STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Sanders jabbing Merck’s CEO, fixing drug shortages, and more
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders jabbed Merck CEO Robert Davis for telling congressional staff he did not have the expertise to testify at a hearing on drug prices.
And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is still shaping up. We do, however, plan to catch up on our reading, promenade with the official mascots, and hold another listening party with Mrs. Pharmalot. For now, the rotation will likely include this, this, this and this. And what about you? This is a fine time to curl up with a good book or gaze at one of those moving picture shows everyone is talking about. You could experiment and take up a new hobby or simply plan the rest of your life. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon. …
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders jabbed Merck chief executive officer Robert Davis for telling congressional staff that he did not have the expertise to testify at a Senate hearing on prescription drug prices because he is a tax attorney, STAT tells us. Sanders, who has threatened to subpoena the chief executive officers at Merck and Johnson & Johnson over their refusal to testify at a hearing on why drug prices are higher in the U.S. than other countries, told the media the reasons the companies gave ranged from “laughable” to “absurd.” Merck declined to comment specifically on his remarks, but said the company offered to have the head of its U.S. business, who is responsible for U.S. pricing, testify.
The trade group for generic drug companies in the U.S. has filed a lawsuit alleging a new Illinois law that is designed to prevent price gouging is unconstitutional, the latest effort to push back against states attempting to lower the cost of medicines, STAT reports. In its lawsuit, the Association for Accessible Medicines argued the law gives the state the power to regulate interstate commerce. At issue is the Dormant Commerce Clause, a constitutional principle that bars individual states from regulating trade beyond their own borders. The group argued the law runs afoul of the U.S. Constitution because it penalizes generic drug companies for nationwide price hikes.
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