The only clear path to resolve the impasse over the legality of 340B contract pharmacy arrangements is for Congress to clarify the 340B law, 340B Report Publisher and CEO Ted Slafsky writes in his latest column for Omnicell.
Urging the government to take more aggressive action when drug manufacturers stop or restrict 340B discounts when a provider uses contract pharmacies is a necessary step, but it will not stop the the drug companies, Slafsky says. “The manufacturers will challenge the move in court and the debate will continue,” he says.
Trade groups representing 340B providers must set aside their reluctance to amending the 340B law because safety net providers and the patients that rely on them “don’t have the luxury of time,” Slafsky says.
Time is of the essence, he warns. “With the House expected to flip red next November, it is time to strike while the iron is hot.”
