A recent Relentless Health Value podcast spotlights what could be in store for the pharmaceutical industry as the Department of Health and Human Services continues to work on its proposal to eliminate rebate payments to pharmacy benefit managers. The podcast features Kuo Tong, managing director of […]
Pharma Giants Join Blockchain Platform
Several major pharmaceutical companies have joined the MediLedger Project, a blockchain-powered platform aimed at addressing inefficiencies in the current supply chain, BlockPublisher reports. According to the report, Pfizer, McKesson, Amerisource Bergen Corporation and Premier Inc. have signed on […]
Activists Flock to PhRMA HQ
Some 200 activists on Monday, April 29, took to the streets outside PhRMA's Washington headquarters to protest the trade association's alleged role in blocking "Medicare for All," STAT reports. The protesters later made their way through the building's entrance, according to the report, plastering […]
Article: RWE Can Better Inform Policy Decisions
Real-world evidence (RWE) offers an "exciting opportunity" for drugmakers to make more informed decisions using robust data sets, McKesson's Sarah Alwardt writes in an article published on the American Journal of Managed Care. Recent guidance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Alwardt […]
Hospitals, Insurers Eye Drug Rebate Rule
Insurers and hospitals say the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should include in a recently-proposed rule some new requirements for pharmaceutical companies, Modern Healthcare reports. Organizations in response to the rule suggested that eliminating safe harbor for Medicare Part D […]
PBMs Testify Before Senate Finance Committee
Pharmacy benefit managers mostly dodged questions from policymakers during a Senate Finance Committee hearing Tuesday, STAT reports. However, Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) floated the possibility of legislative action. "Ranking member Wyden and I are committed to working on […]
Xarelto Ad with List Price Airs
Johnson & Johnson's new television ad for its blood thinner Xarelto hit the air March 29, becoming the first direct-to-consumer ad in the U.S. to feature the drug's list price, MM&M reports. The end of the advertisement includes the drug's list price ($448/month), as well as out-of-pocket […]
ICER White Paper Outlines Three Alternative Models for Pharma Rebates
A newly-released white paper by the Institute for Clinical and Economic (ICER), in partnership with the Office of Health Economics (OHE), offers a look at three potential alternative models for pharmaceutical rebates. The paper, "Value, Access, and Incentives for Innovation: Policy Perspectives on […]
Embattled Pharma Bolsters Lobbying Efforts Amid Pushback
As it continues to face widespread criticism and condemnation for high drug prices, the pharmaceutical industry is bolstering its lobbying efforts in Washington, according to a Bloomberg Government report. The political landscape, however, according to Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing spokesman […]
Sen. Durbin Slams Pharma Over Opioid Crisis
Sen. Dick Durbin during a Senate hearing on Thursday took the pharmaceutical industry to task over the ongoing opioid crisis, MedPage Today reports. Durbin pointed to a committee hearing several years ago in which it was disclosed the pharmaceutical industry sought permission to produce some 14 […]
