Pharmaceutical industry giants have initiated a legal challenge against Medicare's new drug price negotiation program, deploying a half-dozen lawyers in their effort. A federal judge heard a quadruple oral argument from both sides, with the pharma industry pitted against the Biden administration. The core of the debate centered around the penalties drug manufacturers would face if they opted out of the government's price-setting program. During the oral arguments, drug companies likened leaving Medicare to giving up an arm, a metaphor that the judge countered by noting pharmaceutical companies have many appendages. The judge also expressed skepticism towards the pharmaceutical companies' argument that the program constitutes an unconstitutional 'taking' that harms their bottom line, indicating a need for more substantial evidence to support their claims. @rachelcohrs reported on the complex debate, which also touched on PhRMA's efforts to revive the lawsuit and blast Biden's request for IRA expansion.
The penalties drug manufacturers will face if they choose to withdraw from a government price-setting program were the focus of debate before a federal judge. https://t.co/nFoz0njwFs
PhRMA seeks to revive Medicare price negotiations lawsuit, blasts Biden's request for IRA expansion https://t.co/tlb1yjprzR
A judge bristled at the position by pharmaceutical companies that Medicare's drug price negotiation program is an unconstitutional "taking" that undercuts their bottom line, suggesting that the drug powerhouses needed more numbers to back their argument. https://t.co/XDHBsImXc6
The penalties drug manufacturers will face if they choose to withdraw from a government price-setting program were the focus of debate as four of them faced a federal judge. https://t.co/qZXiPGh4BI
Pharma giants, government spar in court over Medicare drug price negotiation https://t.co/UC9FtTn38E via @rachelcohrs for @statnews
The judge hearing pharma’s arguments against Medicare drug price negotiation can turn a phrase: “A lot of people would say pharmaceutical companies could give up an arm. They have a lot of appendages,” he said. https://t.co/KvpPt7yiya via @statnews
A federal judge today heard a quadruple oral argument against Medicare drug price negotiation. @rachelcohrs had the nearly impossible job of writing about it. https://t.co/uYkP4LNgZh
Pharma industry giants deployed a half-dozen lawyers in a bid to dismantle Medicare’s new drug price negotiation program. https://t.co/wD4fBbpMLp
In oral arguments, drug companies likened leaving Medicare to giving up an arm. “A lot of people would say pharmaceutical companies could give up an arm. They have a lot of appendages,” the judge said. @statnews' @rachelcohrs' summary of today's debate: https://t.co/IbB2c8qCW6
Medicare drug price negotiation hearing pits pharma v Biden admin https://t.co/uHWMJBmNUg