Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The Odd Silence From Patient Advocacy Groups On Drug Prices
The New York Times: Furor Over Drug Prices Puts Patient Advocacy Groups In Bind
Public anger over the cost of drugs has burned hot for a year, coursing through social media, popping up on the presidential campaign, and erupting in a series of congressional hearings, including one last week over the rising price of the allergy treatment EpiPen. But one set of voices has been oddly muted — the nation’s biggest patient advocacy groups. The groups wield multimillion-dollar budgets and influence on Capitol Hill, but they have been largely absent in the public debate over pricing. (Thomas, 9/27)
Stat: The Curious Case Of The $9,500 Skin Gel
Even in an age when prescription drugs are increasingly expensive, a $9,500 tube of gel to combat scaly skin can gain notice — especially when the price spikes 128 percent overnight. That’s what happened earlier this month when a little-known company called Novum Pharma suddenly hiked wholesale prices for all three of its dermatology products by whopping amounts. (Silverman, 9/23)
The Chicago Tribune: Chicago Pharma Company Draws Scrutiny For Raising Drug Prices Thousands Of Dollars
A Chicago-based pharmaceutical company that's selling skin medications for thousands of dollars is the latest to take heat in the nationwide furor over drug pricing. (Schencker, 9/26)
The Associated Press: Maryland Group Attacks High Cost Of Prescription Drugs
With EpiPens and other prescription drugs rising in cost, families who desperately need them but do not have health insurance are bearing a huge financial burden, according to community advocates. The Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative, a coalition of more than 1,200 religious, labor, business and policy groups seeking quality and affordable health care, wants the state legislature to address that financial burden by overhauling some of the laws governing drug pricing. (Escobar, 9/27)
Mercury News: CA Prescription Drug Measure Has Big, Early Lead
The California Drug Price Relief Act would require the state to pay no more for prescription drugs than the Department of Veterans Affairs pays for the same medication. The federal agency negotiates drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, paying on average one-quarter less for drugs than other government agencies. The poll shows support for Proposition 61 is broad-based. Subgroups of likely voters most in favor include Democrats, liberals, voters in the nine-county Bay Area and Los Angeles County, college graduates, those under age 30 and Latinos. (Seipel, 9/24)
Consumer Reports: Mail-Order Medications Are Appealing, But They Have Some Drawbacks
Does having your medication mailed to your door sound appealing? The discounts are often significant, especially for drugs that people take regularly, such as those for diabetes and high blood pressure. You might be able to order a three-month supply for a co-payment of just a few dollars. In some cases, you might be eligible to get generic medications with no co-pay at all, and free shipping. In addition, of course, there’s no need for you to go to a drugstore. (9/23)
Morning Consult: Klobuchar: Drug Price Reforms Have Many Potential Vehicles
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) on Monday laid out several paths forward for drug price legislation, though she said any movement could be dependent on a “trigger moment.” Possible vehicles, she said, include the prescription drug user fee agreement that must be passed next year, the 21st Century Cures Act, tax reform and reforms to the Affordable Care Act. Legislation could also pass as a package of pharmaceutical price reforms. (Owens, 9/26)
Des Moines Register: Still Reeling From EpiPen Scandal, Nurse Questions New Drug’s Sky-High Cost
Mylan raised EpiPen’s “to get filthy rich at the expense of our constituents,” [Maryland Representative Elijah] Cummings said. Their strategy was to “find an old cheap drug that has virtually no competition and raise the price over and over and over again as high as you can.” (Rood, 9/21)
