ZorroCard Round Up (9/18/24)

Hey all,

Happy Hump Day! Today we cover lawsuits, rebates and psychedelics. I found the Johnson & Johnson transparency report especially interesting since J&J provided more 340B rebates than Medicare rebates in 2023. I hope you enjoy todays round up!

Best,

Jacob

The Wall Street Journal (Cigna vs. FTC):

When you can’t hide your tactics from regulators, the obvious choice is to sue them. Cigna’s Express Scripts has sued the FTC, demanding a retraction of its July report that criticized pharmacy-benefit managers (PBMs) for increasing drug costs. The lawsuit argues the FTC’s findings were biased, particularly against PBMs like Express Scripts, and that FTC Chair Lina Khan is prejudiced against the industry. Full Article.

Johnson & Johnson (Transparency Report):

In its 2024 Transparency Report, Johnson & Johnson revealed providing $42 billion in rebates including $6 billion in 340B rebates in 2023. That’s almost 10% of the >$67 billion in 340B rebates in 2023 that Pharma companies provided. A breakdown by specific drugs would offer interesting insights into the true net-pricing of drugs. Full Article.

Stat News (12 people shaping psychedelics drug development)

The field of psychedelics is undergoing rapid transformation, with key figures pushing for the advancement of treatments using substances like psilocybin and MDMA for mental health disorders. Despite setbacks, including the FDA’s recent rejection of MDMA-assisted therapy, there is ongoing investment and scientific interest in psychedelics. Stat covers 12 people who are at the forefront of psychedelic drug development. Full Article.