Hello, everyone, and how are you today? We are muddling along, but the middle of the week is upon us, so we are determined to hang on for another couple of days. And why not? The alternatives — at least those we can identify — are not so appetizing. And what better way to make the time fly than to keep busy. So we are digging about the pantry and firing up our coffee kettle to get things started. Our flavor today is pecan pie, for those tracking our habits. Now, though, the time has come to get busy. So please grab your own cup of stimulation and dig in to the items of interest assembled below. We hope you have a wonderful day, and please do keep in touch. …
A U.S. government agency has threatened Johnson & Johnson with sanctions if the company proceeds with plans to alter payment methods for some hospitals that participate in a federal drug discount program, STAT reports. In a letter sent on Tuesday, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration maintained that a J&J plan to issue rebates for two widely prescribed medicines instead of offering discounted prices would violate federal law. The agency argued the planned move is unlawful because it would require the hospitals to purchase the medicines at prices exceeding what the discount program permits. Last month, J&J announced it would change payment terms for its Xarelto blood thinner and the Stelara plaque psoriasis treatment through the 340B drug discount program, which was created to help hospitals and clinics care for low-income and rural patients.
A Novo Nordisk executive believes that Ozempic, the blockbuster diabetes shot made by the company, is “very likely” to be one of the next drugs targeted for a price cut in bargaining with the Medicare program, Bloomberg News writes. The Inflation Reduction Act, which allows the U.S. to directly negotiate drug prices with manufacturers for the first time, last month slashed the cost of 10 of the world’s biggest medicines by 38% to 79% for 2026. The 15 drugs targeted for the next round are expected to be named by early next year, drawing widespread speculation about which treatments will be in the government’s crosshairs. “It is very likely that Ozempic will be part of negotiations in the coming round, and we’re ready for that,” Ulrich Otte, senior vice president of finance & operations for Novo Nordisk, said Tuesday at the Cantor Global Healthcare Conference in New York.
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