Senate investigating rising drug prices
WASHINGTON – A Senate committee launched an investigation Wednesday into exorbitant drug price hikes by Turing Pharmaceuticals and three other companies, responding to public anxiety over rising prices for critical medicines.
The Senate special committee on aging requested documents and information from Turing, Valeant Pharmaceuticals and two other drugmakers already under scrutiny.
Notably, the senators called for a face-to-face meeting with Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli “as soon as it is practicable.”
Shkreli has become the public face of the pricing controversy, after his company raised the price of Daraprim by 5,000 percent after obtaining rights to the drug.
Turing said in an emailed statement: “We are reviewing the committee’s request and, as we have and continue to do with similar congressional inquiries, we look forward to having an open and honest dialogue about drug pricing.”
U.S. says it won’t stop review of pipeline
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration said Wednesday it is continuing a review of the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline, despite a request by the project’s developer to suspend the review.
If granted, a delay could have put off a decision on the high-profile project until the next U.S. president takes office in 2017. President Barack Obama has yet to say whether he would approve or reject the pipeline, but the Democrats running for president have all said they oppose it while Republican candidates support it.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said the department advised TransCanada on Wednesday of its decision to continue the review.
Associated Press
