The Ten Drugs Which Will Be "Mandatorily" Subject To Direct US Government Price Negotiations Include Only One Merck Drug, Diabetes Medicine Januvia.

Merck was the first to sue over the Administration's plans. . . and in the intervening months, it has been joined by three others. It is noteworthy that no company had more than one drug on the initial list. [Merck's worldwide revenue in 2022 was nearly $60 billion.]

And it is noteworthy that not one of them has a generic alternative, despite being on market for at least a decade each. As reported by MSNBC, here are the first ten (more to come -- in 2024):

. . .Eliquis, made by Bristol-Myers Squibb, is used to prevent blood clotting to reduce the risk of stroke.

Jardiance, made by Boehringer Ingelheim, is used to lower blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes.

Xarelto, made by Johnson & Johnson, is used to prevent blood clotting to reduce the risk of stroke.

Januvia, made by Merck, is used to lower blood sugar for people with type 2 diabetes.

Farxiga, made by AstraZeneca, is used to treat type 2 diabetes.

Entresto, made by Novartis, is used to treat certain types of heart failure.

Enbrel, made by Amgen, is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Imbruvica, made by AbbVie, is used to treat different types of blood cancers.

Stelara, made by Janssen, is used to treat Crohn’s disease.

Fiasp and NovoLog, insulins made by Novo Nordisk

The 10 medicines accounted for $50.5 billion, or about 20%, of total Part D prescription drug costs from June 1, 2022, to May 31, 2023, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS.

In 2022 alone, 9 million seniors spent $3.4 billion out of pocket on the 10 drugs, a senior Biden administration official told reporters Tuesday during a call.

Medicare covers roughly 66 million people in the U.S., and 50.5 million patients are currently enrolled in Part D plans, according to health policy research organization KFF.

Nearly 10% of Medicare enrollees ages 65 and older, and 20% of those under 65, report challenges in affording drugs, a senior administration official said Tuesday. . . .

I continue to believe the strike suits will lead to. . . nothing. Just a rhetorical flourish. Not much more. Onward -- we have waited for three decades, and since 1994 (HRC Plan that fell short) more concretely, for this day. Now it finally has arrived. Smile.

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