Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
After Maryland's 'Price Gouging' Bill Was Struck Down, New Hampshire Left Its Measure For Dead. Can It Be Resurrected?
Stat: A Court Struck Down A Ban On Pharma ‘Price Gouging.’ One State Wants To Revive It — And Others Could Follow
In one of their first acts of 2020, state lawmakers will attempt to bring a vanquished bill back from the dead. Lawmakers in New Hampshire next month are set to consider a proposed ban on generic drug “price gouging” — the latest in a series of attempts by statehouses to tackle prescription drug costs. But as most state legislatures around the country pursue new, aggressive ideas to lower drug prices, the Granite State is revisiting a bill largely left for dead after a federal court struck down Maryland’s version two years ago. (Facher, 1/16)
And more pharmaceutical news coming out of JP Morgan's Health Conference —
Stat: Regeneron’s Yancopoulos Is Bitter Over Praluent. Can Novartis Do Better?
George Yancopoulos, Regeneron Pharma’s top scientist, is still a bit bitter about the commercial flop of its cholesterol-lowering PCSK9 inhibitor Praluent. At an event on the sidelines of J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Tuesday, he also threw a tiny bit of shade at Novartis, which believes it can do better with a longer-acting PCSK9 inhibitor it acquired through the $10 billion buyout of The Medicines Company. (Feuerstein, 1/15)
Stat: Verily Tangos With A Health Tech Partner — And Steps On A Few Toes
Verily was one of the most-talked-about debutants at this year’s J.P. Morgan ball. For the first time in its five-year history, the Alphabet life sciences spinout presented to some of the 9,000 health care executives and investors who descended upon Union Square, and Verily’s mercurial CEO, Andy Conrad, faced pressure both to impress and entertain. (Brodwin, 1/16)
