Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Sen. Warren Targets 'Broken' Generics Market In Effort To Curb High Drug Costs, But Experts Say Generics Aren't The Problem
The Hill: Warren Unveils Bill To Lower Drug Prices By Letting Government Manufacture Them
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Tuesday unveiled a bill aimed at lowering drug prices by allowing the government to step in and manufacture certain drugs that lack competition. The bill from Warren, who is considered a likely 2020 presidential contender, comes as Democrats are putting forward a range of new ideas on how to lower drug prices, a top priority for the public and an issue that President Trump has also highlighted. (Sullivan, 12/18)
Stat: Sen. Warren’s New Plan To Lower Prices: Have The Government Make Drugs
Warren plans to introduce a new bill, the Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act, Tuesday with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) that would mandate the creation of an Office of Drug Manufacturing, which would be tasked with ensuring generic drugs are available to consumers at accessible prices. Among the potential tools at the office’s disposal: making the drugs itself. The bill comes from two of the most liberal members of Congress and represents the latest and splashiest position Warren — whose name is already being bandied about as a 2020 presidential candidate — has taken on the issue of high drug prices. (Florko, 12/18)
In other pharmaceutical news —
Stat: Powerful Democrat Wants Pfizer To Explain Price Hikes For Lyrica
A powerful Senate Democrat is asking Pfizer to explain why it hiked the price of its nerve pain drug, Lyrica. And if Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has his way, more companies will soon be asked to account for their decisions to raise prices. A bottle of 90 Lyrica pills costs over $650 before rebates and discounts. In 2005, it cost $150, according to Elsevier’s Gold Standard Drug Database. (Florko, 12/19)
Stat: Novartis Unit Teams Up With Marijuana Producer, A Milestone For Pharma
In what appears to be a first for marijuana and a major pharmaceutical company, a Novartis subsidiary and a Canadian producer of medical cannabis products have agreed to market them around the world. Tilray Canada announced the agreement on Tuesday with Sandoz, a unit of Swiss-based Novartis that manufactures generic and biosimilar drugs. Under the deal, whose financial terms were not disclosed, Tilray and Sandoz will work together to supply and distribute non-smokable medical cannabis products. The companies will also co-brand and develop other products together. (Cooney, 12/18)
Prescription Drug Watch: For news on rising drug costs, check out our weekly roundup of news coverage and perspectives of the issue.
