WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order that aims to lower drug prices and includes provisions to reevaluate the role of middlemen in the supply chain and improve transparency into pharmacy benefit managers. A number of pharmacy groups have released statements supporting the newly issued executive order.
The National Community Pharmacists Association released the following statement reacting to the order:
“While the devil will be in the details and in the implementation, we are optimistic that the administration is making moves to address PBMs. President Trump has talked several times about the need to rein them in, and we’re pleased he’s looking to do so. Independent community pharmacies are competing against a deck that is stacked against them by PBMs who want to stomp out their competition through anticompetitive tactics like paying the pharmacy below its cost to buy drugs and overzealous audits. Ultimately these henchmen for Big Insurance increase prescription costs and reduce access for consumers. For these pharmacies and the millions of patients who rely on them, the quicker PBMs can be brought to heel, the better, whether through executive orders, regulation, PBM reform legislation, or a combination of actions.”
To read the executive order, click here.
To read a fact sheet about the president’s action, click here.
Thorvardur de Shong
The National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP) commented:
“NASP is appreciative of President Trump’s continued effort to reduce the drug costs of American seniors. NASP encourages the Trump Administration to ensure that implementation of the Drug Price Negotiation Program does not cause harm to specialty pharmacies who serve some of the sickest Americans.” NASP President and CEO Sheila Arquette, RPh stated. “Specifically, we encourage the Trump Administration to ensure that specialty pharmacies are not left holding the bag as they seek to support patients. Pharmacies must be paid in a timely manner for drugs they dispense through the drug price negotiation program, and must not be reimbursed below the cost to dispense.”
“NASP appreciates the White House’s want to address the anticompetitive practices of some PBMs. For far too long, specialty pharmacies have faced practices by some PBMs that make it impossible for specialty pharmacies to participate in networks, eliminating patient access to the specialty pharmacy of their choice. We have long been advocating for the passage of federal legislation to address these concerns. We call on the Trump Administration to ensure reform occurs through executive action, regulation or via legislation this year.
“NASP wants to also emphasize the importance of the 340B program in supporting low-income medication access for those with specialty conditions and funding chronic disease management programs. We caution against any reforms that would negatively impact the program, participating pharmacies and the patients served.”
Community Health Centers said:
"Community Health Centers (CHCs), which serve 32.5 million patients nationwide, have a proud tradition of ensuring access to affordable, high-quality care for all in the communities we serve regardless of ability to pay – and that includes life-saving medications like insulin and injectable epinephrine.
"For over 30 years, the 340B program has enabled CHCs to deliver affordable and comprehensive primary care to patients who need it most. By law, regulation, and mission, every penny that CHCs save through 340B discounts is used to make medication affordable for low-income patients and to expand access to preventive care services. Unfortunately, in recent years CHCs have lost critical resources from the 340B program, jeopardizing patients’ access to affordable medications and comprehensive primary care.
"We are grateful that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy and the Trump Administration have publicly expressed their support for CHCs’ 60-year-record of fighting chronic disease and lowering healthcare costs. We cannot emphasize enough how vitally important the 340B program is for the working families who need affordable medications and depend on CHCs for care, and we are concerned that proposals outlined in the Order could inadvertently limit these patients’ access to comprehensive primary care.
"As safety-net providers committed to ensuring affordable access to prescriptions and to primary care, CHCs are already part of the solution – not the problem. America’s CHCs look forward to working with the Trump Administration to reform the program and improve our ability to make Americans healthy through comprehensive, affordable medicines and care for the patients we serve."
