Good morning, everyone, and how are you today? We are just fine, thank you, especially with a warm and shiny sun beating down on the oh-so-quiet Pharmalot campus. Our short person has long since departed for the local schoolhouse and our official mascots are quietly snoozing in their cozy corners. As for us, yes, we are quaffing cups of stimulation — our choice today is flavored courtesy of the folks at Jack Daniels — and, as always, we invite you to join us. Remember, no prescription is required. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. Hope you have a productive day …
Retail prescription drug spending slowed in 2016, increasing 1.3 percent to $328.6 billion, according to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The slower growth follows significant growth in 2014 and 2015, 12.4 percent and 8.9 percent, respectively, which was largely due to increased spending on new medicines and price growth for existing brand-name drugs, such as hepatitis C. Growth slowed due to fewer new drug approvals, slower growth in brand-name drug spending — such as for hepatitis C drugs — and less spending for generics as price growth slowed.
Pfizer (PFE) is launching its own cheaper generic version of Viagra rather than lose most sales when the impotence pill gets its first generic competitor next week, the Associated Press says. The drug maker will sell its generic at half the $65-a-pill retail price on Monday, when its patent-protected monopoly ends. Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA) can start selling its version then, but has not yet disclosed the price. Other generics are expected next summer.
About the Author Reprints
One may observe that ‘warm and shiny sun’ is in the eye of the beholder. If instead of viewing from Pharmalot central, our scribe had ventured forth for printed news matter, he would have found that shiny sun presiding over cold, 0 degrees C weather, though of course things will change …. they always do.