Stellar Snippets
AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Merk have agreed to the first round of price negotiations with Medicare.
All four companies have also sued to halt the process in August.
Among the first ten drugs chosen for negotiations are AstraZeneca’s Type 2 diabetes drug Farxiga, Boehringer Ingelheim’s diabetes drug Jardiance, and Bristol Myers Squibb’s blood thinner Equilis.
Boehringer Ingelheim’s diabetes drug Jardiance and Bristol Myers Squibb’s blood thinner Equilis are the two other contenders.
The four companies are the first to indicate that they will comply with the negotiations, in a bid to make it affordable for older adults.
Oct 1 is the final deadline for the other six drug manufacturers.
All four have agreed to participate in the process outlined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure patient access to the drugs.
A Bristol Myers Squibb spokesperson said they agreed to sign the agreement to avoid paying high penalties or withdrawing their drugs from the market.