Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Philadelphia Transit Agency Sues Gilead Sciences To Challenge Sovaldi's Price Tag
Los Angeles Times: Philadelphia Transit System Sues Gilead Sciences Over $1,000-A-Pill Drug
Philadelphia’s transit system is taking on Gilead Sciences Inc. over its sky-high pricing of the breakthrough hepatitis C drug Sovaldi. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority alleged in a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court in Philadelphia that Gilead is engaging in “price gouging” by charging $1,000 a pill, or $84,000 for a standard 12-week treatment. (Pfeifer, 12/11)
The Washington Post's Wonkblog: A New Lawsuit Claims $84,000 Is Way Too Much For This Lifesaving Drug
The federal lawsuit from Philadelphia's public transit agency appears to be the first directly challenging the price of Sovaldi, which costs $84,000 overall during a normal 12-week course of treatment in the United States. Since Gilead Sciences launched Sovaldi last year, the drug has shattered sales records and set off a contentious debate about how to make treatments affordable and accessible while also encouraging drugmakers to invest in new drug development. (Millman, 12/11)
In other pharmaceutical industry news -
The Wall Street Journal: Jury Trial Fails To Resolve Questions Over Access To Generic Drugs
A closely watched trial that many hoped would help clarify a contentious battle over access to generic drugs instead ended in disappointment last week. In fact, the outcome only seems to have underscored the difficulty in sorting out so-called pay-to-delay deals, a topic that has embroiled the pharmaceutical industry, regulators and the courts for years. (Silverman, 12/11)
