Photo credit: Barbara Kinney for Hillary for America/Creative Commons
1. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton released a new plan to combat drug pricing. Clinton said, if elected, she will stop direct-to-consumer advertising subsidies, allow Medicare to negotiate the prices of branded drug and biologics, and require drug companies that benefit from taxpayers’ support to invest in research, “not marketing or profits.” She also called for penalties on “unjustified” price increases from drugmakers, allowing the importation of prescription drugs from other countries, and supporting “alternative manufacturers” to create more competition in certain markets. (NYT)
2. Another Copaxone patent was invalidated, the third patent loss for Teva Pharmaceutical Industry’s best-selling multiple-sclerosis drug. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board agreed with Mylan and Amneal Pharmaceuticals in a ruling that Copaxone’s three-week dosage should have never been patented. (Bloomberg)
3. Roche said that its experimental immunotherapy drug, Tecentriq, extended the overall survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer when compared to chemotherapy in a Phase-III trial. Tecentriq received a Breakthrough Therapy designation from the FDA. The agency is expected to make a decision on the drug’s approval by October 19.
4. Merck announced that it would end development of its experimental osteoporosis drug, odanacatib. The drug carries an increased risk of stroke. (WSJ)
5. Vox released a nine-minute video breaking down the ongoing debate about direct-to-consumer advertising on the U.S. health system and patients. The video also explains the history of prescription drug ads. (Vox)
