Feds keep watch on 'pay-for-delay' marketing deals
Washington, D.C.-The Federal Trade Commission is concernedthat pharmaceutical companies increasingly are paying makers ofgeneric medications to delay marketing competitive products. FTCCommissioner Jon Leibowitz criticized "reverse payment"settlements, which involve compensation from a branded manufacturerlinked to restrictions on the marketing by a generic product'smanufacturer until closer to the expiration of an innovator'spatent.
WASHINGTON, D.C.-The Federal Trade Commission is concerned that pharmaceutical companies increasingly are paying makers of generic medications to delay marketing competitive products. FTC Commissioner Jon Leibowitz criticized "reverse payment" settlements, which involve compensation from a branded manufacturer linked to restrictions on the marketing by a generic product's manufacturer until closer to the expiration of an innovator's patent.
One case involving efforts to delay competition to the blockbuster drug Plavix has spurred retailers, labor unions and insurers to file lawsuits blocking a planned patent settlement. Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis announced earlier they had negotiated an arrangement with generics maker Apotex to halt efforts to compete with the blood-thinning drug until patents expire in 2011. The FTC is monitoring the Plavix case, as well as other "pay-for-delay" agreements negotiated since October 2005.
In April, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Assn. reported that Medicare Part D could save at least $23 billion over the next five years as 14 major brand-name drugs lose patent protection and gain generic competition. This may prompt Congress to encourage more generic drug prescribing to keep drug costs down for Medicare and Medicaid programs and private insurers.
David Calabrese of OptumRx Talks New Role, Market Insulin Prices and Other Topics 'On His Mind'
April 13th 2023In this month’s episode of the "What's On Your Mind podcast," Peter Wehrwein, managing editor of MHE connects with the now Chief Clinical Officer of OptumRx Integrated Pharmacies, David Calabrese. In this conversation, David touches on his transition in January as OptumRx’s former chief pharmacy officer and market president of health plans and PBMs to his new role as Chief Clinical Officer where he now focuses more on things such as specialty pharmacy to home delivery — with an overall goal of creating whole-patient care. Throughout the conversation, Calabrese also touched on the market’s hot topic of insulin prices and behavioral health services within the OptumRx community, among other topics.
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Upended: Can PBM Transparency Succeed?
March 6th 2024Simmering tensions in the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industry have turned into fault lines. The PBMs challenging the "big three" have formed a trade association. Purchaser coalitions want change. The head of the industry's trade group says inherent marketplace friction has spilled over into political friction.
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Briana Contreras, editor of Managed Healthcare Executive, spoke with Nancy Lurker, CEO and president of EyePoint Pharmaceuticals. Nancy shared a bit about EyePoint and how the organization’s innovative therapies are addressing patient needs through eye care, and most importantly, she addressed C-Suite positions like the CEO role. Nancy shared advice for those seeking to reach the CEO level, especially toward women in healthcare and other roles, and what it takes to run a biopharma company.
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The deliberate disconnection of Change Healthcare to ring fence a cyberattack entered its seventh day today. Prescribers are finding ways to get pharmacy claims processed, and UnitedHealth Group says disruption to the dispensing of prescriptions has been minimal. But independent pharmacies want more information and protection from financial consequences from pharmacy benefit managers.
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