HIV community is pushing back against the change, arguing that revenue lost from reduced reimbursement will cripple providers, which use the extra funds for wrap-around patient support and services.

As MACPAC moves toward formal recommendations, a CBO analysis finds that differential Medicaid rebates for drugs approved through the accelerated pathway could save the federal government up to $1bn over five years.

With superiority over epoetin apparently off the table, FibroGen and AstraZeneca expect a US FDA advisory committee in July, and hope that additional safety analyses for roxadustat will help support a positive overall risk-benefit profile.

A new pilot program by the insurer is offering a $500 debit card to patients who switch from the blockbuster Novartis psoriasis drug to Lilly's rival Taltz or other preferred drugs.

US government agencies were given the right to pursue patents on remdesivir in research contracts negotiated with Gilead but did not do so, the Government Accountability Office reports. 

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review raises concerns about the cost implications of companies obtaining extended market exclusivity by patenting the treatment protocol used for drugs in clinical trials.