46brooklyn unravels drug pricing distortions in DC

On Wednesday, November 17, 46brooklyn Research was invited to participate in two important healthcare events in Washington DC.

First, 46brooklyn CEO Antonio Ciaccia was invited to participate in a special panel discussion for the United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform Republican forum entitled “Reviewing the Role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers in Pharmaceutical Markets..”

The forum, hosted by Representative James Comer (R-KY), dove into the highly influential role that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have on the prescription drug supply chain. Ciaccia joined a panel that included:

  • Dr. Erin Trish, PhD: Co-Director of the USC Schaeffer Center, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical and Health Economics, USC School of Pharmacy

  • Dr. Jonathan Grider: PharmD, Owner of Lake Cumberland Pharmacy in Russell Springs, Ky.

  • Dr. Madeline Feldman, MD, FACR: President of the Coalition of State Rheumatology Practices and Chair of the Alliance for Safe Biologic Medicines

  • Mr. Ted Okon, MBA: Executive Director of the Community Oncology Alliance

  • Ms. Tiffany Jones, JD: Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Assistant General Counsel at SenderraRx

  • Mr. Kim Caldwell, RPh: Principal at Texas Star Healthcare Consulting, on behalf of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

To view the hearing in its entirety, see below or click here, and to view Ciaccia’s submitted remarks, click here.

46brooklyn thanks Representative Comer for the invitation and thanks the committee members for a thoughtful dialogue on the complicated nuances of prescription drug pricing.

Shortly after the forum, Ciaccia was invited to speak at The Hill’s Future of Healthcare Summit: Tackling Costs & Pathways to Care.

The summit focused on addressing the social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health and overall access, and re-examining our traditional models of care to better fit the needs of patients, all while keeping costs in check.

Hosted by The Hill’s Editor-At-Large Steve Clemons, joining Ciaccia at the summit were:

  • Sen. Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Member, Committee on Health Education Labor & Pensions

  • Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Member, Energy & Commerce Committee

  • Andy Slavitt, Former Senior Adviser, WH COVID-19 Response Team

  • Dr. Allison Arwady, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Public Health

  • Kirsten Axelsen, Nonresident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute

  • Linda Goler Blount, President & CEO, Black Women’s Health Imperative

  • Dr. Patrice Harris, Co-Founder and CEO, eMed Former President, AMA

  • Christel Marchand Aprigliano, Chief Advocacy Officer, BeyondType1

  • Ted Okon, Executive Director, Community Oncology Alliance

  • Dr. Gary Puckrein, President & CEO National Minority Quality Forum

Ciaccia’s segment with Clemons also featured Axelsen and was focused primarily on prescription drug pricing and the nuances of the backwards incentives within the drug channel.

To view the second half of the program, where Ciaccia’s segment took place, see below or click here.

Thanks to The Hill for the invitation and the excellent discussions.

Ben Link