Medicare formulary policy
Executive Summary
AstraZeneca's oncology drug Iressa (gefitinib) "is not required on formularies," CMS says in revision to its Q&A on Medicare formularies. The agency's document previously said the decision was awaiting FDA's review of trial results for the drug (1"The Pink Sheet" June 20, 2005, p. 21). FDA said June 17 that the Iressa trial did not demonstrate a survival benefit. CMS' revision also says "all formularies must include either escitalopram [Forest's Lexapro] or citalopram [Forest's Celexa]" in the antidepressant category; the statement previously said either drug "may be left off formularies"...