Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was refreshing and invigorating, because that oh-so familiar routine of deadlines, calls, and online meetings has returned. But what can you do? The world, such as it is, continues to spin. So time to give it a nudge in a better direction by firing up the coffee kettle and quaffing a cup or three of stimulation. Our choice is maple French toast. As always, you are invited to join us. Meanwhile, here are a few tidbits for you to peruse as you start the day, which we hope will be satisfying and productive. And of course, do keep in touch. …
A federal court judge allowed the new Medicare drug price negotiation program to proceed while the court deliberates whether it is constitutional, STAT reports. The case centers on the Inflation Reduction Act, which empowered the Medicare program to start negotiating lower prices for certain medicines that are especially expensive for the government. Judge Michael Newman, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, ruled against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which had sued the federal government and asked for the program to be stopped while litigation continues.
Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk became the latest pharmaceutical company to file a lawsuit against the Medicare drug price negotiation program, Bloomberg Law tells us. The manufacturer filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, saying implementation of the the drug pricing provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act violate both the Fifth and First Amendments. Novo Nordisk drugs selected as among the first 10 up for price talks with Medicare include the insulin products Fiasp and NovoLog. The challenge comes as deadlines for the company and other drugmakers to agree to participate in the talks with the Medicare agency are imminent.