Erin Mershon
STAT
Washington, DC, United States
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Past articles by Erin:
Health and science are on the ballot this election. Here's what we're watching
Tuesday’s votes will chart the course for the future of health care access, affordability, and public health writ large. → Read More
It’s official: parts of the government, including FDA, shut down early Saturday
House Republican leadership suggested late Friday there would be no further votes on legislation to fund the government ahead of the midnight deadline. → Read More
Unpacking the bold — and the bluster — in Trump’s plan to bring down drug prices
STAT unpacks some of the policies that have been in the headlines, and how significant — or insignificant — they might be. → Read More
HHS opens door to possibility of importing some drugs to drive down prices
It is one of the boldest ideas the administration has yet proposed as it has laid out a series of ways to bring down the cost of prescription drugs. → Read More
FDA Chief Slams Drug Makers for Stalling Release of Biosimilars
Americans could have saved $4.5 billion last year if these products were more available, agency official says → Read More
Appeals court rejects hospital industry's challenge on 340B changes
The Trump administration proposed slashing higher reimbursement for the drugs by about 27 percent — a roughly $1.6 billion cut for the industry in 2019. → Read More
In subtle mixing of messages, the drug industry tries to press Congress to lift burden for more drug costs
Pharma's latest ad campaign warns of a looming "cliff" for Medicare beneficiaries. But the industry is campaigning on a separate issue as well. → Read More
Mass. gets a thumbs-down on negotiating Medicaid prices, but Oklahoma wins on ‘value’ rebates
Top health officials offered the first clear signals of just how far they will let state Medicaid agencies go when negotiating discounts. → Read More
Key lawmaker calls for more scrutiny of hospitals using drug discount program — but no broader changes
A key Senate Republican renewed his commitment to ramping up oversight of a controversial drug discount program in a hearing Tuesday. → Read More
Drug makers considering 'substantial' decreases in prices, Azar says
Azar's remarks come about two weeks after President Trump pledged that “some of the big drug companies” would be announcing “voluntary massive drops in prices.” → Read More
Drug pricing advocates take aim at Democrats for supporting pharma
Fifty congressional Democrats signed on to a letter advancing the pharmaceutical industry's talking points — and now a drug pricing advocacy group is calling them out. → Read More
'Right-to-try' intended to weaken FDA, key senator says in blunt remarks
Sen. Ron Johnson, the author of the federal "right-to-try" law signed by President Trump this week, says the measure "intends to diminish the FDA's power over people's lives, not increase it." → Read More
Trump signs right-to-try legislation, making controversial measure law of the land
Terminally ill patients across the United States have a new way to ask drug makers to let them try unapproved therapies — a pathway that some experts worry sets a dangerous precedent. → Read More
Congress passes ‘right-to-try’ measure, sending hard-fought bill to Trump’s desk
The legislation would allow patients with life-threatening conditions ask drug makers to share or sell treatments that haven't yet been granted FDA approval, with some caveats. → Read More
FDA calls out 39 drug companies for allegedly blocking access to generics
The new list is part of the Trump administration’s efforts to lower prescription drug prices. → Read More
Ryan touts CREATES Act 'compromise' to lower drug prices
Congressional leaders are working on a "compromise" of the so-called CREATES Act, a longtime priority for generic drug makers, Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday. → Read More
Right-to-try bill headed for vote puts bigger burden on FDA to protect patients, Gottlieb says
If the bill passes, the FDA will have to work harder to protect patients than it would if a different version of the legislation were advancing, Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said. → Read More
Which drug makers' medicines are racking up bigger and bigger bills for Medicare and Medicaid?
The Trump administration is calling out the companies behind spending increases as part of an effort to tout its updates to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services "drug pricing dashboard" and the data available there. → Read More
Trump administration's drug pricing plan sparse on details
The policy blueprint offers few specific details about how any of these ideas would be implemented, and barely commits the government to doing anything, often saying that the Department of Health and Human Services “may” take certain actions. → Read More
Trump denounces ‘middlemen,’ largely spares pharma in drug pricing speech
President Trump delivered a measured and speedy address — and unveiled a menu of potential policy changes — that hardly touch the industry he once denounced. → Read More