ICYMI: PhRMA ’s Ubl pens op-ed on IP waiver for COVID-19 technologies
Member states of the World Trade Organization (WTO) recentlyagreed to a waiver of intellectual property (IP) protections for COVID-19 vaccines as part of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement. Included in thisunnecessary and harmful decision, countries were given six months to decide whether to expand the waiver to COVID-19 treatments and diagnostics. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 15, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Megan Van Etten Tags: Intellectual Property Vaccines Coronavirus Source Type: news
Putting patients first at the state level — A conversation with Mark Reisenauer, President of Astellas Pharma US
Our industry continues working to improve patient access and affordability for medicines at the state level. I recently had the opportunity to connect with PhRMA board member Mark Reisenauer, President of Astellas Pharma US. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 14, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Scott LaGanga Tags: Economic Impact Out-of-Pocket Costs Policy Solutions Source Type: news
ICYMI: Increase in drug-resistant superbugs during COVID-19 highlights need for policy reforms to address antimicrobial resistance
A newreport released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows the number of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections rose dramatically during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. After years of decline, these drug-resistant infections – often referred to as “superbugs” – caused a 15% increase in hospitalizations and deaths in 2020 alone. Antibiotic and antifungal medicines are critical to the everyday practice of medicine, yet many of our existing medicines may soon no longer be enough. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 14, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Research and Development Coronavirus Antimicrobial Resistance Source Type: news
Polling continues to show voters reject so-called Medicare “negotiation” once they learn about consequences for patients
As policymakers race to pass government price setting policies, it ’s important to examine true public sentiment around such proposals. Voters have made clear that theydo not support policies such as so-called Medicare “negotiation” once they learn how these policies threaten patient access and future innovation. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 12, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Tom Wilbur Tags: Medicare Policy Solutions Polling Government Price Setting Source Type: news
Biomarkers and surrogate endpoints are critical tools for drug development
We are committed to engaging a wide range of audiences and having a dialogue on opportunities to create a better health care system. We believe health literacy can not only help patients make appropriate decisions about their own health but also help enable constructive conversations on how we can support a regulatory and policy environment that helps patients access life-saving medications. In this ongoing series, we are choosing to spotlight terms fundamental to the biopharmaceutical ecosystem and illustrate their significance in promoting innovation and timely patient access to medicines. This week, we are taking a look...
Source: The Catalyst - July 11, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Matthew Norawong Tags: Research and Development FDA PDUFA Source Type: news
Patients win as West Virginia implements first-in-nation share the savings policy
West Virginia took a big step towards making insurance work like it should last week. As of July 1,thanks to bipartisan state legislation passed and signed by the Governor in 2021, insurers and their pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are required to share the savings they negotiate on medicines directly with West Virginia patients. This makes the Mountain State the first in the nation to answer the question:If health insurance companies and middlemen don ’t pay the full price for medicines, why are you? (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 8, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Reid Porter Tags: Health Insurance Out-of-Pocket Costs Pharmacy Benefit Managers Policy Solutions Source Type: news
By the Numbers: Patients lose when the government sets prices
Yet again, Congress is considering harmful drug pricing policies with complete disregard for the negative impact they will have on patients and our economy. At the same time, they are continuing to enable insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to take advantage of the system by shifting more and more out-of-pocket costs to patients. Instead of addressing a broken insurance system, the most recent proposal doubles down on sweeping government price-setting policies that will threaten patient access to future medicines and innovations. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 8, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Drug Cost Policy Solutions Government Price Setting Source Type: news
COVID-19 vaccines and treatments helped save millions of lives and billions in health care costs
As the world braves year three of the COVID-19 pandemic and confronts a virus that continues to evolve and challenge us, we ’ve come a long way in how we combat this ongoing threat. Since the start of this pandemic, vaccine manufacturers have produced more than 14 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses and built capacity to vaccinate everyone in the world. That’s quite the feat considering where we started – at zero – ju st over two years ago. These innovations have also resulted in greater efficiencies within the health care system – benefiting our economy through billions in cost savings. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 7, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: John Corea Tags: Research and Development Economic Impact Coronavirus Source Type: news
3 things voters are concerned about when it comes to their health care coverage
A recentIpsos/PhRMA survey of more than 2,500 registered voters paints a clear picture of health care issues that keep them up at night: insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs. Voters voice challenges affording the out-of-pocket costs set by their health insurance plans, and their concerns grow once they learn more about how insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) impact health care access and affordability. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 7, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Cynthia Hicks Tags: Health Insurance Out-of-Pocket Costs Pharmacy Benefit Managers Polling Source Type: news
Prescription drug prices are not fueling inflation
Inflation is causing pain for people across the country. As policymakers search for ways to help provide relief, some are erroneously tying inflation to prescription medicines. To make matters worse, this false premise is being used to build support for harmful policies. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 6, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Sarah Sutton Tags: Drug Cost Source Type: news
Counterfeit pills on social media are a stark reminder of how importation schemes could further threaten patient lives
Last month, as part of efforts to advance legislation reauthorizing the critical U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) user fee agreements, the Senate HELP Committee included a dangerous proposal that would allow importation of potentially unsafe and counterfeit drugs into the United States. Importation schemes could directly undermine the safety and security of America ’s prescription drug supply. This runs counter to the FDA’s goal of protecting and advancing public health and would threaten the agency’s continued ability to ensure patient access to safe and effective medicines. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 6, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Gabby Migliara Tags: Counterfeit Drugs Importation Drug Importation Source Type: news
ICYMI: Antimicrobial resistance spotlighted as growing public health threat
On June 28, PhRMA Chief Operating Officer Lori Reilly joined Executive Director of CARB-X, Kevin Outterson, Esq., and Interim Secretariat Lead of the Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) R&D Hub, Dr. Ralf Sudbark in a discussion about the changes that are needed to combat the threat of AMR. The conversation occurred atForeign Policy ’sGlobal Health Forum. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - July 6, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Coronavirus Antimicrobial Resistance Source Type: news
340B program remains second largest federal drug program, yet little solid evidence of benefits to patient
Over the three decades since Congress created the 340B drug pricing program, we ’ve seen massive growth in its size. As a program meant to serve vulnerable patients, this sounds great, right? The problem is we’ve seen little to no evidence patients are benefiting from this growth or even the program itself. Instead, large hospital systems, for-profit pharmacies and other mi ddlemen have co-opted 340B – a program meant to help patients – and turned it into a profit center. At the same time, the program creates incentives thatdrive up costs for all of us. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - June 30, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: 340B Source Type: news
Copay assistance is a lifeline for patients. So why are insurers blocking it?
In today ’s broken insurance system, patients too often pay more for a medicine than what their insurance company pays. (Source: The Catalyst)
Source: The Catalyst - June 29, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: Health Insurance Patient Assistance Programs Out-of-Pocket Costs Source Type: news
Study after study after study: Contract pharmacy expansion not aligned in communities 340B is meant to serve
Evidence continues to show that 340B hospitals and their contract pharmacies are often not helping patients access their medicines, especially patients in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. Contract pharmacies dispense 340B medicines on behalf of “covered entities,” which include certain health clinics and hospitals. In 2010, HRSA dismissed concerns raised by stakeholders about the increased program integrity risks associated with contract pharmacies, and greatly expanded its contract pharmacy guidance to allow covered entities to have a n unlimited number of contract pharmacy arrangements. What has happened in the...
Source: The Catalyst - June 24, 2022 Category: Pharmaceuticals Tags: 340B Source Type: news
