And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is still shaping up, but we hope to catch up on our reading, promenade with the official mascots, and hold still another listening party with Mrs. Pharmalot, where the rotation will likely include this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? This may be an opportunity to cook something tasty or stop by a tempting restaurant, reach out to old friends or plan a spring break. We could all use a break, yes? Those of you on this side of the pond could work on your taxes. Meanwhile, here is a public service announcement: If you work for or with a U.S. government agency and have something to say about recent changes, feel free to write me at [email protected] or “drop a dime” and call 973-493-7851. Operators are standing by. Meanwhile, whatever you do this weekend, we hope you have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see y’all soon. …
A pair of bipartisan lawmakers want the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to review whether a forthcoming Super Bowl ad from Hims & Hers that attacks the weight-loss industry runs afoul of pharmaceutical advertising rules, STAT reports. In a letter sent Friday morning to FDA acting Commissioner Sara Brenner, Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) wrote that they worry that the Hims ad, which will be seen by millions of people during the big game on Sunday, “risks misleading patients by omitting any safety or side effect information” about the compounded weight loss drugs that it promotes. And they argued that the “FDA may already have the authority to take enforcement action against marketing that may mislead patients about this company’s products.” Enforcement actions could include warning letters or civil penalties.
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes sued GlaxoSmithKline over claims the company engaged in “deceptive and unfair” practices that endangered consumer lives and enabled the company’s attempts to game the medical system, The Tucson Sentinel writes. The lawsuit accuses the company of discontinuing its widely used asthma medication Flovent and replacing it with an identical product in a scheme to avoid paying rebates to Medicaid tied to the drug’s high price, which is required under federal law. The lawsuit is seeking a declaration that the company violated the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act, an injunction preventing it from selling the new drug at artificially inflated prices, and maximum statutory penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. The attorney general says that over time, the company aggressively hiked the price of Flovent far beyond inflation, making billions of dollars from Medicaid and private consumers. The Flovent HFA inhaler 110mcg cost $337.77 per package on Dec. 1, 2023, and the Flovent diskus inhaler 100mcg cost $264.26, according to GoodRx.
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