Jefferson Health Accuses Drug Firms, PBMs Of Manipulating Insulin Prices
The large nonprofit health system, based in Philadelphia, is suing multiple companies, saying they colluded to raise the price of insulin, which in turn forced the health system to spend more on patient care. In separate statements, the three main PBMs at the center of the lawsuit — CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and Optum Rx — denied the allegations, Health Exec reported.
Health Exec:
Large Nonprofit Health System Sues PBMs, Drug Companies Over Insulin Prices
A large nonprofit health system based in Philadelphia has filed a lawsuit against multiple pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and drug companies, alleging they actively conspire to control the price of insulin, artificially increasing the price of the crucial hormone. In its Dec. 30 court filing, Jefferson Health said the alleged collusion caused it to spend more on patient care. The complaint comes shortly after the city of Philadelphia filed a similar lawsuit, alleging its public health insurance plan has suffered from the actions of drug manufacturers and the PBM middlemen, who set costs for medical plans looking to buy drugs for members. (Alstin, 1/8)
KRCG:
Missouri Lawmakers, Pharmacies Push For PBM Reform During 2026 Legislative Session
As Missouri lawmakers begin their new session, some say this year it's critical to pass legislation regulating pharmacy benefit managers. "I can tell you that if we don't get some sort of PBM reform taken care of this session, you're going to see a lot of independent pharmacies, like myself and anybody else in the area, that aren't going to be able to stay open," said Anthony Desha, owner of Flow's Pharmacy in Columbia and Summit Pharmacy in Holt's Summit. "This is going to create pharmacy deserts and healthcare deserts if something doesn't get changed." (Cummings, 1/8)
Modern Healthcare:
Pharmaceutical Care Management Association Names David Marin CEO
The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association has named David Marin as president and CEO, effective Jan. 20. Juan Carlos “JC” Scott, who had led the pharmacy benefit manager trade group since 2018, stepped down in November. PCMA Chief Government Affairs Officer Lucia Lebens then served as president and CEO for an interim period. (DeSilva, 1/8)
In other pharmaceutical industry news —
Bloomberg:
Merck In Talks To Buy Biotech Revolution Medicines, FT Says
Merck & Co. is in talks to acquire the cancer-focused biotech company Revolution Medicines Inc., according to a report in the Financial Times. The article comes one day after the Wall Street Journal reported that AbbVie Inc. was near a deal to buy Revolution. AbbVie said that story was inaccurate. The FT reported, citing a person familiar, that the price tag being discussed was between $28 billion and $32 billion. This would make it one of the biggest pharmaceutical deals since Pfizer Inc. bought Seagen Inc. for $43 billion in late 2023. (Muller, 1/8)
CIDRAP:
Study: 87% Of Primary Care Providers Say Drug Shortages Lower Quality Of Care
A research letter yesterday in JAMA Network Open highlights the high perceived prevalence of US drug shortages and the negative outcomes related to patient care, primary care practice, and physician well-being. (Soucheray, 1/8)
On science and research —
The Washington Post:
Scientists Find New Clues To Why Female Fertility Declines With Age
Scientists are making inroads in understanding one of the central mysteries of human reproduction: Why do women’s eggs deteriorate as they age? The broad strokes have been well-known — the ticking of a woman’s biological clock increases risk of miscarriage and infertility, often caused by eggs with the wrong number of chromosomes, the structures that carry DNA. Researchers who presented their work at the Fertility 2026 conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, say they have identified how the decline of a particular protein as women age could be a clue to the problem. (Johnson, 1/9)
Wyoming Public Radio:
Brain Chemistry Lab In Jackson Develops A Blood Test To Help Diagnose ALS
A nonprofit discovery lab in Teton County is developing a new rapid blood test to help diagnose ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. The in-the-works test can identify an ALS patient with 97% accuracy, according to the findings recently published by the team at Brain Chemistry Labs in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular Biology. (Habermann, 1/8)
WUSF:
Study Finds Cockroach Toxins May Help Drive Childhood Asthma
Researchers find that German cockroaches produce endotoxins that spread through household dust and air, amplifying allergic reactions and posing a hidden health risk in infested homes. (Levesque, 1/8)
The Guardian:
Alzheimer’s Therapies Should Target A Particular Gene, Researchers Say
New therapies for Alzheimer’s disease should target a particular gene linked to the condition, according to researchers who said most cases would never arise if its harmful effects were neutralised. The call to action follows the arrival of the first wave of drugs that aim to treat Alzheimer’s patients by removing toxic proteins from the brain. While the drugs slow the disease down, the benefits are minor, and they have been rejected for widespread use by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). (Sample, 1/9)
Stat:
Eli Lilly’s Zepbound, On Top Of Older Drug, Reduced Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms
Eli Lilly said Thursday that adding its weight loss drug Zepbound on top of its immunology therapy Taltz helped obese patients with an autoimmune condition that causes joint pain more than Taltz did alone. (Chen, 1/8)
