REGULATORY UPDATE REGULATORY UPDATE CONSUMER DRUGS Pediatric Rare Disease Voucher Japan Wants EMA To Stay In Digital Marketing: Health Care Brands’ Program Faces Expiration, p. 12 UK Post-Brexit, p. 15 Window Into Consumers’ Lives, p. 20 Pharma intelligence Pinkpink.pharmamedtechbi.comSheetVol. 78 / No. 38 September 19, 2016 informa Mylan NV was subpoenaed for material Pharma Pricing, Non-Profit Ties Get about the pricing of its generic doxycycline and communications with competitors. And Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. is Increasing Scrutiny From Prosecutors facing several probes about its pricing and BRENDA SANDBURG
[email protected] patient assistance programs (see chart, p. 5). Mylan’s doxycycline price increases were called out by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., in October 2014 when they sent letters to 14 generic drug makers about the pricing of their prod- ucts. They noted that from October 2013 to April 2014, the average price charged for a 500-count bottle of 100 mg tablets had risen from $20 to $1,829, an 8,281% increase. Mylan is now under fire for repeatedly rais- ing the price of its severe allergy treatment EpiPen (epinephrine), which has increased from about $100 for a two-pack in 2008 to more than $600. Members of Congress sent a flurry of letters to the company requesting an explanation for the price hikes. And on Sept. 6, New York Attorney Gen- Shutterstock: blvdone Shutterstock: eral Eric Schneiderman announced that his office has begun an investigation into rug makers have been unable to programs, contractual agreements with Mylan with regard to EpiPen, saying a pre- shake free of government inves- pharmacy benefit managers, support of liminary review revealed that Mylan may Dtigations of their marketing and non-profit organizations, and calculation have inserted potentially anticompetitive sales practices.