WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Senate health panel said on Tuesday it would vote this month on whether to subpoena Novo Nordisk to answer questions about U.S. prices for weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, which are far higher than those in other countries.
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, which is investigating the drugs’ costs, said in a statement that at its June 18 meeting it will weigh a subpoena requiring renior Novo Nordisk Inc executive Doug Langa to testify at a July 10 hearing.
“The HELP Committee has reached out time and time again to Novo Nordisk to request their voluntary attendance at a hearing to discuss why they are charging Americans up to 10 or 15 times more for the exact same product sold in other countries,” said Senator Bernie Sanders, who chairs the committee.
“Unfortunately, despite all of our efforts, they have repeatedly denied our requests. We look forward to their presence at a hearing on July 10th,” he said in the statement.
In April, Sanders sent a letter to Langa seeking more information on U.S. prices for the two drugs.
Novo responded with a May letter blaming the U.S. health system for the high prices. It said it retains about 60% of the list price for the drugs after rebates and fees paid to middlemen.
A 2 milligram package of Ozempic carries a list price of $935.77 in the U.S., while Wegovy has a list price of $1,349.02 per package, according to the drugmaker’s website.
In response to the Novo Nordisk pricing subpoena, the pharmaceutical industry faces increased scrutiny and pressure to justify pricing decisions. Moreover, the subpoena serves as a catalyst for discussions about healthcare policy reform.
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