Lanton Law Blog — Lanton Law

Update on Closely the Watched U.S. Supreme Court Case of Rutledge v. PCMA

We have been providing occasion updates through our blog on the U.S. Supreme Court case of Rutledge v. PCMA, whose outcome could have wide ranging policy and legal ramifications on pharmacy and pharmacy benefit managers.

CMS, healthcare, pharmacy, pharmacy benefit managerRon LantonJuly 16, 2020Pharmacy Benefit Manager, pharmacy, Rutledge v. PCMA, U.S. Supreme Court

EXIM Policies Impacting Biotechnology & Life Science Stakeholders

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has established some new policies that will impact several stakeholder groups, especially biotechnology, biomedical sciences and life sciences stakeholders.

biotech, biotechnology, healthcare, life sciences, finance, bankingRon LantonJuly 13, 2020Export-Import Bank of the United States, EXIM, China, Secretary of the Treasury

Tech Companies to Testify At House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee on July 27th

The House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee has scheduled a July 27, 2020 hearing for the CEO’s of Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook (Big Tech) to testify regarding the Committee’s ongoing investigation of digital marketplace competition. The hearing is titled “Online Platforms and Market Power, Part 6: Examining the Dominance of Amazon, Facebook, Google and Apple.”

antitrust, FTC, DOJ, technology, techRon LantonJuly 9, 2020House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, antitrust, Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Big Tech, Congress, FTC, DOJ

National Association of Insurance Commissioners release PBM Model Legislation Draft

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Regulatory Issues Subgroup has released a draft of its model PBM legislation.

healthcare, pharmacy benefit manager, insurance, task forceRon LantonJuly 7, 2020PBM, model legislation, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, State Pharmacy Benefit Manager Licensure and Regulation Act, clawback, PBM affiliate compensation, spread pricing, state insurance commissioner

New Legislation Targeting Technology Liability Shield Under Section 230

Now in addition to recent U.S. Department of Justice scrutiny, U.S. Senator Hawley (R-MO) has introduced the Limiting Section 230 Immunity to Good Samaritans Act, which seeks to provide accountability for bad actors who abuse the Good Samaritan protections provided under that Act.

communications, data, technology, telecommunications, techRon LantonJune 28, 2020DOJ, Department of Justice, section 230, Communications Decency Act, Senator Hawley, Big Tech, Limiting Section 230 Immunity to Good Samaritans Act, ISP

FCC to Vote in June on Commissioner Carr’s 5G Upgrade Order

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that it will vote on Commissioner Carr’s 5G Upgrade Order as part of an initiative to accelerate U.S. wireless infrastructure improvement plans.

communications, 5G, telecommunications, technologyRon LantonJune 3, 2020FCC, 5G, Federal Communications Commission, wireless

New Lanton Law Specialty Drug Blogcast with Ken Kaitin of Tufts University

We are excited to interview Kenneth Kaitin; Professor and Director for the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts.

biologics, Biosimilars, healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, pharmacy, CMS, FDA, fintechRon LantonJune 2, 2020orphan drugs, oncology, value based care, innovative payment models, R&D, Boston, Tufts University, Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development

Pharmacy Times Interviews Lanton Law On How COVID-19 May Lead to the Expansion of Practice Laws for Pharmacists Across the Country

Alana Hippensteele; Editor, MA of Pharmacy Times interviewed Ron Lanton to discuss how COVID-19 may lead to expansion of practice laws for pharmacists across the country.

Online Political Advertising Legislation to be Introduced

U.S. Congressman Cicilline (D-RI) has announced his intent to introduce legislation “that tightly restricts the use of personal, online consumer data that is often used to ‘microtarget’ voters with misleading ads.”

Congress, data privacy, healthcare, HealthIT, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, pharmacy, tech, technology, government affairsRon LantonMay 25, 2020ads, political ads, Cicilline, microtargeting, Protecting Democracy from Disinformation Act, lobbying

Apple and Google Announce Digital Contact Tracing Partnership Amid Privacy Concerns

Apple and Google have announced their partnership to enable Bluetooth technology to help interested stakeholders such as healthcare agencies and governments to fight COVID-19.

data privacy, healthcare, HealthIT, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, tech, technology, privacyRon LantonMay 21, 2020Apple, Google, Facebook, CDC, contact tracing, digital contact tracing, Project Nightingale

Lanton Law Interviews the Massachusetts Pharmacists Association on DIR & Provider Status

We are excited to have Lindsay De Santis; Executive Vice President of the Massachusetts Pharmacists Association (MPhA) do a blogcast with us. Our conversation covers pharmacy DIR (direct and indirect remuneration) fees, pharmacy provider status and COVID-19.

life sciences, pharmaceuticals, pharmacy, reimbursement, Medicare Part B, Medicare Part DRon LantonMay 19, 2020DIR fee, DIR, direct and indirect remuneration fees, pharmacy provider status, provider status, COVID-19, Massachusetts, Massachusetts Pharmacists Association

Will Immunity Passports Lead to Future Genetic Discrimination?

There is no need to rehash the harsh societal effects that COVID-19 has had not only on our psychological and financial wellbeing, but also on the vulnerable population’s immune system. Those having to deal with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension have been especially at risk, including some young and healthy individuals. As we race to understand the rationale behind why such an erratic disease impacts some but not others, the question that frequently comes up is whether a person’s genes has something to do with becoming infected?

biologics, Biosimilars, data privacy, healthcare, insurance, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, pharmacy, physician, technology, techRon LantonMay 14, 2020GINA, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, COVID-19, tracing, National Institutes of Health, NIH, immunity passport

PBM U.S. Supreme Court Case Rescheduled for this Fall

We at Lanton Law along with many other pharmacy stakeholders have been closely monitoring the events surrounding the pending U.S. Supreme Court case of Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.

healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, insurance, pharmacyRon LantonMay 4, 2020U.S. Supreme Court, Rutledge v. PCMA, PBM

The New Concerns of a Digital Workplace

We are honored to have worked with STACK for Pharmacy on a great and timely webinar titled “The New Concerns of a Digital Workplace. COVID-19 has changed the way that we work, communicate and transfer information and finances. We discuss the early trends of what we are seeing from a transitioning marketplace.

Upcoming Webinar with STACK and Lanton Law

STACK will be teaming up with Lanton Law to do an April 22, 2020 webinar at 1:00 PM EST titled “The New Concerns of a Digital Workplace.”

healthcare, hospitals, home infusion, HealthIT, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, physician, tech, technologyRon LantonApril 13, 2020digital workplace

Lanton Law; Your Digital Lawyer & Lobbying Team

As organizational needs evolve right now, businesses are looking for innovative ways to become efficient and manage risks.

New Rule: Transition to BLA Pathway Is Complete

As of today, March 23, 2020, the life sciences industry completes “the transition.” New categories of biologics will now be licensed via the biologics approval pathway under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act (BPCIA). This transition occurs 10 years after the 2009 enactment of the BPCIA.

CMS, Congress, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, pharmacyRon LantonMarch 23, 2020biosimilars, biologics, FDA Biosimilar Action Plan, BLA, FDA, the transition, BPCIA

Election May Determine Pace of Biosimilar Legislation

We have a new article out with the Center for Biosimilars titled “Election May Determine Pace of Biosimilar Legislation.”

biologics, Biosimilars, healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, pharmacy, prescription drug costs, star ratingsRon LantonMarch 8, 2020Congress, H.R. 3, Elijah E. Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now Act, Acting to Cancel Copays and Ensure Substantial Savings for Biosimilars (ACCESS Act), Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act, Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Through Improvements to Patient Litigation Act, Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2019, 2020 Election

Pending Antitrust Actions Could Change Biosimilar Dynamics

There are 3 major antitrust actions on the biosimilar scene still pending. These have a long way to go before any court resolution, unless the parties involved settle before then. One is a class-action lawsuit attacking the use of patent thickets and pay-for-delay tactics. The other is a claim alleging anticompetitive contract practices to retain market share for an originator product. Related to the latter, an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) remains in progress.

biologics, Biosimilars, healthcare, life sciences, insurance, antitrustRon LantonMarch 2, 2020FTC, biosimilars, biologics, antitrust, Humira, Remicade, Walgreens, Kroger, J&J, CID, Civil Investigative Demand

Legislation to Play Significant Role in Drug Pricing Across Specialty Pharmacy

Jennifer Nessel of Pharmacy Times has featured Lanton Law in an article titled “Legislation to Play Significant Role in Drug Pricing Across Specialty Pharmacy.”