Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Sham Drug Prices Hearing Gives Progressives The Floor To Air Grievances With Leadership, Poke Fun At Pharma
Stat: Pharma CEOs Didn’t Show Up For A Scolding. So Progressives Shadowboxed
“Is Heather Bresch here?” The mock roll call from Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) was orchestrated largely in jest. In front of him stood six empty shares and an empty table, topped by six nameplates without faces to match. Bresch, the CEO of the generic drug maker Mylan, was not there. Nor were the other five pharmaceutical industry executives who progressive lawmakers had “invited” to testify, and whose names Pocan called out to be met by silence and snickers from a room of left-leaning drug pricing advocates. (Facher, 6/20)
Stat: After A Pharma Lobbying Blitz, Congress Softens Legislation On Drug Patents
Pharmaceutical companies appear to have succeeded in watering down legislation that would have made it harder for them to protect their medicines by accumulating patents — the latest win for the industry in Congress. The legislation was aimed at patent “thickets,” in which drug makers obtain a large number of patents to extend their pricing monopoly on any given medicine. The legislation is still in flux. (Florko, 6/21)
And in other pharmaceutical news —
Reuters: Merck CEO Sees Legal Challenge If U.S. Adopts Drug Pricing Based On Other Countries
Merck & Co Chief Executive Ken Frazier said on Thursday a rule to base the price the U.S. government pays for some prescription drugs in it Medicare program on lower prices in other countries would face legal challenges if adopted. U.S. President Donald Trump said last year that one way his administration would seek to lower drug costs to consumers could be through an international pricing index (IPI) that would determine what Medicare pays for certain medicines based on the prices set in a handful of other countries. A proposed version of the rule is expected in August. (6/20)
Stat: Europe Launches A Sweeping Effort To Study Drug Safety In Pregnancy
Drug companies, politicians, hospitals, doctors, and patients all agree that there isn’t nearly enough information about whether a given medicine is safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women to use or whether it will work. A sweeping new effort in Europe aims to change that by bringing all of those groups together to address a public health issue they say demands urgent attention. (Thielking, 6/21)
Modern Healthcare: Joint Commission Unveils Antibiotic Stewardship Programs For Outpatient Settings
The Joint Commission will now require ambulatory care centers to have antimicrobial stewardship programs to maintain accreditation. The new standards, which will go into effect Jan. 1, will impact outpatient facilities that "routinely prescribe antimicrobial medications," according to a commission report. The requirements are in line with similar standards the Joint Commission has for hospitals and nursing homes. Antimicrobial stewardship programs are used to mitigate antibiotic misuse which leads to antibiotic resistance. The CMS requires hospitals and nursing homes to have such programs for Medicare participation. (Castellucci, 6/20)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Pneumonia Signs And Treatment: New FDA Approval For Baxdela
The Food and Drug Administration has accepted a supplemental New Drug Application for pneumonia drug Baxdela. Baxdela, or delafloxacin, comes from Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. Its new priority review status from the FDA could expand treatment to include Baxdela for adult patients with community-acquired bacterial pneumonia. (Pirani, 6/20)
