Drugs

Rx Drug Use Up, Spending Down: CBO

A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on trends in nationwide spending on prescription drugs for 1980-2018 finds that since the mid-2000s, per capita spending on prescription drugs has fallen as a percentage of total spending on healthcare services and supplies. The slower growth in spending is associated with the growing availability of generic drugs, the report says.

CBO also looked at trends in spending, use, and prices in the Medicare Part D and Medicaid programs from 2009 to 2018 and found that although per-enrollee spending in Medicare Part D was fairly stable from 2009 to 2018, per-enrollee spending in Medicaid increased somewhat faster than nationwide per capita spending over that period.

The analysis finds that consumers’ use of prescription drugs has increased over time and cites greater use of generic drugs as a key factor in the increase.

The average net price of a prescription drug, calculated after subtracting the discounts and rebates manufacturers provide to private insurers and federal programs, fell from $57 in 2009 to $50 in 2018 in Medicare Part D, and from $63 to $48 in Medicaid. CBO says the trend reflects the increased use of lower-cost generic drugs that was partially offset by rising prices for branded drugs.

The average net price of branded prescription drugs increased over the period studied from $149 to $353 in Medicare Part D and $147 to $218 in Medicaid.

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome