There are many new pressures on biopharmaceutical profitability but will Merck & Co’s attempt to reverse the drug pricing aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act just divert costs to patients?

Commission issues compulsory orders for information to two organizations that negotiate drug rebates on behalf of CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and other PBMs. It issued similar orders to the six largest PBMs last year.

Bipartisan legislation announced by Sens. Sanders and Cassidy also emphasizes pharmacy benefit manager transparency and bans spread pricing.

Attention on PBMs with minimal risk of policy change may represent the best of both worlds for pharma, which benefits from another part of the industry taking the heat on drug prices but could stand to lose out financially depending on the PBM reform approaches taken.