Rx Drugs

Brand drug makers have inched closer to getting Congress to lower their share of seniors’ drug costs by adding to opioid legislation an unrelated package that combines the brand-backed Part D measure with watered-down pro-generic legislation and a provision that averts steep drug cost increases for seniors in 2020.

Brand drug makers have inched closer to getting Congress to lower their share of seniors’ drug costs by adding to opioid legislation an unrelated package that combines the brand-backed Part D measure with watered-down pro-generic legislation and a provision that averts steep drug cost increases for seniors in 2020.

FDA is wholeheartedly embracing continuous manufacturing as a move that will lower drug costs and reduce product shortages, but the Association for Accessible Medicines recently told Inside Health Policy it is concerned the move could have unintended negative consequences for generic drug makers.

Several congressional Medicaid advisers said Thursday (Sept. 13) they’re enthusiastic about the idea of giving states a grace period before covering newly approved drugs and lifting the Medicaid rebate cap.

CMS faces growing pressure to scrap its controversial plan to allow step therapy for Medicare Part B drugs: Dozens of specialty physician groups and state medical societies are seeking congressional leaders' help in getting the Trump administration to reverse course.

FDA for the first time has applied its opioid safety protocols to immediate-release (IR) opioids intended for use in an outpatient setting and is requiring that training be made available to nurses and pharmacists -- not just prescribers -- who are involved managing patients with pain, the agency announced Tuesday (Sept. 18).

California is suing AbbVie for allegedly offering providers kickbacks to prescribe Humira, an expensive arthritis drug that has also come under fire on Capitol Hill due to steep price increases.

Following months of legislative debate involving myriad committees, the Senate on Monday (Sept. 17) passed an extensive package of opioid legislation by a vote of 99-1 but a new version privately hammered out by senators from both parties will be taken to conference with the House, a Senate aide told Inside Health Policy.

The Justice Department’s antitrust division approved, without conditions, Cigna’s proposed $67 billion purchase of Express Scripts, despite concerns that allowing the insurer and pharmacy benefit manager to merge could lead to higher drug prices.