Drug Pricing

House Democrats promise to take on drug prices when they take control of the House next year, but the actual likelihood of aggressive measures becoming law depends largely on whether they will work with the president on legislation and, if so, whether the president can get Senate Republican leaders in line. However, President Donald Trump is pursuing administrative changes to lower drug prices that don't require Congress' blessing, and congressional Democrats may find themselves walking a fine line between not wanting to help Trump and delivering on their own promises to lower drug prices.

Brand drug makers are warning against relying on 340B hospitals to execute Louisiana’s plan to pay a subscription for an unlimited supply of hepatitis C drugs over a fixed period.

CVS next year will offer a Part D plan that shares drug rebates at the point of sale, and the monthly premium for the plan is $80 in the Washington area, compared to the $32.50 national average Part D premium, though the CVS plan offers more generous benefits than basic drug plans.

The final version of opioid legislation excludes brand-drug industry-backed Part D changes, and now brand lobbyists have set their sights on the lame-duck session for getting Congress to lower the industry’s share of seniors’ drug costs.

Eleni Anagnostiadis on Monday (Sept. 24) began her 120-day detail as director of the FDA drug center’s professional stakeholder and engagement staff, according to an agency announcement.

FDA aims to reform the clinical trial space in a way that could help bring more second- and third-in-class drugs to the market, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told lawmakers on Wednesday (July 25).

FDA soon will make public information about how it could improve its Expanded Access program, based on an assessment by an outside company, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said at a House Energy & Commerce health subcommittee hearing Wednesday (July 25).

Stakeholders are set to debate Sept. 4 whether FDA's so-called umbrella exclusivity policy will apply to biologics and biosimilars.

The Senate health committee unanimously advanced Wednesday (July 25) a bipartisan bill to ban so-called gag clauses in exchange and private insurance plans. A last-minute addition to the bill also would give the Federal Trade Commission more visibility into potential pay-for-delay agreements between biologic and biosimilar makers.