Patient-centered reform of the 340B Drug Pricing Program is needed if the program is to realize the original intent of helping safety-net organizations provide needed services to vulnerable patients.
- The 340B Drug Pricing Program began with a laudable goal—helping certain safety-net organizations stretch scarce resources to provide needed services to vulnerable patients.
- What was initially intended as a support program narrowly focused on certain hospitals and providers has grown to include a sizeable portion of U.S. pharmacies, including major pharmacy chains.
- Unclear legislative parameters, informal regulations, a lack of transparency, and inadequate oversight and enforcement authority have cast doubt on whether the program is functioning as originally intended.
- The program’s good intentions will not be fully realized without meaningful reform that adequately addresses the program’s current shortcomings.