NEWS AND PUBLICATIONS

This is the time for independent pharmacies to be actively preparing for the impact of the Cigna-ESI merger—and the ensuing Aetna-Caremark merger—if they have not already done so. The Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice has approved the proposed Cigna-Express Scripts merger, clearing a significant obstacle to Cigna's acquisition of...

OIG calls for "further scrutiny" of pharmacies and prescribers in connection with compounded drugs billed to Medicare Part D.   Pharmacies must be prepared to aggressively defend against this latest attack on the independent retail pharmacy industry. An explosive new report calls for "further scrutiny" of hundreds of pharmacies and prescr...

The recently passed New York State budget bill including sweeping new protections for independent pharmacies facing PBM audits.  The bill, which amends the Public Health Law, requires PBMs, when conducting audits, to accept purchase invoices from a broader range of wholesalers and distributors.  This provision is notable as PBMs...

Compounding pharmacies, one of the fastest growing sectors in retail pharmacy, may soon be able to expand the market for their products in exchange for agreeing to be placed directly under federal oversight, according to U.S. Food & Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. Currently, a sterile compounding pharmacy may&nbs...

Membership programs are a common tool used by retail pharmacies to grow their business. Under this type of program, a pharmacy will give member patients certain benefits, usually taking the form of rebates, discounts, or coupons on in-store items, as a way of developing customer loyalty. As these member patients often fill prescriptions at the same...

The Supreme Court handed biosimilar drug developers a clear victory this week in its decision on Amgen Inc. v. Sandoz Inc. In its decision, the high court considered the provisions of the federal Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (the "Act"), specifically, the Act's requirement that biosimilar developers , prior to commercially...

Is Increased PBM Transparency on the Way? Newly proposed Federal legislation would increase PBM transparency regarding aggregate rebates and "spread pricing".An oft-controversial issue, independent pharmacy associations have long lobbied for greater disclosure of the rebates that PBMs receive from drug companies, which can have a significant effect...

​Pharmacies and pharmacists across the country are receiving subpoenas in a federal case filed in the Eastern District of New York.  In this case, a manufacturer of diabetic test strips, Abbott  Laboratories, is suing distributors and pharmacies accusing them of importing and selling diabetic test strips intended for sale i...