Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: The Social Contract That Keeps The Pharmaceutical Industry Functioning Is In Total Disrepair
Stat: Mending The Broken Social Contract For Pharma Pricing, Innovation
The biopharmaceutical industry is under unprecedented assault by the public and politicians. Hostility over launch prices for new drugs and post-launch price increases is broad and bipartisan, reflected in increasingly draconian legislative proposals and aggressive rebate payer negotiations. The net price of drugs — that’s the list price minus rebates and other reductions — is being squeezed, and the pressure won’t let up. (James C. Robinson, 3/13)
Bloomberg: A Coronavirus Treatment Worth Watching
As the coronavirus crisis has unfolded, we’ve seen a a flood of announcements from drug companies touting potential treatments for the still incurable disease. Many have come from biotechnology companies that have never successfully developed a drug, let alone purpose-built one for an outbreak. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s announcement Tuesday that its development efforts are ahead of schedule — so much so that it may be able to start human trials in early summer — is an exception that should provoke measured optimism. (Max Nisen, 3/17)
Fox News: Coronavirus Shows Why You Don't Want Price Controls During A Pandemic
The World Health Organization has declared the novel coronavirus a global pandemic, with more than 118,000 confirmed cases worldwide. As countries brace for the worst, people around the world are looking to the United States for a drug that can prevent or cure the disease. The world is right to put its hope in American scientists. Our country leads the world in drug development and has the best shot at delivering a rapid medical breakthrough. (Sally Pipes, 3/17)
Deseret News: Poll: 1 In 4 Utahns Impacted By Drug Costs
After contracting a virus as a baby, 14-year-old Kaden was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.“Just to keep our buddy alive, it’s pretty expensive. And it doesn’t need to be. It shouldn’t have to be this way,” said Laura Finch, Kaden’s mom. But families like the Finches are getting a little help from Utah legislators, with Tuesday’s unanimous Senate passage of a bill to make insulin more accessible. (Imlay, 3/10)
