This edition covers return-to-work challenges, insight on patenting AI innovations, FDA guidance on medical devices, transactional and IP activity in the life sciences, and recent Mintz work for life sciences clients.

Susan Berson explains why health care technology and artificial intelligence are of particular interest to private equity investors and why these investors are uniquely positioned to invest in technology and bring it to market.

In an unexpected turn of events, the Trump administration has apparently reversed course and has withdrawn the proposed rule that would have amended the discount safe harbor under the Anti-Kickback Statute to eliminate protections for certain drug rebates paid by pharmaceutical manufacturers. “Based on careful analysis and thorough consideration, the president has decided to withdraw the rebate rule. The Trump administration is encouraged by continuing bipartisan conversations about legislation to reduce outrageous drug costs imposed on the American people, and President Trump will consider using any and all tools to ensure that prescription drug costs will continue to decline," White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said in a statement.

On Friday, after weeks of delay, the President finally delivered his Drug Pricing Speech and released the HHS Blueprint detailing the Trump Administration's plan to lower drug prices and reduce out-of-pocket costs.

As described in last week’s post, Senator Wyden has introduced the C-THRU Act that seeks to require public disclosure of PBM rebate amounts, establish a minimum rebate percentage that PBMs must pass on to Part D and Exchange Plan clients, and intends to change the definition and/or application of “negotiated prices” under the Part D program. 

For several years now, the public outcry over the issue of drug pricing and reimbursement has increased in frequency and fervor. At least one government agency wants you to know that it has been listening and wants to help provide the information necessary to forge a solution.

Just last month the “Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Spending Act” was introduced in the Senate to amend the Social Security Act. The bill seeks to prohibit Part D plans (and their contracted pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)) from retroactively reducing payments to pharmacies for clean claims.

Here in Washington, it seems everyone has an idea on a drug “fix”:  amendments to the provisions governing Medicare reimbursement, new rebate requirements, changes to price reporting measures, revisions to the 340B Drug Discount Program, etc. Proposals are interesting, but will Congress actually do anything?  If anything is actually going to pass, it has to get through the Senate.

Following our first panel discussing Drug Pricing Challenges and Opportunities, the second panel, which Theresa is moderating involves a subject near and dear to the heart of many of our clients: The New Wave of Value-Based Pricing and Contracting.

We are thrilled that our inaugural Pharmacy Industry Summit is now less than a week away.  The Summit is next Tuesday May 10th, 2016, here in our DC offices.  Since we started planning for the Summit many months ago, this hottest of topics that we chose to cover, drug pricing, has become even hotter.