Peter Wehrwein

Experts expect more lawsuits challenging CMS’s authority to negotiate drug prices for Medicare Part D.

The drugs must have full “traditional” FDA approval and patients need to be enrolled in a registry that collects post-approval data efficacy and safety when the drugs are used in clinical practice.

At a placeholder price of $19,000, resmetirom would produce cost savings, says the drug evaluation group. Obeticholic acid’s price would need to be slashed to meet a commonly used cost-effectiveness threshold.

Cuban, of "Shark Tank' fame and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, called drugs prices ‘insane’ and used some profanity when talking pharmacy benefit managers at the annual meeting of the Association for Accessible Medicines yesterday. Cuban has co-founded an online pharmacy that he says will make drug prices lower and transparent.

Smaller and midsize pharmacy benefit managers are taking on Optum Rx, CVS Caremark and Express Scripts. They say they have better technology and are more transparent about their pricing.

Magellan Rx's businesses includes a 1.7-million member PBM. The deal is struck amid a long-time trend toward consolidation in the pharmacy benefit management industry.

Findings by researchers at Epic, the electronic health record company, show that the benefits extend to people ages 50-64.

A real-world study by the PBM shows major benefits from the new cystic fibrosis drug when it comes to hospitalizations and pulmonary exacerbations. But total cost of care of patients tripled because the drug is expensive.

In a research letter published in JAMA Health Forum, researchers say most of the cost figures for Aduhelm have left out the additional MRI scans and other services that will be required because the drug is associated with the development of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIAs).

ICER's analysis is slated to include two as-yet unapproved monoclonal antibody treatments, donanemab and lecanemab, as well as Aduhelm (aducanumab).

Apotex's importation of Chantix (varenicline) and Express Scripts' formulary exclusions were among the best read articles this year that didn't concern COVID-19.