Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another working week. We hope the weekend respite was refreshing and intoxicating because that oh-so-familiar routine of meetings, deadlines, incessant messages, and the like has, of course, returned. To cope, yes, we are firing up the coffee kettle in order to brew cups of stimulation. Our choice today is hot buttered rum. Feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits to help you on your way. Hope all goes well today and you conquer the world …
Sanofi (SNY), Eli Lilly (LLY), and Novo Nordisk (NVO) must face claims they gouged diabetes patients through deceptive price lists for their life-saving drugs, Bloomberg News reports. A federal judge in New Jersey allowed a proposed class-action lawsuit filed by 67 people with diabetes against the companies to proceed on consumer-fraud allegations tied to skyrocketing insulin prices, but tossed racketeering claims. The patients contend the drug makers illegally raised insulin prices to provide rebates for pharmacy benefit managers that decide which medicines get on preferred insurance lists.
Meanwhile, a thorough review of the nearly 100-year history of insulin reveals drug makers, generic rivals, doctors, and, increasingly, the Food and Drug Administration all share blame for the broken insulin market, STAT explains. But creating generic competition is likely the key to bringing costs down for the more than 7.5 million Americans who rely on the drug, and the experts argue the FDA has the ability to interpret federal law in a way that does not delay generic versions.
About the Author Reprints
One might observe that the latest addition to Allergan’s broad shows a real desire to avoid members who might generate controversy …. NOT! God bless you, Bob Hugin ….