Hospital procedures are rebounding following the pandemic and the US population is aging. But what sounds like good news for pharma is curbed by the risk of Medicare insolvency, and suing the government cannot solve that.

Congressional scrutiny aside, ‘the rebate model remains alive and well’ as the big three pharmacy benefit managers exclude around 600 drugs each from their formularies.

As health insurance lobby launches advertising campaign to defend ‘evidence-based, market-driven tools,’ drug firms point out the connection between insurers and pharmacy benefit managers.

When the sector worries about regulation it is usually about drug development and registration. But governments also regulate on monopolistic positions in life sciences. Adding to that, national security enforcement is now rising.