Category: News Alert

Connecticut lawmakers are expected soon to pass a significantly revised version of Gov. Ned Lamont’s (D) health care cost reduction bill stripped of language that would have barred drug manufacturers from limiting use of contract pharmacies and imposing other conditions

Drug manufacturer Organon, the Merck spinoff with a focus on women’s health, today became the 22nd drug maker to impose conditions on 340B pricing involving delivery to contract pharmacies.

Covered entities began receiving an email from Organon around 3:00 p.m.

Drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk today announced that effective July 1 it will stop letting hospitals place bill to / ship to orders of 340B-purchased drugs to an unlimited number of contract pharmacies in exchange for related claims data.

It will,

Drug manufacturer Merck today stiffened its conditions on 340B pricing when hospitals and community health centers use contract pharmacies to dispense most Merck drugs to patients.

Merck told covered entities about the changes in a letter delivered by email

Drug manufacturer Bayer this morning significantly tightened its limits on 340B pricing when hospital covered entities contract with pharmacies to dispense drugs to patients. Grantee entities remain exempt from Bayer’s restrictions.

Covered entities reported receiving letters from Bayer about

A Virginia Democrat and South Dakota Republican this afternoon reintroduced bipartisan legislation in the U.S. House to protect 340B covered entities and contract pharmacies from discrimination by insurers and pharmacy benefit managers.

Reps. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) and Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.)

Drug manufacturer Novartis this afternoon significantly beefed up its conditions on 340B pricing for hospitals.

Two others—GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer—made similar moves on Friday. Novartis is the sixth to stiffen its 340B pricing policy since a federal appeals court ruled

Drug manufacturer Pfizer today stiffened its conditions on 340B sales to hospitals of the immunosuppressant Xeljanz, one of its top-selling products.

Starting May 1, Pfizer will let hospitals without an in-house pharmacy designate just one contract pharmacy for Xeljanz. Pfizer

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said today that the 340B program “doesn’t have the transparency we need” and “we are going to do what we can to make it more transparent.”

Becerra was asked about the drug

Drug manufacturer AbbVie this morning significantly tightened its restrictions on 340B pricing for hospitals.

AbbVie has not yet responded to a request for comment about the changes. Non-hospital covered entities continue to be exempt from AbbVie’s pricing restrictions.

Drug manufacturers