Valeant Taps Attorney, ‘High-Stakes’ Crisis Public Affairs Firm
Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, a small, year-old startup is working to stabilize the prices of generic drugs.
Reuters:
Valeant Hires Attorney, Crisis Management Firm As U.S. Scrutiny Mounts
U.S. pharmaceuticals firm Valeant, under mounting pressure from Congress and prosecutors over its drug pricing, has hired an attorney in Washington, D.C., and crisis public relations experts with political connections, according to sources familiar with the matter. The move, confirmed by sources and through documents viewed by Reuters, signals a shift for Valeant Pharmaceuticals, which does not maintain a large presence on Capitol Hill. (12/13)
The Boston Globe:
Nonprofit Vows To Lower Generic Drug Costs
It’s a long way from Manhattan, where Turing Pharmaceuticals this fall raised the price of a generic drug to fight parasitic infections by 5,000 percent. The aim, in the words of founder Martin Shkreli, was “to make as much money as possible.” But in this Central Massachusetts town, a small team of drug industry veterans has launched a startup to counter Turing and other biopharma price gougers by making affordable generic medicines to treat critical diseases. And they’re doing it as a nonprofit (Weisman, 12/14)
Some consumers are dealing with the high cost of prescriptions by bypassing doctors and taking matters into their own hands -
Kaiser Health News:
You Can Buy Insulin Without A Prescription, But Should You?
As anyone who needs insulin to treat diabetes can tell you, that usually means regular checkups at the doctor’s office to fine-tune the dosage, monitor blood-sugar levels and check for complications. But here’s a little known fact: Some forms of insulin can be bought without a prescription. (Tribble, 12/14)