The Unexpected Flip Side Of The Drug Cost Dilemma: Sometimes Prices Can Be So Low They Cause A Shortage

The Washington Post: Low Prices Of Some Lifesaving Drugs Make Them Impossible To Get
When Andrew Archuleta’s bladder cancer returned two years ago, his doctor prescribed periodic treatments of a powerful immunotherapy designed to stave off another recurrence. But the latest round, scheduled for May, was abruptly canceled because of a severe shortage of the drug. “I keep calling the clinic and saying, ‘Is my treatment still canceled?’ and they say, ‘Yes,’ ” said the 65-year-old Colorado resident. Now he fears the cancer might come back in an even more aggressive form, endangering his bladder — or even his life, if the disease were to spread. With his anxiety and blood pressure rising, he temporarily took Prozac. (McGinley, 6/18)

The New York Times: Drug Prices Are A Populist Campaign Issue. Here Are The Latest Proposals To Lower Costs.
It can be hard to find common ground in Washington these days, but furor over drug prices could be one exception. Many Americans continue to struggle to pay for the prescription medicines they need. And rising drug costs are a problem for insurers and taxpayers, too — treatments for some rare diseases are topping $2 million. As the presidential election heats up, politicians from both parties are eager to show they are doing something about a hot populist issue, and bipartisan solutions are beginning to take shape. (Thomas, 6/16)

The Washington Post: As Price Of Insulin Soars, Americans Caravan To Canada For Lifesaving Medicine
As their minivan rolled north, they felt their nerves kick in — but they kept on driving. At the wheel: Lija Greenseid, a rule-abiding Minnesota mom steering her Mazda5 on a cross-border drug run. Her daughter, who is 13, has Type 1 diabetes and needs insulin. In the United States, it can cost hundreds of dollars per vial. In Canada, you can buy it without a prescription for a tenth of that price. (Rauhala, 6/16)

Vox: House Democrats’ Internal Feud Over Prescription Drug Prices, Explained
The United States has some of the highest prescription drug prices in the world, and this summer, Democratic House leadership will unveil a plan to fix that — though questions remain about just how effective this measure will be. Reducing prescription drug prices was a key plank of House Democrats’ platform during the 2018 midterms. More than six months into their term, however, a concrete bill has yet to emerge from House leadership on the subject, and early excerpts Speaker Nancy Pelosi has floated have spurred progressive concern. (Zhou, 6/17)

Stat: There's A Fight Brewing In Congress Over Pharma's Patents 
There’s a fight brewing over legislation meant to rein in the over-patenting of drugs. Drug makers are trying to gut a bill from Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) that would open up drug makers to Federal Trade Commission lawsuits when they’re suspected of product hopping (where drug makers introduce a new, slightly tweaked version of a drug to thwart competition) and patent thicketing (where drug makers file dozens or even hundreds of patents on a single drug to keep competitors off the market well beyond the exclusivity period awarded by the FDA). (Florko, 6/18)

CBS News: 1 In 10 Americans Skipping Doses As Prescription Drug Prices Rise 
A group of Democratic senators this week introduced the Affordable Medications Act, legislation that aims to cut prescription drug prices. Rising costs are a big issue for patients like Maryanne Perry, who depends on a prescription inhaler for her chronic lung disease (COPD). "Climbing a flight of stairs, by the time you get up you're literally huffing and puffing and gasping for air," Perry said. (Lapook, 6/14)

Stat: One-Quarter Of People With Diabetes In The U.S. Ration Their Insulin 
In the latest indication of how some people are struggling to afford their medicines, a new survey finds that 18% of people who have diabetes around the world rationed their insulin at least once last year, but this occurred among nearly 26% of people with diabetes in the U.S. And while 70% reported having some coverage for their costs, two-thirds noted they have no financial support for the remaining out-of-pocket costs. In the U.S., 89% of people with diabetes had health care coverage, but 79% had no other form of assistance. Just 5.5% received government assistance, according to the survey by T1 International, a patient advocacy group that focuses on Type 1 diabetes. (Silverman, 6/19)

Stat: Bluebird's Gene Therapy Will Cost $1.8 Million. Cue The Price Debate 
Bluebird Bio (BLUE) won’t be selling the world’s most expensive drug. The second priciest? Yup. Zynteglo, the one-and-done gene therapy for beta thalassemia newly approved in Europe, will carry a price tag of $1.8 million, Bluebird announced Friday. Only Zolgensma, the Novartis gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy, is priced higher, at $2.1 million. The companies offering gene replacement treatments for rare diseases have all faced criticism about the ultra-premium pricing. All have justified the high cost of their therapies, claiming that these potentially curative medicines save patients, insurers, and the overall healthcare system money by reducing overall cost of medical expenses over time. (Feuerstein, 6/14)

NPR: How Florida's Plan To Import Medicine From Canada Could Work
In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill last week that, if federal authorities give it their go-ahead — still a very big if — would allow his state to import prescription drugs from Canada. That makes Florida the third state to pass such a law, joining Vermont and Colorado. More such legislative attempts are in the works. "There have been 27 different bills proposed across the country this year," says Trish Riley, the executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy. "I think that it's an approach that makes sense to states. It's something they can do now to help their citizens." (Simmons-Duffin, 6/18)

KCUR: ACLU: Missouri Inmates Are Dying While Awaiting Hepatitis C Treatments 
Missouri prison authorities have offered an effective cure for chronic hepatitis C to only 15 of the 4,590 inmates who have been diagnosed with the viral infection. That’s according to the ACLU of Missouri, which sought an emergency court order Monday to force the Missouri Department of Corrections and its medical provider, Corizon LLC, to begin testing and treating inmates with the condition. (Margolies, 6/18)

Cincinnati Enquirer: Viagra Insurance: Cincinnati Retirees Sue To Keep Coverage
Retired city workers sued in federal court Monday to stop Cincinnati from ending insurance coverage for their Viagra prescriptions. The move comes less than two weeks after City Manager Patrick Duhaney notified City Council that he planned to eliminate coverage of erectile dysfunction medication in hopes of saving about $425,000 a year. (Horn, 6/17)

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Costs, Stigma Keep HIV Drug Truvada Out Of Hands Of Those Who Need It Most
Gilead Sciences, the maker of the PrEP pill Truvada, has raised the price by 45% since the drug received FDA approval for preventing HIV infection six years ago, according to an article in the online journal Healthline. Currently, a month’s supply costs between $1,600 and $2,000 without insurance. Facing mounting criticism, in May, Gilead agreed to donate Truvada to up to 200,000 uninsured people a year until 2025., according to a CNBC story. (Washington, 6/14)

Health News Florida: Insurance Companies Adopting Policies That Make Medications Unaffordable For Patients
[Lauren Kilgore] Her husband had always used a $12,000 copay card from the drug manufacturer to pay for his medication. The insurance company would apply the payment to their $6,500 deductible, helping them meet their out-of-pocket obligation for the year. But this time, the pharmacy said the payment could not be used toward their deductible. They would have to pay their entire deductible before the pharmacy would fill the medication again. (Ochoa, 6/13)

Stat: With Eyes On Gilead, Lawmakers Want Details On How HHS Reviews Possible Patent Infringement
A pair of lawmakers has asked the Government Accountability Office to review how the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services manages patents and licenses for medicines that were discovered, at least in part, with taxpayer dollars. The move by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) follows a ruckus over a pricey Gilead Sciences (GILD) pill for treating and preventing HIV and the role federal government may have played in discovering the medicine, which is called Truvada. (Silverman, 6/18)

The Wall Street Journal: Merck Seeks More Deals
Merck is searching for small and midsize deals, including more transactions aimed at expanding its portfolio of cancer treatments beyond the company’s top-selling product Keytruda, according to people familiar with the matter. Merck has been buying cancer drugmakers with promising therapies and technologies. This month, Merck bought Tilos Therapeutics Inc. for $773 million. In May, it agreed to acquire Peloton Therapeutics Inc. for $1.1 billion. (Hopkins, 6/19)

Stat: Pfizer Spends $11.4B To Buy Array BioPharma For Its Cancer Drug Chemistry
Pfizer said Monday morning that it will spend $11.4 billion in cash to purchase Array BioPharma, a Boulder, Colo.-based biotech known not only for developing its own medicines but as being a top choice among biotechnology firms that need to synthesize new drugs. Pfizer said it will keep Array open as a new research site for the company.The deal values Array at $48 in cash per share. Array shares rose 60% to $47.40 in pre-market trading; Pfizer shares dipped 0.1% to $47.20. (Herper, 6/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Growth Is Worth Paying Up For At Pfizer
A fact of life for health-care companies, as well as patients: Good health care costs money. Pfizer is paying more than $10 billion in cash to acquire Array BioPharma , ARRY 56.94% a biotech focused on developing cancer treatments. That is more than a 60% premium to last Friday’s closing price. And since Array generated just $35 million in product sales in its most recent quarter, Pfizer said Monday it doesn’t expect the deal to add to earnings until 2022. S&P Global Ratings said Monday it expects to lower Pfizer’s credit rating to AA- when the deal closes later this year. (Charley Grant, 6/17)

Reuters: GSK Pharma Head Flags Need For Speed In High-Pressure Drug Market
Doing things one at a time in drug development is not a luxury that GlaxoSmithKline can afford any longer, the head of pharmaceuticals at Britain's largest drugmaker told Reuters. Luke Miels, who joined GSK in September 2017 after a contract dispute with his former employer AstraZeneca, said picking the most promising projects and developing them quickly now takes precedence over spreading the risk of failure. (6/17)