STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a Supreme Court setback for pharma, TrumpRx expands and much more

Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a Supreme Court setback for pharma, TrumpRx expands and much more The Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board agreed to set an upper payment limit for Ozempic Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Ed SilvermanMay 19, 2026 Pharmalot Columnist, Senior Writer Ed Silverman[email protected]Ed Silverman, a senior writer and Pharmalot columnist at STAT, has been covering the pharmaceutical industry for nearly three decades. He is also the author of the morning Pharmalittle newsletter and the afternoon Pharmalot newsletter. Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is.

We can tell because the sun is shining and cool breezes are blowing by the Pharmalot campus, although they may dissipate as temperatures start climbing. Nonetheless, we are celebrating another busy day by firing up the coffee kettle for a cup or two of stimulation. Our choice today is raspberry chocolate.

Please feel free to join us. Meanwhile, here is the latest menu of tidbits for you to peruse. We hope you have a simply smashing day and conquer the world, or what’s left of it.

And as always, do stay in touch… The U.S. Supreme Court dealt a major blow to a legal campaign by brand-name pharmaceutical companies against the Medicare drug price negotiation program, STAT tells us. The court declined to take up lawsuits against the program by AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen, Novartis, and Novo Nordisk.

The justices did not give a reason for their decision. The rejection was not a surprise. The drugmakers lost their appeals in lower courts, and the Supreme Court typically does not take up cases when there is agreement among lower courts.

While this is not necessarily the end of the road for the drug industry, it may make remaining legal challenges more difficult. Advertisement The White House announced an expansion of its TrumpRx prescription drug discount platform, adding more than 600 generic drugs to the website, STAT says. The expansion comes via a partnership with entrepreneur Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drug Company, as well as Amazon Pharmacy and GoodRx, which both also provide drug savings or low-cost prescription medicines.

The partnerships address one of the primary critiques of the TrumpRx platform: that many of the brand-name prescription medications offered were already available as generics for far less. TrumpRx also had far fewer drugs available than Cost Plus and GoodRx. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account?

Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts. Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%!

Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In pharmalittle, STAT+ Submit a correction requestReprints Ed Silverman Pharmalot Columnist, Senior Writer Ed Silverman, a senior writer and Pharmalot columnist at STAT, has been covering the pharmaceutical industry for nearly three decades.

He is also the author of the morning Pharmalittle newsletter and the afternoon Pharmalot newsletter. STAT+ Newsletter Pharmalot columnist Ed Silverman rounds up the most important news of the day in the global drug industry Recommended Pharmalot May 18, 2026 STAT Plus: Maryland state affordability board places a price cap on Ozempic Pharmalot May 18, 2026 STAT Plus: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about U.S. biotech’s China problem, a Regeneron flop, and much more Advertisement Pharmalot May 17, 2026 STAT Plus: U.K.

advocacy groups threaten court action over a key provision in the pharma trade deal with the U.S. Pharmalot May 15, 2026 STAT Plus: Takeda will pay $13.6 million to settle allegations it paid kickbacks to doctors Pharmalot May 15, 2026 STAT Plus: Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings Subscriber Picks