Latest News | Sep 9, 2018

The Week in Review in Prescription Drug Pricing

Crazy rich drug companies. DIY hospital drugs. A California Congresswoman in Big Pharma’s pocket.

Welcome to the week in review in prescription drug pricing.

1. Crazy Rich Drug Companies

These families banded together to raise money for research into a new medication for cystinosis. But then they were priced out of the resulting drug. — (The Daily Beast) 

2. August brought hot temps and high drug prices…

A new analysis by Wells Fargo showed drug corporations raised prices on 60 drugs in August. The median hike? 9.9 percent. Seven drugs saw a 100 percent gouge. #becausetheycan — (Axios)

3. We oppose the re-election of California Congresswoman Anna Eshoo

In California, a mom with multiple sclerosis can’t afford her medications. When a congresswoman does the industry’s bidding, Californians and Americans are harmed. — (P4AD Now)

4. Hospital drugs DIY

Fed up with shortages and rising costs, a not-for-profit organization is working to produce 14 generic drugs in hopes that the hospitals will pass on that savings to patients. — (Forbes

5.  Presidential tweets will not lower drug prices

While some manufacturers said that they are not planning on raising the prices of their drugs, others are unphased by the president’s tweets. Idea: Let Medicare negotiate. — (Forbes)

It’s Labor Day weekend, so you’re probably grilling and thinking about how Delaware outlawed gag clauses. Also, the Midterms are quickly becoming a referendum on drug prices.

1. Hattie’s Story

Hattie Saltzman, who lives with type 1 diabetes, grew tired of having to skip doses of insulin and splitting prescriptions with her dad for her life-sustaining medications. So she took a stand on national TV.  — (TODAY

2Prices to be included on drug ads — but which prices?  

It’s a little confusing. — (Forbes)

3. Gagged no more

Delaware is the latest state to make sure pharmacists can tell patients when it’s cheaper to pay cash to buy prescriptions than use insurance. A new law eliminates so-called “gag clauses,” the shady provisions written into pharmacy contracts by PBMs that forbid pharmacists from sharing this info. — (Delaware State News)

4. What’s the deal with rebates?

Patients For Affordable Drugs shared drug pricing principles on a proposed end to rebates in Medicare Part D in a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar. — (P4AD

5. Midterms: a referendum on drug prices for seniors

Seniors and all Americans hurt and angered by rising prescription drug prices are primed to vote on the issue in the Midterms. Here are four questions they should be asking candidates. — (AARP

BONUS shot — a PhRMA setback:

Political influence-peddler PhRMA is trying to knock down a monumental drug pricing transparency law in California, but a federal judge has tossed it out on procedural grounds — for now.  Multiple sclerosis patient Victoria Stuessel played a role in the passage of the measure. — (NYT)

A dying patient records a message to a drug company CEO. Pharma middlemen royally rip us off. States revolt over drug costs.

Welcome to the week in review in prescription drug pricing!

1. “I’m dying and you could save me right now.”

Cystic fibrosis patient Lora Moser faced $15,000 co-pays for a drug she fundraised to create. So she sent a YouTube message to the CEO of drugmaker Vertex from her hospital bed. — (KXAN

2. A patient with Parkinson’s gets real about drug costs

Stahis Panagides, who lives with Parkinson’s, sat down with AARP to discuss difficulties affording 23 different medications every day. His family’s medical costs, including prescription drugs, add up to $23,000 a year. — (AARP

3. Ripped off

Here’s why a patient who needed a stroke medication paid a $285 copay for a $40 drug. — (PBS)

4. Show us the receipts!

The Trump administration says its drug blueprint has already lowered prices, but we aren’t seeing it yet. Here’s why: — (The Washington Examiner)

5. Moving on up

Twenty-four states have passed 37 bills to help lower the cost of painfully high drug prices. As states rush to rein in prescription costs, Big Pharma keeps fighting to maintain the status quo. — (NYT)

A young man with diabetes loses his life to pharmaceutical greed. The EpiPen gets a generic in the midst of a frightening shortage. And a little boy begs Vertex Pharmaceuticals for his life.

Welcome to the week in review in prescription drug pricing.

1. Insulin prices killed him

We need lower prices now or the body count will continue to rise. —(NBC)

2. Ohio to drug industry middlemen: You’re fired

Ohio Department of Medicaid is firing pharmacy benefit managers, citing millions of dollars in taxpayer waste. Will other states follow suit? — (The Columbus Dispatch)

3. Governors have ideas

The National Governors Association has released a report on how states should lower drug prices. States have been much more active in passing drug pricing reform than federal lawmakers. — (STAT)

4. The FDA does its job

We’re happy about the approval of a generic EpiPen. Let’s hope it’s affordable. — (NYT

5. A little boy begs Vertex Pharmaceuticals for his life

Luis, 8, wants the Boston-based drugmaker Vertex Pharmaceuticals to lower the price of his cystic fibrosis medicine, so he can stay out of the hospital. But the drug corporation is playing hardball in the U.K. — (STAT)

“Justice Dept. Investigating Claims That Drug Companies Funded Terrorism in Iraq.” That’s an actual headline in The New York Times this week. Also, Congress pushes for Medicare negotiations and an eye-opening look at patent games that cost patients.

Welcome to the week in review in prescription drug pricing.

1. Deep pockets, dark motives

After squeezing America for more profits, PhRMA’s reached into its deep pockets and pulled out piles of cash to throw at political activities. — (NYT

2. Let Medicare negotiate

Claire McCaskill says it will save $3 billion. Mark Meadows says he’s having conversations about the policy change. Medicare negotiations get another look. — (Washington Examiner & The Hill)

3. Investigation underway

The Justice Department is investigating claims that Big Pharma money was used to underwrite terrorism in Iraq. –– (NYT

4. Big Pharma, sky-high profit margins

The most disliked industry in America is the most profitable sector in health care. — (Axios)

5. Overpatented, overpriced

From the patent activists over at I-MAK, a new report that shows how excessive pharmaceutical patenting is extending monopolies and driving up drug prices. — (I-MAK)

Big Pharma CEOs are flush with cash. A bill that would help patients afford medicine clears a key hurdle. A mother’s desperation to afford her daughter’s insulin goes viral.

Welcome to the Week in Review in drug pricing.

1. It’s all about the Benjamins ?

Case study: Jeffrey Leiden of Vertex used charity dollars to create the drugs that are now priced out of reach for thousands of cystic fibrosis sufferers. He made $78.5 million in 2017. — (Axios)

2. Donald, Bernie, and 92% of Americans Agree

Let. Medicare. Negotiate. It will lower drug prices and benefit us all. — (STAT

3. As soon as dad turns his back…

Pharma’s going to raise its prices again. — (The Washington Post)

4. The story behind one mom’s call for help to afford insulin

Doreen Rudolph tweeted that she is desperate to help her daughter afford insulin. It went viral because the public wants lower drug prices now. But GoFundMe is no way to pay for drugs.— (The Washington Post)

5. A small but important hurdle

Congress says it wants to lower drug prices. A gag clause ban is one of just a few bills to clear a key hurdle in the Senate.  — (STAT)

P.S.

We released a digital ad this week in support of Medicare negotiation.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

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)

Kim K blessing precedes price hikes. Transparency pays in Cali. And did we mention a new super duper PAC?

Welcome to the week in review in prescription drug pricing!

1. Just keeping up with the Kardashians’ drug sales

Kim K pushed a morning sickness pill, got a half mil, and the drugmaker bumped the list price. Oh, come on. — (STAT

2. Elsewhere in California…

The impact of a new drug pricing transparency law ripples throughout the land. — (Bloomberg

3. Pfizer thrashed, backtracks

Pfizer backed off of hikes because President Trump tweeted. Yeah, OK. But not exactly a long-term solution. — (NYT)

4. ? ? ?

Donut holes, medicare cliffs, and a shady PhRMA ad buy. — (STAT)

5. Look, ma, a patient-powered super PAC!

Patients revolt! — (NBC)