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When Teva Pharmaceuticals announced recently that it would begin selling a copycat version of Syprine — an expensive drug invented in the 1960s — the news seemed like a welcome development for people taking old drugs that have skyrocketed in price. Syprine, which treats a rare condition known as Wilson disease, gained notoriety after Valeant Pharmaceuticals International raised the price of the drug to $21,267 in 2015 from $652 just five years earlier. Along with similar practices by pharmaceutical executives like Martin Shkreli of Turing Pharmaceuticals and Heather Bresch of Mylan (the maker of the EpiPen), the story helped spark a national conversation about the high cost of prescription drugs, not to mention Congressional inquiries and federal investigations. (Thomas, 2/23)

As consumers face rapidly rising drug costs, states across the country are moving to block “gag clauses” that prohibit pharmacists from telling customers that they could save money by paying cash for prescription drugs rather than using their health insurance. ... The clauses force the pharmacists to remain silent as, for example, a consumer pays $125 under her insurance plan for an influenza drug that would have cost $100 if purchased with cash. Much of the difference often goes to the drug benefit managers. (Pear, 2/24)

Depending on how you look at them, pharmacy-benefit managers are either low-margin middlemen that fight to reduce drug costs, or highly profitable intermediaries that take a cut of every prescription and earn more when drug prices rise. Pharmacy-benefit managers are hired by businesses such as insurers that pay for drugs to negotiate lower prices with pharmaceutical companies. When the largest pharmacy-benefits manager, Express Scripts Holding, reports fourth quarter earnings on Tuesday, analysts expect a profit margin of just 4.7%, according to FactSet. Rival companies owned by CVS Health and UnitedHealth Group report similarly low margins. (Grant, 2/24)

In a closely watched case, a U.S. patent appeals board ruled that a Native American tribe cannot claim sovereign immunity in order to avoid a certain type of patent challenge. The decision is a blow to Allergan (AGN), which last fall transferred patent rights to one of its biggest-selling medicines to the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in hopes of thwarting generic competition. (Silverman, 2/23)

A bill taking aim at a hidden scam that has been driving up prescription drug prices is just one step away from becoming law. HB 1177 has now passed the House and the Senate. The measure, sponsored by Delegate Todd Pillion from Virginia’s 4th District, would give pharmacists the freedom to tell patients about the cheapest way to pay for their prescriptions, and ideally put money back in the consumer’s pocket. (O'Brien, 2/26)

Heidi Barrett has a complicated relationship with prescription drugs. On one hand, they help the Everett resident and four of her five children cope with the intense joint pain caused by a genetic form of arthritis. On the other, Remicade, the prescription drug Barrett and her children take, has drained the family’s finances, destroyed retirement funds and forced them at times to choose between putting food on the table or living a pain-free life. (Wasserman, 2/25)

Seeking to provide more transparency into medical industry practices, the Ontario government last week unveiled draft regulations that would require drug makers to disclose payments and gifts to prescribers, an effort that industry critics suggest could become a model for all of Canada. (Silverman, 2/27)

Take a look at the last two decades’ worth of drug launches and one thing is clear: Hepatitis C has fueled some NASA-worthy blastoffs—and some declines that ended with a parachute back to earth. That’s not necessarily news to pharma watchers. But hep C isn’t the only type of drug that’s quickly conquered. Multiple sclerosis, cancer and eye disease have, too—several with launches in the last few years. And then there are the Cox-2 inhibitors—Pfizer’s Celebrex, still chugging away today, and Merck & Co.’s late lamented Vioxx, pulled off the market after it was overwhelmed by safety concerns. They’re still among the top 10, according to EP Vantage, citing EvaluatePharma data. (Staton, 2/26)

Martin Shkreli, the smirking "pharma bro" who gained worldwide infamy by raising the price of a lifesaving drug 5,000 percent, is awaiting sentencing next month on three counts of securities fraud. But as told on the season premiere of CNBC's "American Greed," Shkreli's crimes have nothing to do with the price hike. (Cohn, 2/23)

The generics sector has been looking to M&A as a way to combat the pricing pressure crushing top lines around the industry. But that strategy just got a whole lot less attractive. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has suggested it will take steps that could force buyers to hold onto drugs they don't want, a shift that may even be holding up one big deal already. (Helfand, 2/26)

Last September, Aegerion Pharmaceuticals (AEGR) agreed to pay $40 million to settle civil and criminal charges of illegally marketing a pricey cholesterol medicine, failing to adhere to a regulatory safety program, and misleading investors. The settlement stemmed from a whistleblower lawsuit filed by three former employees, including Tricia Mullins, who last June had already taken a position with Horizon Pharma (HZNP). But a few weeks after the Aegerion deal was announced, Mullins lost her new job. (Silverman, 2/26)