Senator Bernie Sanders needs to satisfy subsequent week with Novo Nordisk A/S’s prime government about decreasing the worth of its blockbuster drug Ozempic, fueling controversy over the prices of GLP-1 medication for diabetes and weight problems.
The Vermont impartial mentioned he’s contemplating hearings on the price of GLP-1 medication like Ozempic, however first needs to personally talk about their costs with Novo Chief Government Officer Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen.
“We’re going to attempt to make it occur subsequent week,” mentioned Sanders, chair of the Senate Well being, Training, Labor and Pensions committee. Ozempic lists within the US for $968.52 for a month’s provide of weekly injections.
A Novo spokesperson couldn’t say whether or not its CEO would meet with Sanders. In an announcement, the corporate mentioned that “affordability challenges are actual” for medication and that it provides choices to assist US sufferers pay for medicines. The corporate has mentioned it’s spending many billions of {dollars} to extend the provision of medication like Ozempic.
‘Completely Absurd’
Sanders was responding to a examine revealed Wednesday in JAMA Community Open that discovered a month’s provide of Ozempic might be profitably made for lower than $5. Sanders known as the worth of Ozempic “completely absurd” and “outrageous” and mentioned it ought to be sharply lowered to what Novo sells the drug for in Canada or Europe.
“Thousands and thousands of Individuals are going to want this product” however gained’t have the ability to afford it, he mentioned within the interview. Ozempic “can be going to have a really, very deleterious impression on the budgets of Medicare and Medicaid and personal insurance coverage.”
Sanders additionally mentioned he at the moment doesn’t assist laws that may broadly require Medicare, the US well being program for seniors and disabled folks, to cowl associated weight problems medication similar to Novo’s Wegovy, which prices much more than Ozempic.
“Not at this worth,” he mentioned. Masking weight problems medication “would elevate Medicare premiums very, very considerably.”
Sanders mentioned he additionally hoped to achieve an settlement to decrease out-of-pocket prices for medication like Ozempic. Earlier this month, a number of drug firms agreed to cap sufferers’ prices for bronchial asthma inhalers after a Senate HELP committee probe.
State well being plans and Medicaid workplaces are seeing rising prices for Ozempic and its sister drug Wegovy for weight problems, elevating questions on whether or not the will increase are sustainable. In January, North Carolina mentioned it could lower off protection of anti-obesity medicines for state workers, citing hovering prices and lack of settlement on pricing from drugmakers.
Wegovy sells for about $1,349 a month. Medicare doesn’t at the moment cowl medication for weight reduction, however some lawmakers are pushing for laws that may require this system to pay for them.
Along with treating weight problems, Wegovy was just lately authorized for lowering cardiovascular threat in coronary heart illness sufferers who even have weight problems. A number of Medicare managed plans mentioned Thursday that they are going to cowl it for this use.