The largest U.S. drug industry group and several drug companies have lost a bid to block a Maryland law requiring drugmakers to offer discounts on drugs dispensed by third-party pharmacies that contract with hospitals and clinics serving low-income populations. U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox in Baltimore on Thursday refused to issue a preliminary order blocking the law while he hears a challenge to it by PhRMA, Novartis, AbbVie and AstraZeneca. The judge's written order did not explain his reasoning, but referred to statements he made from the bench at a hearing on Wednesday. Lawyers for the companies, and the office of Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A class of drugs that includes popular medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus (semaglutide) or Mounjaro and Zepbound (tirzepatide) has not only proven effective in treating weight loss and diabetes: Mounting evidence suggests these drugs may be effective at treating other conditions like cancer, Alzheimer’s and COVID-19. Although the drugs were first approved for Type 2 diabetes maintenance, they were approved for weight loss in recent years, and research has shown they cause significant results: Tirzepatide typically causes patients to lose an average of 22.5% of body fat, while semaglutide causes a 15% reduction.
The pharmacy has used its bankruptcy to close hundreds of stores, sell its pharmacy benefit company Elixir, and negotiate settlements with its lenders, drug distribution partner McKesson and other creditors. Ownership of the company has transitioned to certain Rite Aid creditors, and all of Rite Aid's existing common shares were canceled.
Vaccines became a hot button issue during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic — a polarizing point of contention. And now, it appears that anti-vaccine sentiments have spilled over to all kinds of immunizations, including those required for kids to attend school.