Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is, despite the gray skies hovering over the Pharmalot campus. We are doing our best to maintain sunny spirits, though, because once again, we recall some helpful wisdom 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 inviting you to join us. Our choice today is maple bourbon. Remember, a prescription is not required. So no need to fret over whether rebates are being passed along. Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest. Hope you have a meaningful and productive day and, of course, do stay in touch. …
Four pharmaceutical companies involved in the negotiations over prices for Medicare do not expect a significant impact on their businesses after seeing confidential suggested prices from the government for their drugs that will take effect in 2026, Reuters writes. Executives from Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie, and AstraZeneca, which have 5 of the 10 drugs chosen for the first wave of negotiations, described their views on quarterly conference calls. “I think the drugmakers were frightened (these prices) would be a big deal. But now, the ones who have reported or commented have actually said it seems to be OK and in line with expectations,” UBS analyst Trung Huynh.
The U.K.’s cost-effectiveness watchdog blocked the National Health Service from providing an innovative treatment for a form of advanced breast cancer, blaming AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo for being “unwilling” to offer their Enhertu drug at a low enough price, The Financial Times tells us. Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, said cost was to blame for the decision, the first breast cancer treatment NICE rejected in six years. If a drug is not recommended by NICE, it cannot be made available on the NHS. The decision also shows the challenge for stretched health care systems to fund complex, novel medicines.
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