John Michael O’Brien, PharmD, MPH

This commentary explores how 2 recently published studies evaluating the clinical benefit of the FDA’s accelerated approval program for oncology drugs came to different conclusions.

This study examined employers’ understanding of rebate guarantees, dependency upon rebate dollars, and the role that pharmaceutical rebates or employer benefits consultants play in their pharmacy benefits manager selection.

The Inflation Reduction Act will likely change incentives surrounding single-indication launches and postapproval research for additional indications in small molecule drugs, affecting patient access.

In the health spending debate, what policy makers need most is an honest, realistic, and evidence-based discussion. Unfortunately, many studies in the public arena fall far short.