- Pfizer sues Texas agency over releasing Medicaid data to lawmakers (statnews.com)
In the latest struggle over pharmaceutical costs, Pfizer has filed a lawsuit against a Texas state agency for releasing Medicaid rebate data to a pair of state lawmakers, claiming the move violated federal and state laws that protect its confidential information...By releasing the data, Pfizer argued the Texas Health and Human Services Commission compromised “valuable and commercially sensitive trade secrets” that could hurt its ability to compete with rivals, according to the lawsuit…The drug maker...contended that disclosure can lead to “uniform pricing” that could harm Medicaid. How so? Pfizer maintained that, if other large purchasers were to know about — and then demand — the same prices offered to the Texas Medicaid program, the company “would not be able to provide such pricing and rebates to every entity due to their unique differences in size, market and particular needs.”...the cat is out of the bag, Pfizer asked the court for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to prevent the Texas Health and Human Services Commission from releasing data in response to any additional requests...This is likely to be a closely watched case, given the tremendous interest in pharmaceutical costs and the mystery surrounding rebates.
- Why the DEA just said ‘no’ to loosening marijuana restrictions
For the fourth consecutive time, the Drug Enforcement Administration has denied a petition to lessen federal restrictions on the use of marijuana...While recreational marijuana use is legal in four states and D.C., and medical applications of the drug have been approved in many more, under federal law, it remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance, which means it's considered to have "no currently accepted medical use" and a "high potential for abuse."...Just this week, the National Conference of State Legislatures, a group representing state lawmakers, called on the federal government to move marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2. The group criticized federal law for imposing "substantial administrative and operational burdens, compliance risk and regulatory risk that serve as a barrier to banks and credit unions providing banking services to businesses and individuals involved in the cannabis industry."...Despite this, the DEA says it cannot change the legal status of marijuana unless the FDA determines it has a medical use. The FDA cannot determine it has a medical use in part because of the highly restrictive legal status of the drug. It's a classic bureaucratic Catch-22...The only body that can truly resolve this conflict, now, is Congress — by amending the Controlled Substances Act to treat marijuana differently. Most federal lawmakers seem to agree that this needs to happen, but there's disagreement on how to do it...
- Hawaii looks to allow psychologists to prescribe drugs (hosted.ap.org)
State lawmakers are poised to make Hawaii one of a handful of states that allow psychologists to prescribe medication in hopes of increasing access to mental health services...The...bill would allow psychologists to prescribe medication if they undergo special training. It sets requirements including 400 hours of training, supervision of 100 patients and passing an exam created by the American Psychological Association...So far, psychologists in the Department of Defense can prescribe medication, along with those in New Mexico, Louisiana and Illinois. Just this week, lawmakers in Iowa approved a similar bill. Supporters of the Hawaii bill say those states can serve as a model for increasing access to mental health care...Outreach workers say Hawaii is in the midst of a mental health crisis. More Hawaii residents die by suicide than in car accidents, according to the Hawaii Department of Health...But opponents including the American Psychiatric Association and the Hawaii Medical Association say the bill would put Hawaii residents with mental illness at serious risk. They say some psychologists might not have the proper medical training needed to safely prescribe drugs that can cause deadly reactions, especially when mixed with other medications...