Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Supreme Court Set To Hear Patent Case That Could Leave Mark On Drug Price Landscape
STAT: Why An Obscure Supreme Court Case Is A Big Deal For Prescription Drugs
How the nation’s highest court rules in a case that, on its face, has nothing to do with prescription drugs could, nonetheless, leave a big mark on medicine. Oral arguments in the case, to be heard Monday, come as a huge majority of Americans say medicines are not affordable and drug costs have become a major issue in the 2016 presidential race. (Scott, 4/22)
Los Angeles Times: In Search Of Fair Drug Prices
When CVS Health in February began taking over pharmacy operations at more than 1,600 Target stores, CVS Pharmacy President Helena Foulkes called the changeover "an important milestone." "Our heart is in every prescription we fill, and providing accessible, supportive and personalized healthcare is part of our DNA," she said. Accessible, supportive, personalized — those are all good things. But noticeably missing from Foulkes' list of consumer-friendly DNA components was this: affordable pricing. (Lazarus, 4/22)
Kaiser Health News: More Exchange Plans Offer Patients Easier Access To Some Expensive Drugs: Report
Some people with cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis have better access to high-cost specialty drugs in marketplace plans this year, yet a significant proportion of these plans still place many expensive drugs in cost-sharing categories that require the highest patient out-of-pocket costs, according to a new analysis. The report by Avalere Health examined how silver-level plans handled 20 classes of medications that are used to treat complex and expensive diseases such as HIV, cancer, hepatitis C and bipolar disorder. (Andrews, 4/22)
And in industry news from Valeant and Sarepta —
The Wall Street Journal: Valeant Finalizing Contract With Perrigo’s Joseph Papa As Next CEO
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. is finalizing a contract to name Perrigo Co. Chief Executive Joseph Papa as its next CEO, hoping a fresh face and an experienced pharmaceutical-industry boss will calm nervous investors. Valeant has reached a contract deal with Mr. Papa and had aimed to announce as soon as next week that he would succeed longtime chief Michael Pearson, according to people familiar with the matter. (Rockoff, Benoit and Hoffman, 4/21)
The Wall Street Journal: Sarepta’s Shares Drop After FDA Casts More Doubts On Proposed Drug
Sarepta Therapeutics Inc.’s share price was nearly cut in half Thursday after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration further questioned the efficacy of the company’s drug candidate to treat a fatal form of muscular dystrophy. Sarepta is seeking approval to sell eteplirsen as a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a condition that destroys muscles and frequently kills patients by their 30s. The disease, which has no effective treatments, affects roughly one in every 3,500 boys world-wide. (Steele, 4/21)
