Lawmakers have introduced the first comprehensive bipartisan legislation to overhaul the 340B Drug Pricing Program since its creation more than three decades ago.
US Representatives Jake Auchincloss, Scott Peters, and Dr. John Joyce are behind the SECURE in 340B Act, a proposal aimed at modernising one of the pharmaceutical industry’s most contested pricing programmes.
Representatives Nanette Barragán and Dan Crenshaw joined the effort as co-sponsors, lending additional political weight to the bipartisan push for reform.
The bill would pause manufacturer rebate models for a period of four years while lawmakers work to finalise a new patient definition and updated standards for contract pharmacies.
The proposed legislation also targets improvements in data sharing and transparency requirements, two areas that have long drawn criticism from patient advocates and industry stakeholders alike.
Boston Medical Center Health System and the National Association of Community Health Centers both came out in support of the bill, alongside employer coalitions including the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.
However, the Community Oncology Alliance offered a pointed caveat, backing the transparency provisions while warning that any final bill needs to keep PBMs from operating as 340B contract pharmacies.
The Community Oncology Alliance also cautioned that hospital systems must not be allowed to capture savings that were intended for patients under the programme.
On the deal-making side of the industry, private equity continues to show a strong appetite for specialty pharmacy infrastructure with another significant transaction closing.
An affiliate of Peak Rock Capital completed its acquisition of Asembia, a company that provides patient support hub services, specialty distribution, pharmacy software, and GPO contracting for the specialty pharma sector.
Asembia also operates the largest specialty pharmacy conference in the country, making it a central fixture within the broader specialty pharmaceutical ecosystem.
The acquisition signals continued confidence among private equity investors that specialty pharmacy services represent a durable and high-value segment of the healthcare market.
Together, the 340B legislation and the Peak Rock deal reflect two distinct but interconnected forces reshaping how pharmaceutical access is structured, funded, and delivered across the United States.