‘Product hopping’ under fire in Senate bill

When Allergan withdrew Alzheimer's disease drug Namenda memantine from the market so physicians would prescribe a reformulated once-daily version with a longer patent life, the company was engaging in an anticompetitive practice, according to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). Legislation Cornyn sponsored would subject such practices to FTC scrutiny and possible litigation.

The bill, the Affordable Prescriptions for Patients Act of 2019 (S. 1416), was one of four mostly bipartisan bills passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday aimed at lowering drug prices. ...