At Medicines360, our work is focused on addressing gaps women face in accessing the medicines they need. While that means we pursue drug research and development, as a mission-driven organization, it also demands that we pay attention to and speak up about policies that negatively impact the health and well-being of women we serve. In that spirit, as we move into the second quarter of 2023 and the 118th Congress, we have some key policy updates to share.
Key Updates
Insulin Gets a Price Cap with Nonprofit Pharma as an Ally
In March, the state of California announced its partnership with fellow nonprofit pharmaceutical company Civica Rx. The $50 million investment will cap the cost of insulin at $30 per vial for Californians, regardless of their insurance status. We applaud Civica’s work to tackle supply chain issues and bring affordable, critical medicines to the people of California and nationwide. This move serves as an important milestone for public partnerships with nonprofit pharma, and we are confident it will pave the way for future partnerships down the road.
The Real-world Impact of Drug Pricing Legislations
We are thrilled to share that the progress does not stop there—nonprofit pharma and smart policy are building a future with more equitable access to critical medicines. In March, pharmaceutical companies Novo Nordisk, Sanofi SA, and Eli Lilly announced drastic cuts to their insulin prices which will help ensure more equitable access to the life-saving drug. These changes were strategic: a provision in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 designed to lower Medicaid rebate caps meant that, by lowering their prices, these pharmaceutical companies are actually avoiding paying millions of dollars in rebates to state Medicaid programs starting in 2024.
Ultimately, these price cuts demonstrate the positive, real-world impact that drug pricing legislation can have and the powerful market pressure that nonprofit pharma companies like Civica and Medicines360 can exert.
Over-the-Counter Health Products in Review
In June of last year, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a Proposed Rule on Nonprescription Drug Products with an Additional Condition for Nonprescription Use. The proposed rule was designed to increase options for the development and marketing of nonprescription drugs, with the intended effect of improving public health by broadening the types of products available without a prescription.
However, our policy team cautions that the proposed rule’s new conditions could potentially impede access to over-the-counter women’s health products and deepen harmful inequities in access for women from marginalized communities. Additionally, the proposed rule’s new tracking requirements could create unnecessary burdens for patients and for manufacturers—particularly at a time when patient privacy is more important than ever. In response, we submitted comments to the FDA expressing our views. While a final rule has not yet been published, we are hopeful that the FDA will heed these important concerns.
