Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Administration's Rule Requiring Drug Prices Be Shown In TV Ads Does Not Get Warm Welcome At Appeals Court
The Hill: Appeals Court Skeptical Of Trump Rule On TV Drug Ads
The Trump administration urged a federal appeals court Monday to overturn that ruling, arguing it has the authority under the law to run the Medicare and Medicaid programs efficiently. The health care programs for the elderly and the poor paid about $240 billion for prescription drugs in 2016. (Hellmann, 1/13)
Modern Healthcare: Rule Requiring Drug Prices In TV Ads Meets Skepticism On Appeal
A Trump administration attorney argued that Congress implicitly gave HHS authority to require list price disclosure to ensure the "efficient administration" of Medicare and Medicaid. Ethan Davis of the U.S. Justice Department said that drug prices are a significant cost for the CMS, so lowering those costs would help the programs run more efficiently. But three D.C. Circuit judges appeared to disagree during oral arguments. Congress did not explicitly mention regulating TV advertisements for prescription drugs in the law in question. (Cohrs, 1/13)
The Wall Street Journal: Drugmakers Test New Ways To Pay For Six-Figure Treatments
Drugmakers are experimenting with new ways to get paid for their most expensive medicines, as resistance to escalating prices builds and the collection and analysis of patient data improves. Now that six-figure price tags are common, drug companies are finding creative ways to get reimbursed, from installment plans and subscriptions to more complex value-based contracts that tie payment to when a drug helps a patient. (Hopkins, 1/13)
Stat: High Cost Of MS Medicines Forcing Patients To Take 'Drastic Actions'
The high cost of multiple sclerosis treatments has forced 40% of patients to take “drastic actions” and alter their use of the medicines, such as cutting back or skipping dosages altogether. And many report the financial burden is not only hurting their lifestyle, but impairing their ability to save for retirement or college for their children, a new survey found. For instance, 14% reported they switched to a generic, despite being satisfied with their existing treatment; 12% stopped using their medication for a period of time; 9% skipped or delayed filling a prescription; and 8% took less of their medicine than prescribed, according to the survey by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. (Silverman, 1/13)
Stat: AstraZeneca Fish Oil Drug Fails, Leaving Amarin As Last Drug Standing
AstraZeneca (AZN) said Monday that it would stop a large clinical study of a fish-oil-derived heart drug, Epanova, after an independent committee concluded it was “unlikely to demonstrate a benefit to patients.” The news removes the most likely competitor for Vascepa, the first heart drug derived from fish oil to be approved to reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and hospitalizations due to heart problems in patients with high levels of triglycerides. (Herper, 1/13)
Reuters: Novartis To Speed Access To $10 Billion Heart Drug Via NHS Deal
Novartis and Britain's National Health Service (NHS) on Monday announced a pact that will clear the way for accelerated review by the country's health watchdog NICE for heart drug inclisiran, which could make it broadly available as soon as 2021. Novartis hopes the NHS deal will boost sales of cholesterol-lowering inclisiran, which the Swiss drugmaker bought in a deal announced last year for nearly $10 billion (£7.70 billion) and predicts will be a top seller. (1/13)
