Drug Pricing: Page 2

The top drugs that could be impacted by an obscure provision in the pandemic relief law

Elimination of the so-called penny rule in Medicaid could force drugmakers to pay larger rebates on a number of top medicines, including some HIV, diabetes and anti-inflammatory drugs.

By Jonathan Gardner • March 12, 2021

Countering payers, drugmakers say net prices declined in 2020

Reports from three large pharmaceutical companies indicate increasing rebate payments and discounts to insurers more than offset the average price increases they took on their medicines.

By Jonathan Gardner • March 05, 2021

HHS nominee Becerra backs price transparency, hospital competition at first Senate hearing

President Joe Biden's pick for HHS chief will testify Wednesday in front of the finance committee, which will vote on sending the nomination to the full Senate.

By Shannon Muchmore • Feb. 24, 2021

As COVID-19 becomes a business, vaccine makers confront thorny pricing questions

Yearly vaccinations could be required after the pandemic ebbs. Will drugmakers change how they approach pricing their shots?

By Jonathan Gardner • Feb. 09, 2021

Pricing challenge looms for Novartis as cholesterol drug's US fate remains unclear

Pricing inclisiran roughly on par with injectable medicines Repatha and Praluent would be cost-effective, an ICER analysis found. But the FDA recently delayed a decision on the Novartis therapy, leaving it in regulatory limbo. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Jan. 22, 2021

AbbVie, Biogen lead pharma in new year's drug price hikes

Average list price increases across the drug industry, however, appear lower than last year, according to one analysis. 

By Jonathan Gardner • Jan. 04, 2021

Trump administration finalizes policy on 'value-based' drug deals

The agency argues the final rule, which takes effect in 2022, will help encourage more reimbursement arrangements that link payment to clinical outcomes.

By Rebecca Pifer • Dec. 22, 2020

Trump administration pushes last-ditch plans to lower drug prices

The White House advanced a new plan to tie Medicare drug payments to prices paid abroad, and revived a once-abandoned proposal to end certain rebates.

By Jonathan Gardner , Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 20, 2020

In 2020 election, an uncertain fate for drug price controls

Three election scenarios could lead to different outcomes for the long-running effort to rein in drug costs. Here's how some analysts think each could play out.

By Jonathan Gardner • Nov. 03, 2020

Sales targets and bonuses drove Celgene, Teva drug price hikes, lawmakers charge

An 18-month investigation by the House Oversight Committee targeted the pricing practices behind the top-selling drugs Revlimid and Copaxone. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Oct. 01, 2020

Trump forges ahead with drug import plan, but impact in doubt

Under the proposed plan, states would be permitted to import lower-priced products from Canada and drugmakers from around the globe. But participation is uncertain, as is the plan's effect on drug prices.

By Jonathan Gardner • Sept. 25, 2020

Trump releases long-awaited drug price order, but effects are likely far off

The White House disclosed details of an order to cut Medicare prices to international rates. But the proposed plan will be difficult to carry out and could take months to enact.

By Jonathan Gardner • Sept. 14, 2020

House committee to subpoena AbbVie over drug pricing

Democratic lawmakers have been unhappy with AbbVie's response to an ongoing drug pricing probe, and are now demanding the drugmaker turn over more information.

By Kristin Jensen • UPDATED: Sept. 3, 2020 at 8:04 p.m.

BioMarin's hemophilia gene therapy could have warranted a record price tag, ICER finds

A draft report from the drug pricing watchdog concluded that, under the right conditions, Roctavian may be cost-effective at a price of $2.5 million.

By Jacob Bell • Aug. 28, 2020

The cost of medication: A critical provider/patient dialogue

Read a discussion with a Pharmacist and M.D. about how to overcome obstacles related to medication affordability

Mylan launches copy of Biogen's top drug despite ongoing court battle

Mylan's launch of a generic copy of the multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera comes earlier than expected, and risks a court siding with Biogen on a key patent.

By Ben Fidler • Aug. 19, 2020

Moderna gets $1.5B from US for coronavirus vaccine supply

The U.S. has already invested heavily in Moderna's shot, having previously committed $1 billion to fund clinical trials and manufacturing scale-up. 

By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 11, 2020

Moderna sets high price in early coronavirus vaccine supply deals

Early preorders for small quantities of Moderna's shot set a price per dose of $32 to $37, although the biotech plans to charge less in larger agreements.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 05, 2020

Bausch Health to pay $45M to settle US charges over Valeant-era accounting

The agreement comes four years after an accounting scandal led to the unraveling of then-Valeant's image as a new breed of drugmaker.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Aug. 03, 2020

Europe secures supply of Gilead's COVID-19 drug remdesivir

For about $75 million, the European Commission will secure enough doses of the in-demand drug to treat 30,000 patients. 

By Kristin Jensen • July 29, 2020

Trump invites high-stakes showdown with big pharma as election looms

Industry officials refused to attend a White House meeting called after Trump announced executive orders meant to revive several drug pricing proposals

By Jonathan Gardner • UPDATED: July 28, 2020 at 11:22 a.m.

EQRx, gearing up for a price war with big pharma, buys two cancer drugs

The unusual startup aims to speed potential rivals to blockbuster medicines Ibrance and Tagrisso to market and price them at a "small fraction" of the cost, CEO Alexis Borisy told BioPharma Dive.

By Ben Fidler • July 23, 2020

Federal government accuses Regeneron of kickback scheme for top-selling drug

In a lawsuit, the U.S. attorney's office in Boston alleged Regeneron used a charity as a "conduit" to cover patient co-pays for its eye drug Eylea.

By Ben Fidler • June 24, 2020

Price for Gilead's COVID-19 drug should shrink if cheap steroid widely used, ICER says

The drug pricing watchdog calculated a lower cost-effective price for remdesivir if dexamethasone, newly shown to help the sickest COVID-19 patients live, becomes standard of care.

By Jonathan Gardner • June 24, 2020

With new proposal, Trump administration tries to encourage 'value-based' drug deals

With an eye toward a coming wave of pricey gene therapies, CMS is seeking to make it easier for drugmakers and insurers to enter into contracts linking payment with patient outcomes.

By Ned Pagliarulo , Jonathan Gardner • UPDATED: June 18, 2020 at 2:35 p.m.