Hello, everyone, and welcome to the middle of the week. You made it this far, so why not continue, yes? After all, consider the alternatives. While you ponder the notion, you may also want to join us for a deserved cup of stimulation. Remember, no prescription is required. Meanwhile, we have assembled a few items of interest. Hope you conquer the world today and do keep us in mind when you run across something fascinating …
GlaxoSmithKline may have to boost pay for its next chief executive, Bloomberg News posits. Andrew Witty, who leaves next March, earned $9.6 million last year, which is half what Pfizer chief executive officer Ian Read made. The Glaxo board is exploring a performance-based bonus of up to nine times base salary to be paid the new chief executive in his or her first year.
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission wants to blunt rapid increases in prescription drug costs by cutting some Medicare payments to insurers and also shield older Americans from higher out-of-pocket expenses, the New York Times reports. The idea is to create new incentives for insurers to manage beneficiary use of medicines and negotiate larger price discounts with drug makers.
Express Scripts accused Anthem of negotiating their contract in bad faith and wants a court order that the health insurer has no right to demand lower drug prices, Reuters writes. The allegations were made in response to a lawsuit Anthem recently filed against Express Scripts in hopes of receiving $13 billion in price cuts over the remaining four years of a 10-year pharmacy benefits management contract.
The Tufts Health Plan lifted restrictions on covering hepatitis C medications and will now pay for the drugs regardless of the severity of patient livers, the Boston Globe reports. The move comes amid increased pressure on insurers to lift coverage restrictions. Last week, for instance, the New York attorney general filed a lawsuit against one insurer, and consumers in California and Washington have taken the same step.
Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly are planning two outcome trials to track how their Jardiance diabetes drug will do in chronic heart failure patients with and without type 2 diabetes, Pharma Times says.
The US Food and Drug Administration issued a Form 483 to Alembic Pharmaceuticals after finding problems during an inspection of a facility, according to InPharma Technologist.
A big clinical trial has begun in Scotland to investigate preventative use of metformin for thwarting type 1 diabetes in children, Pharma Times tells us.
The Delaware Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of a 12-year-old class action lawsuit that accused AstraZeneca of consumer fraud in connection with its Nexium heartburn drug, the Delaware Law Weekly writes.
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