Temporary price freezes do not help patients afford drugs. A courageous woman wears a wire and exposes drug company corruption. And Congress puts AbbVie under the microscope.
Welcome to the week in review!
1. This is not a price decrease
Pfizer last week is not a price decrease. Novartis this week is not a price decrease. Merck’s announcement impacts 0.1% of its sales. This is not enough.
2. Peddling influence
A bombshell report details how drug companies seek to influence doctors, state officials, and keep drug profits flowing. — (Center For Public Integrity)
3. Up, up, up
Despite talk from the president, drug prices are continuing to rise. Here’s a look at 40 commonly prescribed drugs. — (Bloomberg)
4. Three’s a charm?
Under the cloud of Congressional scrutiny, drug maker AbbVie settled with a third biosimilar developer seeking to launch a competitive product to its billion-dollar blockbuster baby, Humira. Senators earlier this month asked the FTC to investigate and see if such practices are anticompetitive. We want to know too! — (Center for Biosimilars)
5. Importation?
It is not the long-term solution to lower drug prices. But it’s back on the table. — (The Washington Post)