Study on Drug Pricing Intermediaries and Competition in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain.
This Act mandates the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct a comprehensive study on the role of intermediaries, specifically Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), in determining prescription drug prices. The goal is to identify practices that may limit competition or artificially inflate drug costs for consumers. The findings will be used to recommend new policies aimed at increasing transparency and potentially lowering citizens' out-of-pocket expenses for medication.
Key points
The FTC will investigate whether PBMs steer patients to their own pharmacies or use drug lists (formularies) to favor higher-cost drugs over lower-cost alternatives.
The report must include policy recommendations to improve competition and transparency throughout the pharmaceutical supply chain.
The legislation aims to ensure consumers benefit from market efficiencies and to prevent anti-competitive behavior that drives up drug costs.
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