September 22, 2014—Congress passed and President Obama signed a bill late last week to keep the federal government open through Dec. 11. … [Read more...]
Price of World’s Top 3 Cancer Drugs Seen Rising for 340B and Other Hospitals
Genentech shifts Rituxan, Avastin, and Herceptin to specialty distributorsSeptember 19, 2014—Hospitals across America will begin paying more for the world's three top-selling cancer drugs starting Oct. 1 due to manufacturer Genentech's decision to move them into the specialty distribution channel, according to multiple hospital stakeholders. … [Read more...]
Health Affairs Explores Reasons for Drug Shortages
Manufacturing disruptions are one of the most frequently cited causes, it observesSeptember 19, 2014—Manufacturing disruptions are one of the most cited reasons for generic sterile injectable drug shortages, the journal Health Affairs reports in a new policy brief. Common problems include the inability to obtain raw materials from foreign sources, discovering quality issues such as foreign particulate in the product, or prolonged efforts to upgrade and … [Read more...]
340B Essential for Hospital Oncology Practices
Two leading oncologists detail the importance of the 340B program in the inaugural issue of Oncology Payers. In the article, Robert Chapman, M.D. and William Wood tout the benefits of the program stating, “From the inner city of Detroit to the small towns of Michigan and Kentucky, the program provides an invaluable mechanism for the delivery of quality cancer care as well as … [Read more...]
Playing Gotcha With 340B Providers Isn’t Productive, Drugmakers Told
At industry event, lawyer and consultant urge collaboration over confrontationSeptember 17, 2014—Drug companies that invite health care providers to talk about possible 340B drug diversion or duplicate discounts will often find that their customers are quite open and can either explain any anomalies or will be quick to rectify the matter, an attorney for manufacturers and an industry consultant said at an industry conference in Chicago yesterday. … [Read more...]
Are Any 340B Sub-Regulatory Guidelines and Policies Binding?
At drug industry gathering, a lawyer for manufacturers says maybe notSeptember 16, 2014—The fallout from last May's 340B orphan drug exclusion court decision casts doubt over whether certain 340B program requirements are binding, a prominent attorney for manufacturers said at an industry conference in Chicago today. … [Read more...]
Hospital Recertification Period Ends
Twenty-seven hospitals drop out of 340B programSeptember 16, 2014—The Office of Pharmacy Affairs has announced that the annual recertification period for hospitals in the 340B program is now complete. According to the agency’s database, 27 hospitals failed to furnish the required paperwork and were cut from the program on Sept. 11. … [Read more...]