FDA Chief Says He鈥檚 Open To Rethinking Incentives On Orphan Drugs
The FDA鈥檚 Scott Gottlieb says the agency is focused on the big picture, and he wants to know why pharma churns out drugs for some rare diseases but not for others.
Experts Tell Congress How To Cut Drug Prices. We Give You Some Odds.
Some of the nation鈥檚 most influential scientists recommend eight steps to lower drug prices. KHN takes the political temperature and tells you the chances of Congress acting on them.
Patients With Rare Diseases And Congress Square Off Over Orphan Drug Tax Credits
The House and Senate want to reduce or eliminate federal tax credits for 鈥渙rphan drugs鈥 used to treat rare diseases, but patients are fighting against the plan.
Heated And Deep-Pocketed Battle Erupts Over 340B Drug Discount Program
Drugmakers, hospitals and lawmakers are taking sides in a showdown over a discount program that covers drug purchases at some hospitals.
Medicare Seeks Comment On Ways To Cut Costs Of Part D Drugs
Medicare is examining how rebates and discounts could be shared in some way with Part D beneficiaries to reduce their out-of-pocket costs.
Pressure Builds To Cut Medicare Patients In On Prescription Deals
Medicare officials have been discussing a rule change that would give beneficiaries a share of the secretive fees and discounts that are negotiated for prescription drugs.
House Republicans Aim To Yank Tax Credits For Orphan Drugs
House Republicans want to repeal federal tax credits that have helped spur a boom in orphan drugs for rare diseases.
Timeline: Insulin Market Under Scrutiny
A flurry of federal and state probes have targeted insulin manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers 鈥 middlemen in the prescription drug-pricing pipeline. Here, we connect the legal dots.
Flurry Of Federal And State Probes Target Insulin Drugmakers And Pharma Middlemen
Over the past two years, a powerful federal prosecutor and several state attorneys general have launched investigations related to diabetes drugs.
Without Price Breaks, Rural Hospitals Struggle To Stock Costly, Lifesaving Drugs
A federal drug program blocks rural hospitals from getting discounts on rare-disease drugs, forcing staff to cut back on supplies of lifesaving medicines.
FDA Moves To Guard Against Abuse Of 鈥極rphan Drug鈥 Program
Following a KHN investigation, the Food and Drug Administration has moved to speed up approvals of 鈥渙rphan drugs鈥 while closing a loophole that allowed drugmakers to skip pediatric testing.
Hospitals Slashed Use Of Two Heart Drugs After Huge Price Hikes
Hospital use of two popular heart medicines, nitroprusside and isoproterenol, dramatically dropped after the prices for both soared.
Congress Squares Off Over Drug Pricing And A Controversial Drug Discount Program
The controversial 340B drug discount program for hospitals came under fire at a congressional hearing.
Many COPD Patients Struggle To Pay For Each Medicinal Breath
One in 9 Medicare enrollees have COPD and many of them can鈥檛 afford the inhalers that keep them out of the emergency room.
Drug Rebates Reward Industry Players 鈥 And Often Hurt Patients
A new JAMA study examines how drug rebates can direct money to middlemen and force Medicare patients to cough up more money.
Louisiana Proposes Tapping A Federal Law To Slash Hepatitis C Drug Prices
Several public health officials endorse using a federal law to slash hepatitis C drug prices in Louisiana and avoid drug bills that could cripple the state budget.
Marathon Pharmaceutical Drops Out Of PhRMA Following Drug Price Controversy
Two companies that faced criticism for high-priced drugs, Marathon and Mallinckrodt, have dropped out of the PhRMA trade association.
Drugmakers Help Turn Patients With Rare Diseases Into D.C. Lobbyists
Amplifying the “patient voice,” those with the rarest afflictions are trained to become powerful advocates for new drugs and legislation that would help the industry.
GAO To Launch Investigation Of FDA鈥檚 Orphan Drug Program
The Government Accountability Office said it will investigate potential abuses of the orphan drug program, which offers incentives to drugmakers to develop medicines for rare diseases.
$89,000 Orphan Drug Gets A New Owner 鈥 And Likely A New Price
Marathon, maker of an expensive treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sells the drug for $140 million in cash and stock to PTC Therapeutics.
