Rx Drugs

President-elect Joe Biden late Thursday (Jan. 14) unveiled a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that would pump $20 billion into a national vaccination program that results in 100 million vaccinations by the end of his first 100 days.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America is pausing political donations to Republicans who voted against certifying the presidential election.

Drug makers hiked net prices on seven drugs, without clinical evidence to support their higher prices, that cost taxpayers an additional $1.2 B in 2019, according to the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review.

Incoming Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) on Wednesday (Jan. 13) made clear that health care reforms, particularly reining in drug costs, will be a high priority but also warned the budget reconciliation process Democrats are expected to pursue could be a difficult path.

The U.S. government will release supplies of Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines that so far have been held back in reserve, HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Operation Warp Speed officials announced Tuesday (Jan. 12), coming just four days after Azar blasted President-elect Joe Biden’s plan to release the reserve supply as unethical and inconsistent with science and data, due to supply issues.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar criticized President-elect Joe Biden’s reported plan to quickly release the second doses of Pfizer’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines, which the Trump administration has held in reserve to ensure there are enough doses in stock to give everyone their second shot.

FDA will not make non-traditional hand sanitizer manufacturers, such as breweries and distilleries that entered the market for COVID-19, pay over-the-counter monograph user fees, the agency’s drug center said in a Sunday (Jan. 10) email, citing HHS’ Federal Register notice that details the user fee exemption.

The American Hospital Association calls for the federal government to cut out “unnecessary confusion and complexity” around COVID-19 vaccine distribution and ramp up its communication and coordination with states, jurisdictions and other stakeholders to ensure the country can vaccinate at least 246 million people by May 31, which is the number of people required to achieve 75% herd immunity.

Eight Democratic governors want HHS Secretary Alex Azar and Operation Warp Speed Chief Operating Officer Gen. Gustave Perna to release the second doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, which federal officials have held back saying they would send them once it’s time to administer second doses to those who received the first dose.