Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Flurry Of Movement On Capitol Hill On Drug Pricing May Signal Possible Rough Waters Ahead For Pharma
Stat: As Congress Returns, Lawmakers Rush To Detail Drug-Pricing Agendas
Chuck Grassley wasted little time this week in unveiling his drug-pricing agenda, attaching his name to a trio of bills that, as the new chair of the Senate Finance Committee, he is freshly empowered to advance. Grassley, an Iowa Republican, was among the many lawmakers who hurried to announce bills to lower drug costs, many of which have stalled in past sessions but that now enjoy renewed enthusiasm, as President Trump and Democrats on Capitol Hill continue their pharmaceutical industry focus. (Facher, 1/9)
The Hill: Grassley Says Not In Favor Of Government Negotiating With Companies On Drug Prices
The new Republican chairman of the Senate Finance Committee squashed Democratic hopes Wednesday of passing a proposal to allow the government to negotiate directly with drug companies to lower prescription drug prices. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) told reporters he would pursue legislation to lower drug prices, but will not pursue the Democratic proposal on negotiations. (Hellmann, 1/9)
The Washington Post: Drugmakers’ Alleged Scare Tactics May Hold Back Competition
Health care and government officials are growing concerned that the makers of the most advanced drug therapies are using scare tactics to ward off emerging generic versions of their products, a bid to protect profits that has enormous implications for the nation’s efforts to control health care costs. Doctors, drug companies and the nation’s top drug regulator say the companies that make costly name-brand biologic drugs, which are grown from living cells, are sowing doubt about the wisdom of switching to cheaper, unbranded versions of their medicines — even though the Food and Drug Administration has certified they are safe and effective. (Rowland, 1/9)
And —
Stat: Merck: There’s More To Our Business Than Keytruda. Really
Put this in the category of good problems to have: In its first four years on the market, Keytruda, made by Merck, has had the best sales launch in the history of cancer drugs. In the third quarter of 2018, Merck reported sales of $1.9 billion of the checkpoint inhibitor, 18 percent of the company’s total revenue. Keytruda sales have now surpassed those of Opdivo, a similar medicine from Bristol-Myers Squibb. According to projections collected by Evaluate Pharma and touted by Merck, full-year sales of Keytruda will approach $7 billion. (Herper, 1/9)
The Star Tribune: Sanford Health Joins Generic Drug Company
South Dakota-based Sanford Health is one of 12 health systems that have newly signed on with Civica Rx, a nonprofit generic drug company that was launched by philanthropists and hospital groups last year. The new health systems join Mayo Clinic and a number of large hospital groups across the country that created in September 2018 the new manufacturer in response to chronic shortages of certain key generic medications. (Snowbeck, 1/9)
