Pfizer and Peers Lobby for Inclusion in Voluntary Drug Price Negotiations
Pfizer and other major drugmakers excluded from the administration’s initial voluntary price negotiation program are lobbying Congress to adjust eligibility criteria. Successful inclusion of high-revenue therapies could pressure revenue projections but offer access to government contracts for treatments currently barred from Medicare price talks.
1. Exclusion from Initial Pricing Program
The administration launched a voluntary drug price negotiation program targeting select high-cost medicines but excluded several top-selling therapies from its initial scope. Pfizer and other major drugmakers found their products ineligible due to criteria on launch dates and spending thresholds, prompting frustration among stakeholders.
2. Lobbying Efforts and Potential Impact
These companies are now lobbying Congress and regulators to amend the program’s rules to include therapies with over $1 billion in annual sales. If adopted, the change could open billions in government purchasing opportunities for treatments currently barred from Medicare negotiations, while introducing downside risk from mandated price reductions.