Boehringer Ingelheim sued the US government in an attempt to block a programme that gives the Medicare health insurance plan the power to negotiate lower drug prices, joining other drugmakers and business groups claiming that it would stifle development of new medicines.
The US Department for Health and Human Services , which oversees the Medicare programm for Americans age 65 and older, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Americans pay more for prescription medicines than people in any other country, and the programme aims to save US$25 billion annually by 2031 through price negotiations for the drugs most costly to Medicare.
Unless it is blocked by a court, HHS will begin negotiations next month over 10 high-priced drugs, to be chosen by the agency. The negotiated prices would take effect in 2026.