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 […]
Recent ICON Paper Points to Higher-Than Expected Impact of ICER Assessments
A recent paper by ICON suggests the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review's (ICER) drug assessments carry more weight in decision-making among payers than originally expected, according to an article published on Forbes. The white paper, titled "Industry Perceptions and Expectations: The Role […]
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 […]
Magill: Biopharma Must be Open to New Pathways
The biopharmaceutical industry should maintain its high standards for evidence and data, but should also be open to new pathways for evidence as interest in real-world evidence continues to grow, Aetion CEO Carolyn Magill writes in a recent article published on MedCity News. Magill points to the […]
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 […]
PhRMA Responds to OIG’s Rebate Proposal
PhRMA on Monday, April 8, submitted comments on the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General's proposed rule for addressing the current rebate system. The rule, "Removal of Safe Harbor Protection for Rebates Involving Prescription Pharmaceuticals and Creation of New Safe […]
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 […]
