Regulatory and Washington

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Even with the estimated removal of as many as 20 million Americans from healthcare insurance rolls as a result of the still-fluid American Healthcare Act, Kalorama Information is still bullish on the retail clinic sector the research company announced Monday.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association on Thursday urged Senate Republicans to keep a number of important prescription drug-related provisions as they consider House passage of H.R. 1628, the American Health Care Act.

“Prescription drug coverage is an essential health benefit,” stated Douglas Hoey, CEO NCPA. “Any meaningful drug coverage should include patient choice of pharmacy and access to face-to-face counseling with a community pharmacist they know and trust.”

WASHINGTON — National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO Steven C. Anderson, participated in a listening session on Thursday following an invitation by Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.

WASHINGTON — An amendment to improve generic drug competition has been approved as part of the Food and Drug Reauthorization Act, U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told The Associated Press.

Collins said the amendment was approved May 11 at a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee business meeting, adding the measure is part of an investigation into "aggressive price hikes" in prescription drugs, and it will improve generic drug competition to help make prices lower.

WASHINGTON — By a vote of 57 to 42 (with one Senator not voting), the Senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of Scott Gottlieb, of Connecticut, to be commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Gov. Paul LePage said during a radio call-in show that people on opioids have an “advantage” of receiving free Narcan shots versus those who have allergies and have to pay for their medications.

According to The Associated Press, LePage specifically referred to a letter he received from a dad whose family members have to carry allergy pens for reactions to peanuts and bee stings.

People with allergies have "done nothing" but have to pay for it, the governor said during the radio show.

On Monday, the Senate took up the issue of health care reform with the promise to start from scratch in the aftermath of the May 4 passage of the American Health Care Act in the House of Representatives. Even as the work remains ahead, one of the questions facing the industry is what impact it would have if the version that passed the House became law.

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the Healthcare Distribution Alliance on Monday submitted a joint op-ed that was published by The Hill regarding the inherent risks of importing drugs from foreign markets.

Allowing the importation of pharmaceuticals from foreign markets is not a health cost panacea, argued John Gray, president and CEO HDA, and Steven Anderson president and CEO NACDS, and in fact would undo current legislation designed to maintain the integrety of the closed pharmaceutical supply chain in the U.S.