Watchdog accuses Azar of pushing Lilly agenda

Aug. 31, 2018

A watchdog group has asked officials at the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the relationship between Alex Azar and Eli Lilly, his former employer, over a recently proposed rule that would benefit drugmakers.

According to the Campaign for Accountability, during his time at Eli Lilly, Sec. Azar championed the pharmaceutical industry’s goal of limiting the ability of PBMs to negotiate rebates. Now, according to the group, the recent decision by HHS to propose new safe harbor provisions that deliver benefits to Eli Lilly and other drug manufacturers suggests that Azar’s actions regarding the rebates may violate ethics regulations.

According to the group, “the public deserves to know whether he is actually supporting the rule to benefit his former employer. The rule in question would unequivocally provide a substantial benefit to Eli Lilly.”

Read the letter

[javascriptSnippet]