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Federal agencies have scheduled a series of three web-based "listening sessions" to hear from commenters about issues that might be limiting competition in the U.S. prescription drug market and driving up prices.
Regulators scheduled the listening sessions in response to a recent executive order calling for federal agencies to improve competition in the U.S. drug supply chain and hold down prices.
Related: New DOJ task force wants public input on regulations that hurt competition
Organizers plan to start all of the sessions at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, stream them live on the web and post recordings on the web, according to the event announcement.
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A session on June 30 will focus on pharmaceutical companies' efforts to limit competition for brand-name drugs from generic drugs and "biosimilars," or generic versions of insulin and other "biological" drugs.
A session on July 24 will focus on formulary, benefits practices and types of "regulatory abuse" that affect drug competition.
During the third session, on Aug. 4, regulators will consider ideas for "turning insights into action to reduce drug prices."
Listening session mechanics: The U.S. Justice Department's Antitrust Division is organizing the listening sessions together with the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Commerce Department and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater is overseeing the listening sessions together with FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson.
The speakers: One question is who will get to speak during the listening sessions.
Organizers describe the sessions as featuring "remarks by practitioners and scholars." They have not described how would-be participants can apply to speak or whether members of the general public will have a way to participate.
An early indication that providers now have a strong voice in federal antitrust matters came in March, when the Justice Department sided with the health care providers, rather than the health plans, in connection with a big wave of health care provider antitrust suits.
Regulators could give hints about their current thinking if they include many employers, benefits advisors or representatives from benefits organizations on the listening session agendas or if most of the speakers are representatives from the pharmacy, biotech and pharmaceutical manufacturing sectors.
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Allison Bell
Allison Bell, a senior reporter at ThinkAdvisor and BenefitsPRO, previously was an associate editor at National Underwriter Life & Health. She has a bachelor's degree in economics from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's degree in journalism from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She can be reached through X at @Think_Allison.
