California Drug Price Measure Fiercely Opposed By Pharmaceutical Industry

[Theodarzna]

Drugmakers are waging a fierce campaign against a proposed California law that would require them to justify the costs of their treatments and disclose major price hikes.

The bill has widespread support of health care providers, insurers, patients, labor and business groups. But the pharmaceutical industry is behind scathing social media messaging, warning that passage of the bill could lead to shortages of crucial drugs in some parts of the state. The industry is also applying other pressure to change the language of the bill.

A state Assembly committee hearing on the bill is scheduled for next Tuesday.

The legislation would require drug manufacturers to notify state agencies and health insurers within days of federal approval of a new drug that costs $10,000 or more per year or for one course of treatment. They would also be required to provide notice before they increased the price of a drug above certain thresholds, and they would have to justify the prices in both scenarios. The law would also require health insurers to disclose how much they spend on prescription drugs.

“It’s probably amongst one of the more heavily lobbied bills — similar to tobacco and the most controversial bills,” said the measure’s author, Senator Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina).

California is among about a dozen states considering proposals this year to impose greater price transparency on drug companies. The measures in many states have gone farther than Hernandez’s bill, requiring manufacturers to report their research and development costs, not just the prices and the reasons for them. Vermont, for example, just passed a law requiring justification of price increases for drugs that have a significant impact on the state budget.

Lawmakers in Sacramento will vote on the Hernandez bill before California residents decide the fate of a separate proposal, expected to be on the November ballot, that would limit the amount state-funded health programs pay on prescription drugs to no more than what the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs pays.

Pharmaceutical lobbyists say they and proponents of the price transparency bill will discuss potential changes so that the legislation will “work for the health care system as a whole.”

“We’re optimistic that … there will be fruitful negotiations,” said Brett Johnson, director of state and local government policy for the California Life Sciences Association, a trade group for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

The association says it’s concerned about the bill’s requirement that drugmakers give 60-days advance notice of drug price hikes. With that foreknowledge, CLSA says, large pharmacies or other drug purchasers could hoard big quantities of drugs to avoid the higher price.

That could leave smaller, independent pharmacies unable to acquire the drug. In such a scenario, the trade association says, communities with few hospitals or pharmacies could encounter problems obtaining certain drugs.

Until recently, the pharmaceutical industry was the lone opponent to California’s drug price transparency measure. Now, the California NAACP, and groups representing seniors and chronic disease patients have joined their ranks.

California Life Sciences Association is taking its message straight to consumers with a paid campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

The legislation “allows profiteers to exploit urban & rural communities by hoarding meds,” one Twitter ad from CLSA warns. An ad on Facebook claims the law would encourage the “stockpiling of medications that could lead to shortages for patients with diabetes, cancer and other chronic conditions.”

(source)

Pill manufacturers upset they may have to justify the hiking of costs to consumers? Or righteous drug companies fighting against Satanic State regulators?

[callipygoustp]

California, once again, paving the way for a fairer future. Going to be a touch battle to win.

#Calexit2016

[nonameelf]

Pill manufacturers are a business. They're concerned about not making as much money, not about availability of drugs for consumers.

[Kasierith]

The association says it’s concerned about the bill’s requirement that drugmakers give 60-days advance notice of drug price hikes. With that foreknowledge, CLSA says, large pharmacies or other drug purchasers could hoard big quantities of drugs to avoid the higher price.

This should be absolutely terrifying for anyone with knowledge of how supply and demand works. It basically allows companies like CVS and Walmart as well as larger hospital purchase groups to dominate the market by stockpiling well in advance, and cripple the ability of others to distribute the medication. Need your life saving medicine today? Too bad, we're out, but you might want to ask Walgreens down the street... they have a couple thousand sitting at their wholesaler, so they can get them to you in a couple of days. Other than that, you're sore out of luck.

[Theodarzna]

This should be absolutely terrifying for anyone with knowledge of how supply and demand works. It basically allows companies like CVS and Walmart as well as larger hospital purchase groups to dominate the market by stockpiling well in advance, and cripple the ability of others to distribute the medication. Need your life saving medicine today? Too bad, we're out, but you might want to ask Walgreens down the street... they have a couple thousand sitting at their wholesaler, so they can get them to you in a couple of days. Other than that, you're sore out of luck.

I am sure that is their sole concern. /sagenod

[Sky High]

well, fuck big Pharma.

[Kasierith]

I am sure that is their sole concern. /sagenod

Stockpiling is financially detrimental for everyone involved except for whoever had the financial clout to engage in it. It's actually a pretty big deal, and not something to be scoffed at just because you don't like that one of the unhappy parties is for profit.

But I suppose this could easily go over someone's head if they've never had a job requiring them to engage with wholesalers and the like, and thus have no practical comprehension of the system.

[Belize]

well, fuck big Pharma.

Amen .