HHS Secretary Azar Provides Updates to Drug Pricing Blueprint

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar yesterday outlined updates to HHS’s “four strategies” for addressing prescription drug pricing in remarks delivered during the National Academy of Medicine’s President’s Forum on Affordable Medicines: Access, Innovation, and the Public Interest.

In his address, Secretary Azar called attention to the proposed rule issued yesterday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would require manufacturers to include in their direct-to-consumer TV advertising the list price of drugs paid for by Medicare & Medicaid. While acknowledging a pharmaceutical industry announcement yesterday of an initiative to improve price transparency, Secretary Azar stated that HHS “will not rely on voluntary action to accomplish our goals.”

Secretary Azar’s speech centered on HHS’ four areas of drug-pricing focus under the Administration's blueprint for lowering drug prices released last May: negotiation, reducing consumer out-of-pocket costs, improving competition, and creating incentives for lower list prices. In his remarks, Secretary Azar highlighted specific actions the administration has taken to date and outlined possible future steps in each of the four areas.

The full text of Secretary Azar's address is available here.

ACCC policy staff will provide a more in-depth look at Secretary Azar's remarks shortly.

Posted 11/16/18