NPC in the News
NPC serves as a trusted resource on issues related to biopharmaceutical innovation, patient access, the value of medicines, and more. See below for recent articles citing NPC's research and expertise.
Catch up on the latest news stories, commentaries and conversations citing NPC's research and expertise.
Prices for 5 drugs were hiked without proof of new benefits, costing the U.S. $815M in 2023, report finds
December 12, 2024 | STAT Read Here
NPC announces Takeda’s Jen Norton as board chair for 2025
December 11, 2024 | Chain Drug Review Read Here
Use of Copay Offset Programs Expected to Rise | AMCP Nexus 2024
October 15, 2024 | Managed Healthcare Executive Read Here
Breaking Down Co-Pay Accumulators, Maximizers and the Impact on Patients
October 18, 2024 | AJMC Read Here
Health Policy Challenges and Innovative Solutions at AMCP Nexus 2024
October 9, 2024 | AJMC Read Here
The Last Domino Falls: OptumRx to Exclude Humira® From Some Drug Formularies Beginning January 2025
September 11, 2024 | Biosimilars Review and Report Read Here
Which Top HEOR Trends Will Have The Biggest Impact On Clinical Research?
September 6, 2024 | Clinical Leader Read Here
Prescription Rebates: Agreements, Guarantees, and More, with NPC's John O'Brien, PharmD, MPH, and Julie Patterson, PharmD, PhD
August 23, 2024 | Capital Rx podcast Listen Now
PBM Rebating Practices: How Much Do Employer Plan Sponsors Really Know?
August 29, 2024 | Pink Sheet Subscribers Read Here
Value Viewpoint – recent developments in US healthcare value and access with Kimberly Westrich: July – August 2024
September 3, 2024 | The Evidence Base Read Here
Health Equity & Access Weekly Roundup
August 24, 2024 | AJMC Read Here
Reaction Mixed After CMS Unveils Negotiated Medicare Drug Prices
August 24, 2024 | AJMC Read Here
The most revealing information on Medicare drug prices yet to come
August 16, 2024 | BioCentury Read Here
Medicare Unveils Negotiated Prices, But Near-Term Opportunity To Learn From Process Is Limited
August 15, 2024 | Pink Sheet Subscribers Read Here
Rare Disease Community Pushes Back Against Inflation Reduction Act
August 4, 2024 | Policy & Medicine Read Here
Employers Face New Risks in Accepting Drug Rebates
August 12, 2024 | The Mahoney Group Read Here
The Last Domino Falls: OptumRx to Exclude Humira® From Some Drug Formularies Beginning January 2025
September 11, 2024 | Biosimilars Review and Report Read Here
Dr John M. O'Brien Highlights Critical Role of Rebates in Employer Benefit Choices
August 5, 2024 | AJMC Watch Now
Time for an ‘honest conversation’ about drug pricing, O’Brien says
July 11, 2024 | BioCentury (The BioCentury Show podcast) Listen Now
The National Pharmaceutical Council Releases New Primer Highlighting Unanswered Questions and Unintended Consequences of State Prescription Drug Affordability Boards
July 9, 2024 | AcademyHealth July Newsletter Read Here
Value Viewpoint – recent developments in US healthcare value and access with Kimberly Westrich: May – June 2024
July 8, 2024 | The Evidence Base Read Here
Additional Coverage
News Highlights from January - June 2024
Global patient study identifies key reasons driving nonadherence to self-administered cancer medications
June 27, 2024 | AP News Read Here
Protecting the 340B Program Vital for Providing the Best Care to Patients With HIV
June 21, 2024 | AJMC Watch Now
US Drug Negotiations Plan Shifts Focus for Rare Disease Programs
June 17, 2024 | Bloomberg Law Read Here
Regaining Trust in the Pharma Industry
June 13, 2024 | Pharmaceutical Executive Read Here
How the IRA Has Unraveled the “Biotech Social Contract”
June 12, 2024 | American Journal of Accountable Care Read Here
Forging ahead with US and EU healthcare policy changes: balancing sustainability, innovation and patient access in the era of IRA and EU HTA
June 11, 2024 | The Evidence Base Read Here
Navigating uncertainty: redefining healthcare value in an evolving healthcare landscape
June 5, 2024 | The Evidence Base Read Here
US Pharma and Biotech Summit 2024: Solving Drug Pricing
May 21, 2024 | Pharmaceutical Executive Read Here
Kimberly Westrich's ICER Recommendations to Improve Drug Pricing Data Accuracy
May 20, 2024 | AJMC Read Here
Drug pricing now and to come – it’s complicated
May 17, 2024 | Medical Economics Read Here
Patient access to medicines must be the focus of US drug pricing policy
May 16, 2024 | Pharmaceutical Technology Read Here
Sanders Seeks Denmark’s Help To Lower Weight-Loss Drug Prices, Industry Says It Could Backfire
May 16, 2024 | InsideHealthPolicy Read Here
ISPOR 2024: Key Takeaways From Leading Speakers
May 13, 2024 | AJMC Watch Here
Looking Back on ISPOR 2024: Hot Policy Topics, Welcome Focus on Employers, and More
May 10, 2024 | AJMC Watch Here
How the IRA May Shift Economic Incentives for Drug Manufacturers: Dr Julie Patterson
May 8, 2024 | AJMC Watch Here
Kimberly Westrich Talks the Hidden Costs of 340B to Employers
May 7, 2024 | AJMC Watch Here
ISPOR 2024 daily round-ups: Day 2
May 7, 2024 | The Evidence Base Read Here
ISPOR 2024 daily round-ups: Day 1
May 6, 2024 | The Evidence Base Read Here
ICER and NEWDIGS at Tufts Medical Center release white paper addressing the complexities of financing gene therapies
April 25, 2024 | The Evidence Base Read Here
How Potential Unintended Impacts of the IRA May Affect Patients: Dr Julie Patterson
April 24, 2024 | AJMC Watch Now
MHE Interviews NPC's James Motyka at AMCP2024
April 22, 2024 | Managed Healthcare Executive Watch Now
AMCP 2024: Key Takeaways From Leading Speakers. Kimberly Westrich
April 22, 2024 | American Journal of Managed Care Watch Now
Kimberly Westrich Addresses Patient-Centricity Strategies, Benefits in Health Care
April 18, 2024 | American Journal of Managed Care Watch Now
AMCP 2024 to Bring Opportunities for Managed Care Pharmacy Stakeholders to Explore, Address Policy Challenges
April 9, 2024 | The American Journal of Managed Care Read here
New Report Makes Recommendations for Advancing Health Equity and Fostering Patient Engagement in the Implementation of CMS’ Drug Price Negotiation Program
April 9, 2024 | Managed Healthcare Executive Read here
What Will Change in the Pharma Industry Look Like?
March 29, 2024 | Pharmaceutical Commerce Read here
Dr Julie Patterson Discusses Potential Unintended Effects of the IRA on Drug Development
April 3, 2024 | The American Journal of Managed Care
In an interview with Rose McNulty of the American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), NPC Senior Director of Research Dr. Julie Patterson discussed the findings of NPC’s study on the potential impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on small molecule drug research and development investments toward subsequent indications. AJMC published the recorded interview on April 3 on the AJMC website. Watch the interview
New Data Demonstrates Disproportionate Access to Specialty Drugs by Wage and Race
March 21, 2024, Chain Drug Review Read here
Value Viewpoint – Recent Developments in US Healthcare Value and Access with Kimberly Westrich: January–February 2024
March 19, 2024 | The Evidence Base Read here
340B Small Share of Drugmaker Revenue, Says Hospital-Backed Report
March 14, 2024 | 340B Report Read here
Biden’s Pharma Plans Keep Industry Fighting On All Fronts
March 7, 2024 | Pink Sheet Read here
Drug Price Negotiations Could Discourage Additional Approvals: Study
March 6 | BioSpace Read here
Data Supporting Drug Price Hikes Deemed Faulty
March 1 | Specialty Pharmacy Continuum Read here
The Cost of the 340B Program
March 2024 | BIO on LinkedIn Read here
Designing Affordable Healthcare Plans For All Workforce Segments
March 2024 | Diversity Plus Read here
The FDA Could Help Save My Son From a Rare Disease
February 27 | The Wall Street Journal
Published during Rare Disease Week, this commentary cites NPC’s IRA-related research. Read here
The End for QALYs in Federal Us Drug Value Assessments?
February 12 | The Evidence Base
NPC Chief Strategy Officer Kimberly Westrich was quoted and featured in this story from The Evidence Base, which covered the debate in Washington, DC, over QALYs and QALY alternatives. Read here
NPC Shares New IRA-Related Research in AJMC
February 2 | Chain Drug Review Read here
How the IRA Disincentivizes New Indications — and How to Fix it
February 2 | BioCentury Read here
The Washington Post/KFF Health 202 Newsletter on Drug Price Negotiation Program
February 1 | The Washington Post: The Health 202 Read here
Mostafa Kamal Talks Evolution of PBM Industry, Latest Developments, in Fierce Healthcare Panel
January 30 | Prime Therapeutics Read here
PhRMA, BIO Push Back Against Rare String of Setbacks
January 24 | BioSpace Story here
J.P. Morgan 2024: Optimism With An Undercurrent Of Tension
January 10, 2024 | Scrip Citeline Commercial
At #JPM2024, NPC President and CEO John O'Brien spoke with Jessica Merrill of Scrip Citeline Commercial and shared the importance of innovation in how we pay for medicines in this golden age of innovation, saying:
“The ability to not just treat unmet need but potentially have durable treatments or cures is a really big deal...Unfortunately, we are trying to pay for those therapies with the reimbursement system that was created for statins and blood pressure drugs. We need as much innovation in reimbursement as we have in pharmaceutical technology, and that is going to take everybody working together.”
Health care outlook 2024: John O’Brien, president and CEO, NPC
January 9, 2024 | Chain Drug Review
In a commentary for Chain Drug Review, NPC's John O'Brien highlights key health policy issues to watch in 2024 - including the IRA's Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, state-based Patient Drug Affordability Boards (PDABs), and reforms related to 340B and PBMs. He noted that each issue underscores the need for trusted evidence and research to inform decisions that benefit patients.
News Highlights from 2023
Value viewpoint – recent developments in US healthcare value and access with Kimberly Westrich
The Evidence Base | Nov - Dec 2023 Issue
NPC's Kimberly Westrich discussed the recent updates in US healthcare value and access during an interview with The Evidence Base.
Patti Peeples speaks with Kimberly Westrich
The Evidence Base | December 6, 2023
In The Evidence Base's latest episode of "Patti’s People," Patti Peeples speaks with NPC's Kimberly Westrich about value assessment, including how ICER’s frameworks are being used by payers, approaches to valuing cell and gene therapies, and CMS' implementation of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program.
Kimberly Westrich joins NPC as chief strategy officer
Politico Influence | December 6, 2023
News of Kimberly Westrich's return to NPC as Chief Strategy Officer was featured in Politico.
‘Alternative’ Model For Patient Assistance Draws Stakeholder Ire
Specialty Pharmacy Continuum | November 20, 2023
In this article about alternative funding programs (also called specialty drug cost containment models), NPC President and CEO, John M. O'Brien, PharmD, MPH, discussed the risks to individual patient access and the health system.
POC for Verve? Plus IRA & East-West deals
BioCentury This Week Podcast | November 13, 2023
In BioCentury Inc's latest podcast episode, Steve Usdin and Jeff Cranmer discuss the NPC study published in Health Affairs Forefront examining the potential unintended consequences of the IRA’s drug pricing provisions. The conversation about the study, led by NPC's John O'Brien, Julie Patterson and James Motyka, starts at 7:05.
Senate Finance Committee Republicans Oppose CMS Plan to Redefine Medicaid Best Price
340B News | November 7, 2023
NPC's John O'Brien shared perspectives with the 340B Report's Tom Mirga about CMS' proposal to redefine Medicaid Best Price, which is used to calculate 340B discounts and is included in CMS' Medicaid Drug Rebate Program (MDRP) proposed regulation. 
Read here (subscription required 🔒)
Requiring Transparency and Value-Based Care in the Pharmaceutical Industry
The Real Chemistry Podcast | October 26, 2023
In this discussion, NPC's John O'Brien and Real Chemistry's Jim Weiss focus on the growing government role in drug pricing, the rise in patient out-of-pocket costs, and the importance of health policy research in guiding policy.
ICER’s Faux Updates
Healthcare Policy Pop Podcast | OCT. 5, 2023
NPC's John O'Brien discussed the latest changes to ICER's value assessment framework with Healthcare Policy Pop, a podcast by Patients Rising Now. In the conversation, he highlights the reasons why ICER's latest framework may hinder patient access to care. Healthcare Policy Pop also cited NPC's statement on ICER's updates in the resources they highlighted for their September 28th episode featuring a discussion on ICER's work.
Uncertainties Still Loom Over IRA Negotiations
AIS Health, September 7, 2023
NPC's John O'Brien and Julie Patterson highlighted the unknowns that remain around the implementation of the IRA’s drug-related provisions.
Restricted access to specialty drugs on the rise: What employers, advisors need to know
Benefits Pro, August 31, 2023
NPC's Rochelle Henderson spoke with Benefits Pro about the study published in Health Affairs Scholar demonstrating that health plans are increasingly restrictive when covering specialty medicines.
Drugmakers, investors say they've already changed bets in IRA's first year
Axios, August 29, 2023
Healthcare reporter Tina Reed quoted NPC's John O'Brien in her story of CMS's newly-announced price negotiations drug list.
Biden Administration targets drugs from J&J, Merck for controversial Medicare price negotiations
Yahoo Finance, August 29, 2023
Senior finance reporter, Anjalee Khemlani cited NPC's John O'Brien in her coverage of CMS's announcement, "Many important questions related to patient input, patient access and negotiated formularies, and therapeutic alternatives remain unanswered even as the process begins in earnest. There are also significant unintended consequences that are not yet well understood, such as how this process may create perverse incentives delaying launches, reducing subsequent indications, and chilling evidence generation."
Pharmaceutical industry rips 'draconian' price negotiation provision
Fierce Healthcare, August 29, 2023
Reporter Noah Tong quoted NPC's John O'Brien in his coverage of CMS's price negotiations list, "There are also significant unintended consequences that are not yet well understood, such as how this process may create perverse incentives delaying launches, reducing subsequent indications and chilling evidence generation.”
IRA drug list underscores challenges for industry
BioCentury, August 29, 2023
NPC's John O'Brien shared insights with reporter Steve Usdin.
Subscribers can read the full story
From Enemy Territory? NPC Nabs Ex-ICER VP
Pink Sheet, August 11, 2023
Sarah Karlin-Smith's article spotlights NPC's expanded leadership team.
NPC adds executive leaders, names Dr. Jon Campbell as chief science officer
Chain Drug Review, July 31, 2023
News of two additions to the NPC leadership team - Jon Campbell, PhD, MS as Chief Science Officer and Michael Pratt as Chief Communications Officer - was featured in this article, as well as in Politico Playbook.
Read the article in Chain Drug Review
Senate Targets Pharmacy Middlemen Amid Drug Price Deal Talks
Bloomberg Law, July 26, 2023
This article examines the Senate Finance Committee's work to address the practices of pharmacy benefit managers and includes perspective from NPC's John O'Brien.
10 Takeaways from LDI’s Drug Pricing Conference
Penn LDI, May 17, 2023
This recap of Penn LDI's Health Care Drug Pricing Conference quotes NPC's Dr. O'Brien discussing the potential harms of the drug pricing provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. He says, “I feel like we’re really close to hitting an artery. What is this going to do to innovation and development?"
PBMs, the Brokers Who Control Drug Prices, Finally Get Washington's Attention
Kaiser Health News, May 11, 2023
NPC weighs in on efforts to address the opaque practices of pharmacy benefit managers.
Co-Pay Assistance Works, and It's More Needed than Ever
Chain Drug Review, April 24, 2023
In this commentary, NPC's John M. O'Brien examines co-pay accumulators and the risks of benefit manager and insurance plan policies deterring adherence to medicines people need.
No Time to Be Complacent: Continuous Reform Needed to Achieve Pharmacoequity
The American Journal of Managed Care, March 24, 2023
It's Not Just the P&T Committee. Payers Are Putting Value Assessment Committees, Filters on Drug Coverage Decisions
Managed Healthcare Executive, March 22, 2023
The President’s victory lap on the success of price controls is premature
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, March 18, 2023
In this commentary, NPC's John M. O’Brien discusses the potential effects of new price controls and what the future holds for Medicare.
President Biden’s Proposal To Expand Medicare Price Controls A Sign Of Things To Come
Pink Sheet, March 8, 2023
Health Affairs Spending Council Releases Its Road Map For Action
Health Affairs Forefront, February 8, 2023
ICER: Majority of Payer Coverage Policies Support 'Key Elements of Fair Access' in Formularies
Endpoints News, January 17, 2023
(subscription required 🔒) Read here
Read more NPC in the News
Podcast: The Myth of Average: Time for Change
AiArthritis Voices Podcast, April 3, 2022
Tiffany Westrich-Robertson, CEO of AiArthritis and a person living with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, speaks with NPC's John O'Brien about the topic of the importance of innovation and treatment access in this podcast episode.
AMCP 2022: High Out-of-Pocket Costs Are Associated with Nonadherence Among Patients Taking Oral Cancer Drugs
Managed Healthcare Executive, March 31, 2022
This articles describes NPC-sponsored research presented at the AMCP annual meeting that shows that almost half of cancer patients on oral therapies are nonadherent.
Price Transparency Healthcare Policies Reduce Out-Of-Pocket Costs
PharmaNewsIntelligence, March 18, 2022
NPC President and CEO John M. O'Brien weighs in on issues around the importance of price transparency in health care and reducing patient out-of-pocket costs to improve access to medicines.
National Pharmaceutical Council Executive to Give Hartman Lecture
The Oxford Eagle (Miss.), March 8, 2022
The local Oxford, Miss., newspaper reports on NPC President and CEO John M. O’Brien presenting the annual Charles W. Hartman Memorial Lecture on Friday, March 11, at the University of Mississippi.
ICER to Develop Annual Drug Price Hike Reports For California
InsideHealthPolicy, March 4, 2022 (subscription required)
An article about the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) developing two reports for California cites NPC's concerns about ICER's flawed report methodology and notes that NPC President and CEO John O'Brien cautioned health policymakers in California against using the reports for policies that could harm patients.
Adopting Good Practices for High-Deductible Health Plans Can Help Employers Build Better Health Benefits
American Journal of Accountable Care, March 4, 2022
NPC and Gallagher Research & Insights discuss results from a survey demonstrating that employers are receptive to the idea of adopting good practices for health savings account-eligible high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) and, in many cases, are already implementing them.
Experts Discuss How Employers Can Take on HSA HDHP Challenges While Encouraging Value-Based Care
American Journal of Managed Care, February 20, 2022
AJMC provides highlights from part 2 of a two-part webinar series, hosted by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions and moderated by NPC's Kimberly Westrich, focused on employer opportunities for improving value and crafting smarter deductibles in HSA-eligible HDHPs.
9 Employer Best Practices for High Deductible Health Plan Design
HealthPayerIntelligence, February 16, 2022
This article focuses on the recent report from NPC and Gallagher Research & Insights on ways employers can more effectively implement high-deductible health plans.
How Employers Can Leverage Value, Health Equity Incentives to Address Health Plan Affordability Concerns
American Journal of Managed Care, February 6, 2022
AJMC provides highlights from part 1 of a two-part webinar series, hosted by the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions and featuring NPC's Kimberly Westrich, addressing issues in health care coverage affordability and how equitable health benefits and value-based design can reduce cost while improving employee engagement.
The Myth of Average: Why Individual Patient Differences Matter
American Journal of Managed Care, January 19, 2022
AJMC featured on its website NPC's newly updated booklet The Myth of Average: Why Individual Patient Differences Matter, which explores the barriers patients face when navigating the health care system.
New CMS Rule Fails to Fix Medicaid Best Price
BioCentury (subscription required), January 14, 2022
NPC's Health Affairs Forefront article "Medicaid Best Price Volatility Could Inhibit Payment Innovation" was featured in this BioCentury piece on Medicaid best price legislation impeding patient access to expensive gene therapies.
Addressing Access Burdens
Pharmaceutical Executive, January 11, 2022
NPC President and CEO John M. O'Brien discusses the increasing barriers for patients to receiving needed therapies and how pharmaceutical companies are reaching out to employers directly to talk about health benefits.
Video: Kimberly Westrich on Micro-, Macro-Level Approaches to Improve Value-Based Benefit Design
American Journal of Managed Care, January 6, 2022
The final video in a four-part series with NPC Vice President of Health Services Research Kimberly Westrich addresses future opportunities for growth regarding value-based benefits. View part one, part two, and part three of the video series.
Pharmacy Outlook: John O’Brien, NPC
Chain Drug Review, January 3, 2022
To kick off the new year, NPC's John M. O’Brien writes in Chain Drug Review about the need for a more informed public discussion about the role that prescription drugs play in our health care system and in improving the lives of patients.