Rise and shine, everyone, another busy day is on the way. Sadly, gray skies are hovering over the Pharmalot campus right now, but our spirits remain sunny, nonetheless. Why? We will draw on a bit of insight from the Morning Mayor, who taught us that “Every new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.” To celebrate the notion, we are brewing still more cups of stimulation and invite you to join us. Remember, a prescription is not required. So no need to mess with rebates. Our choice today is peppermint mocha. Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest. Hope you have a smashing day and, of course, do stay in touch. …
The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to take on whether Americans can access a commonly used abortion pill, STAT writes. This will be the court’s first major abortion case since overturning Roe v. Wade last year, giving jurisdiction over abortion laws back to the states. The decision will center on new state restrictions around mifepristone, a pill approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration more than two decades ago for abortions up to 10 weeks, when the majority of abortions occur. The decision could also have implications for the regulatory authority of the agency, which in 2021 relaxed some of the prescribing requirements for the medicine, allowing mail-order and pharmacy pickups.
President Biden will announce on Thursday that 48 new drugs may be subject to rebates, a move that would reduce out-of-pocket costs for Medicare recipients by as much as $2,786 per average dose, Reuters notes. The Inflation Reduction Act includes a provision to penalize drugmakers for charging prices that rise faster than inflation for people on Medicare, the government program for those age 65 and older and the disabled. For the last quarter of 2023, prices of 48 Medicare Part B drugs rose faster than inflation, as some companies raised prices of certain medications every quarter through the year. These drugs may be subject to inflation rebates in the first quarter of 2024 as a result.