pharmaceutical companies

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine introduced legislation to reform the 340B federal drug pricing program, which provides prescription discounts to providers serving underserved patients. The bill includes annual reporting requirements, HHS auditing authority, and protections against rebate models to ensure smaller providers can access up-front discounts. The debate also involves Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who proposed a different rebate-based approach.

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance will consider a complaint from Chip Buck, a campaign surrogate for U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, against the American Exceptionalism Institute for allegedly failing to register and using undisclosed AI in dark-money ads targeting Blackburn. The complaint, filed after the August gubernatorial primary, claims the group spent over $5,000 on ads linking Blackburn to pharmaceutical contributions, including a defamatory 'queen pharma mama' ad.

The deregulation of non-essential medicine prices in Pakistan in February 2024 resolved shortages but led to unaffordable costs for many, forcing patients like Abdul Rauf and Fatima Javed to prioritize or skip treatments due to financial constraints.

The Trump administration is proposing a rule to prevent hospitals in the 340B program from billing insurers above discounted drug costs for Medicare patients, aiming to save $1.1 billion annually. The rule targets hospitals that currently markup drug prices, which could reduce patient costs but may also impact hospital revenues and services.

China's AI-driven drug-design firms are expanding globally through cross-border dealmaking, with out-licensing deals to major pharmaceutical companies reaching $75 billion in the first five months of 2026, up from zero before 2020. This growth occurs despite increasing US scrutiny of Chinese biotech firms.

Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan warned that Democrats' refusal to accept President Donald Trump's legitimacy, particularly in the post-COVID era, threatens the rule of law. He linked this to a broader crisis of trust in institutions like government, media, and pharmaceutical companies.

Pharmaceutical companies have acquired 32 biotech companies valued at $1 billion or more in the past six months, spending around $123 billion. This spending surpasses last year's totals in roughly half the time, with 26 blockbuster M&A deals in 2025 totaling $112 billion.

An EU court adviser criticized the European Commission for insufficient transparency regarding its Covid-19 vaccine contracts, noting anonymized declarations made it impossible to assess staff impartiality. The Commission argued releasing details could lead to harassment from conspiracy theorists, while Green MEPs and over 3,000 members of the public challenged the lack of disclosure in court.

ICIJ investigated how Merck & Co. and other pharmaceutical companies used a dense web of patents to extend market exclusivity for Keytruda, a cancer drug, delaying affordable alternatives and keeping prices high. The analysis revealed strategies like patenting minor drug modifications and combinations to reset exclusivity periods, while price variations and lawsuits in Latin America highlighted patient struggles.

Jeremy Levin, founder of Ovid Therapeutics and former CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals, argues in his book that political upheaval, weakening institutions, and short-term investing threaten the biotech industry's future despite scientific advancements. He advocates for federal policy changes to support biotech investment and for pharmaceutical companies to address regulatory challenges.

The Supreme Court rejected appeals from pharmaceutical companies regarding Medicare drug price negotiations with the federal government. The decision allows the government to continue negotiating prices. This affects the pharmaceutical industry and Medicare recipients.

The article examines the lack of significant progress in Alzheimer's disease research, highlighting challenges such as funding gaps, complex pathology, and failed drug trials. It questions why breakthroughs remain elusive despite increased attention and resources.

President Trump announced a drug pricing deal with Regeneron, the 17th pharmaceutical company to agree to his 'most favored nation' policy, lowering prices for Medicaid and cash-paying patients. Critics question the impact of the confidential agreements, as discounts may not affect most Americans on private insurance or Medicare.

A report found that drugmakers increased prices on hundreds of drugs despite President Trump's TrumpRx initiative aimed at reducing costs. Trump had announced the program in February 2020, but the analysis revealed ongoing price hikes by pharmaceutical companies.

The Trump administration announced 100% tariffs on patented pharmaceuticals to pressure drugmakers into lowering prices and moving manufacturing to the U.S., with exemptions for companies committing to domestic production. The tariffs aim to incentivize 'most-favored nation' pricing deals and domestic manufacturing investments, affecting major pharma hubs like China, India, and Singapore.