Drug Importation Change Delayed, But Concerns Remain Unchanged
CBP just announced that it is delaying the implementation of its importation rule change by 90 days, until January 20, 2027, just one week before it was set to take effect. For patients concerned about losing access to lower-cost prescriptions from abroad, this delay is a welcome reprieve, but not a permanent solution. Until patients in the U.S. can get access to the prescription drugs they need at prices they can afford, disrupting existing personal-importation practices risks an important safety valve. Groups of lawmakers from both parties, as well as P4AD and other advocacy groups are urging CBP to use the additional time to ensure new international mail requirements do not inadvertently eliminate patients’ ability to secure affordable medications from abroad. — [STAT News, Reuters, POLITICO, NBC News]
Pharma Front Groups Duck Disclosure
New analysis this week found that nearly 40% of FDA advisory committee meetings included a patient or consumer representative with active ties to a Big Pharma-funded advocacy group, rising above 50% for several committees — yet most of those ties were never disclosed at the meetings. That lack of transparency matters: patient representatives are meant to bring an independent patient perspective to FDA deliberations, but industry influence is harder to identify when it comes through organizations presented as independent patient voices. Big Pharma has increasingly relied on these groups to push industry messaging, a practice we’ve documented in three Hidden Hand reports. While the FDA has well-established conflict-of-interest policies for scientific advisory committee members, rules for patient representatives are less stringent, leaving a disclosure gap that can obscure industry financial ties. Patients, policymakers, and FDA officials must be made aware when purportedly independent patient voices speak, because Big Pharma influence may be at work behind the scenes. — [HealthAffairs Scholar, STAT News]
New Legislation Targets Medicare Negotiation
The Biosimilars Access and Affordability Act (H.R. 10628) is a new industry-backed bill that would make it easier for certain biologic drugs to delay Medicare negotiation eligibility based on the projected arrival of biosimilar competition. Current law already allows CMS to delay negotiation for up to two years when biosimilar competition is highly likely, but the bill would create new pathways for manufacturers to qualify for that delay — potentially enabling high-priced biologics to avoid negotiation for longer even when lower-cost biosimilars have yet to reach patients. Medicare should not be forced to delay negotiation based on the promise of future competition that may or may not materialize. This bill is also endorsed by the Alliance for Aging Research (AFAR), an organization whose close ties to pharma and opposition to key drug pricing reforms we’ve documented. P4AD will continue fighting for actually beneficial biosimilar legislation — like Biosimilar Red Tape Elimination Act (H.R. 5526) which would cut unnecessary regulatory red tape that delays lower-cost biosimilars from coming to market — as we stand against any effort to dismantle Medicare negotiation piece by piece. — [National Law Review, P4AD Hidden Hand]
ICYMI: P4AD’s US v Pharma: Fighting to Protect Medicare Negotiation campaign has been named a finalist for the 2026 Anthem Awards! Selected from more than 2,500 submissions for its creative approach to making the fight for lower drug prices accessible to new audiences. Want to help us win? Vote here!