COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson is joining a nationwide “bipartisan coalition of 46 attorneys general” fighting for states’ rights to “regulate and address the rising cost of prescription drugs.”
The coalition, led by California A.G. Becerra, is filing an amicus-curiae brief titled “Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association” in the U.S. Supreme Court.
The brief asserts that in order protect the best interest of citizens, states must be able to regulate the prescription drug market.
Specifically, the brief targets “pharmacy benefit managers” (PBM’s), who liaise between pharmacies, manufacturers, insurance companies, and consumers. The nature of the role gives PBM’s significant influence over the market, as they are often in charge of negotiating discounts and allocating drugs to pharmacies.
A.G. Wilson noted that PBM’s sometimes “restrict pharmacies from telling customers about lower-cost generic options, or… diminished patients’ access to drugs that are less profitable.”
The need to regulate PBM’s is widely supported; nearly every state has PBM regulation laws in place.
Those in favor of regulating PBM’s say that it “promotes healthcare access and affordability for residents.”
