insurance scheme $6 billion in the first year — is a boost for Harris in an election where cost of living is a major issue.

The vice president has been transformed into the Democrats' star at astonishing speed since Biden ended his reelection bid on July 21, amid party fears that he was too old and too infirm to take on Republican Donald Trump.

With Harris set to make a triumphant appearance at the Democratic National Convention next week, Biden, 81, is already in the lame duck phase of his presidency.

Thursday's event marks an opportunity for 59-year-old Harris to share the accolades along with Biden, who has long made reductions in the notoriously expensive U.S. medicine prices a priority.

"For years, millions of Americans were forced to choose between paying for medications or putting food on the table, while Big Pharma blocked Medicare from being able to negotiate prices on behalf of seniors and people with disabilities. But we fought back — and won," Biden said in a statement.

"The vice president and I are not backing down. We will continue the fight to make sure all Americans can pay less for prescription drugs and to give more breathing...