The law is called the Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Act, named after a 26-year-old man who died after rationing his insulin. The law allows Minnesota residents who can’t afford their insulin to pick up a 30-day supply of insulin for $35.
Under the law, drugmakers would be forced to provide insulin for free or face large fines, according to STAT. The cost of insulin has more than tripled in recent years, and some patients that haven’t been able to afford the cost have taken to rationing.
Drugmakers warned Minnesota legislators they would sue over the law because it forces them to provide insulin without being paid.
PhRMA is seeking a permanent injunction to prevent the law from going into effect, STAT reported. The lobby argues the law violates the Fifth Amendment, which states that “private property shall not be taken for public use without just compensation.”
“A state cannot simply commandeer private property to achieve its public policy goals,” PhRMA’s lawsuit states, according to STAT. “The act’s implications are staggering. If Minnesota can appropriate privately manufactured insulin for distribution to its residents without paying any compensation — let alone just compensation — to the manufacturers, states can compel manufacturers to dispense other medications for free as well.”
Read the full article here.
More articles on pharmacy:
Pfizer sues HHS over Medicare rules
Prices of 245 drugs hiked in 6 months
Coalition of drugmakers to unveil $1B venture to pursue antibiotics
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.