Michael Hiltzik: Big drug makers are whining about having to negotiate with Medicare, but they can't afford not to
Given the pharmaceutical industry's conviction that the government's Medicare drug negotiation program will "deal a fatal blow" to its innovative research, "coerce" it into sacrificing its rightful profits, kill innocent patients and was also unconstitutional, naturally the companies would decline to participate.
Just kidding.
A few days ago, the White House announced that the manufacturers of all 10 of the first drugs selected for the negotiation process have agreed to participate.
Eight of the manufacturers have challenged the negotiation program in federal lawsuits, in which the above assertions can be found.
AbbVie, the parent of a ninth company with a drug on the negotiation list, is specifically named by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in its lawsuit as a member with a direct interest in the outcome. So far, cases have been filed by Merck, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, , , and (a partner of Eli Lilly in marketing one of the 10 drugs). The industry's lobbying arm, .
