On Dec. 10, the Supreme Court of the United States of America (SCOTUS) issued a landmark decision in Rutledge, Attorney General of Arkansas, v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association. In an 8–0 decision, the justices agreed that states have the right to impose regulations on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), companies that manage prescription drug benefits on…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of health insurers seeking $12 billion from the federal government under a program set up by the Obamacare law aimed at encouraging them to offer medical coverage to previously uninsured Americans. The 8–1 ruling authored by liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor paves the way for a significant one-time…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—On May 20, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out a lower court ruling that had revived hundreds of lawsuits accusing Merck & Co. of failing to properly warn patients of debilitating thigh-bone fractures as a result of taking its osteoporosis drug alendronic acid (Fosamax). The nine justices unanimously directed the Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday cut the time it will take for copycat versions of biologic drugs to get to the market in a pivotal ruling about an expensive class of medicines that can yield billions of dollars in sales for drug companies. The justices, in a 9–0 ruling, overturned a lower court…
WASHINGTON (Reuters)—U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday struggled over whether to speed up the time it takes to bring to the market copycat versions of biologic drugs, expensive medicines that can generate billions of dollars in sales for drug makers. The nine justices heard arguments in an appeal by Novartis AG of a lower court…