Judge Denies Request To Tweak Report On Drug Price Transparency Initiative
A consumer activist wanted to add a sentence to a state report on the ballot measure to counter any "scare tactics" from opponents that would suggest the initiative could cause drug prices for veterans to rise. The judge, however, said he found nothing misleading about the current language.
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Petition By Supporters Of California Drug Pricing Ballot Denied
Supporters of a California ballot measure, which is designed to lower drug prices, lost a state court bid on Monday to alter the wording of a key analysis that may affect the outcome of the closely watched battle. And the decision comes amid intensifying jockeying over a measure that is seen as a litmus test for public discontent over prescription drug costs. At issue is a report by a California state office that assessed the California Drug Price Relief Act, which would require the state Medicaid program and other state programs to pay no more for medicines than the prices negotiated by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Currently, the VA gets a 24 percent discount off average manufacturer prices. The vote is scheduled for Nov. 8. (Silverman, 8/16)