Prescription Drugs

Criticism of prescription drug middlemen has intensified recently in the wake of a federal agency’s actions and legislative reform attempts.

President Joe Biden is campaigning on his efforts to cut drug costs for Medicare patients. But independent pharmacists say one strategy makes it unaffordable for them to keep some brand-name medicines in stock.

A study by the Rand Corp., a nonpartisan research organization, found that, across all drugs, U.S. prices were 2.78 times higher than the prices in 33 OECD countries. The gap was even larger for brand-name drugs.

As national distributors and pharmacies restricted the flow of painkillers in response to the opioid crisis, Publix did the opposite, according to a Tampa Bay Times/KFF Health News data analysis.

Florida Hospital Association president Mary Mayhew tells "The Florida Roundup" that she hopes people can start benefitting from the program within the year.

This week on The Florida Roundup, we discussed Gov. DeSantis’ State of the State address, Florida’s plan to import prescription drugs from Canada, condo reforms and the new chairman of the Florida Republican Party. Plus, an update on winter storms and recent education news. Finally, we ask: is it “Sani-belle” or “San-a-bull”?

The FDA said Florida’s program will be authorized for two years, and state officials must test the drugs to make sure they’re authentic and relabel them so that they comply with U.S. standards.

An appeals court this month will hear arguments in a long-running battle pitting the Publix supermarket chain and insurers against a state agency and doctors over rules for dispensing medications to injured workers.

The FDA had been expected to decide by next week, but a back-and-forth between state and federal officials about details of the proposal means the wait will continue, a court document says.

A Tampa-area mom couldn't watch her 9-year-old's leukemia go untreated. She started campaigning to fix a broken system and get patients the treatments they need in the face of drug shortages.

The company said that customers in College Station, Texas, can now get prescriptions delivered by a drone within an hour of placing their order.

With a decision expected this fall on whether Florida can import cost-saving drugs, the state lashed out after federal officials raised issues such as a requirement for a secured warehouse in Michigan.