Massachusetts' Democratic lawmakers will vote on a bill to hold pharmaceutical companies more accountable for their pricing information.
Following suit with Wisconsin lawmakers proposing a bill to lower drug costs last week, Massachusetts Senator Mark Montigny presented a bill that would require manufacturers of critical prescription drugs to justify prices by disclosing how much they spend on research, manufacturing and marketing.
Supporters view the bill as a way to obtain data to inform policies that could rein in drug costs. However, the pharmaceutical industry argues that the cost and time necessary to fulfill the new regulations would take away from time dedicated to drug development.
The Joint Committee on Health Care Financing has until Wednesday to make a decision on the bill. If passed, lawmakers will have about two months to act on it before formal session ends for the year on July 31st.
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