SHOT: Big Pharma CEOs Take Home Some Of The Biggest Pay Packages. Health care executives take home the biggest pay packages, and pharmaceutical CEOs represented 11 of the 25 highest compensation amounts last year. The CEO of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals led the pack, making $118 million. [Associated Press, 5/24/19; Axios, 5/16/19]
CHASER: Seniors’ Spending On Cancer Drugs Has Soared. Why? Though the Affordable Care Act closed the Medicare prescription drug donut hole, drug companies have increased prices, offsetting seniors’ savings. [Axios, 5/29/19]
CHASER: Big Drug Companies Shut Down Shareholder Proposals To Disclose Whether Higher Drug Prices Fuel Lavish Bonuses For Top Executives. “The shareholder proposals failed by large margins at AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Vertex. Each company vigorously opposed them…The proposals would have urged companies to create reports detailing ‘the extent to which risks related to public concern over drug pricing strategies’ are part of executives’ bonuses, if at all.” [Axios, 5/29/19]