Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Charity Designed To Help Patients Navigate Health Care Costs To Pay $4M To Resolve Pharma Kickback Allegations
A Florida-based charity will pay $4 million to resolve claims that it acted as a conduit for companies including Biogen Inc and Novartis AG to pay kickbacks to Medicare patients using their high-priced multiple sclerosis drugs, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday. The settlement with the patient assistance charity The Assistance Fund marked the third so far with a foundation linked to an industry-wide probe that has resulted in $850 million in settlements with drugmakers and charities. (Raymond, 11/20)
The Assistance Fund, based in Orlando, says its mission is to help patients manage copays, coinsurance, deductibles, and other expenses related to their disease or chronic condition. But the government alleges that it conspired with Teva, Biogen (BIIB), and Novartis (NVS) to funnel money donated by the drug makers to MS patients to ensure the patients took their drugs, not their competitors鈥, regardless of price. The Assistance Fund blamed previous management for the payments. (Cooney, 11/20)
President Trump and senators from both parties are not giving up the fight over forcing drug companies to disclose list prices in TV ads. Both the White House and Congress are searching for an easy political win on drug prices, but so far have found little success. The disclosure rule was one of Trump鈥檚 highest-profile initiatives and the first policy released after the administration unveiled its drug pricing 鈥渂lueprint鈥 in 2018. (Weixel, 11/21)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.鈥檚 Givlaari became the first drug to win U.S. approval for patients with an ultra-rare and devastating metabolic disorder. Shares jumped on the news. It will come with an annual wholesale price tag of $575,000. Patients will need to take it for life. There are about 3,000 people in the U.S. and Europe diagnosed with acute hepatic porphyria, where a genetic mutation leaves patients unable to produce an enzyme essential for the function of hemoglobin, the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. The condition causes a buildup of toxins that can lead to chronic debilitating symptoms and bouts of stomach and muscle pain so severe patients require hospitalization. (Cortez, 11/20)
