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Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Global Healthy Living Foundation Peer-Reviewed Research Shows Hidden Risks of the Inflation Reduction Act's Drug Pricing Reform
Report reveals potential for higher patient costs, worse health outcomes despite lower "fair prices" UPPER NYACK, N.Y., June 10, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) has launched a research-backed public education campaign to raise awareness about the unintended consequences of drug pricing reforms under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This initiative stems from a recent peer-reviewed paper co-authored by GHLF's Chief Science Policy Officer, Dr. Robert Popovian, Pharm.D., MS, published in the Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research (JHEOR). It includes a podcast episode, an infographic, and an article aimed at informing patients, caregivers, and policymakers. "The IRA's "maximum fair price" (MFP) policy was designed to reduce out-of-pocket costs for Medicare patients. However, it may lead to the opposite: higher out-of-pocket costs and increased health risks for vulnerable patients," report author Dr. Popovian says "By suppressing the retail price, CMS is reducing the profit margins and revenue for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which is good. Predictably, the PBMs will not stand pat—they can shift the drug to a higher formulary tier, where patients will pay more out-of-pocket to acquire the medicine so the PBM can protect its profit margin," said Dr. Popovian in a recent episode of GHLF's Healthcare Matters podcast. The study specifically modeled outcomes for two widely used blood thinners, Eliquis and Xarelto. If PBMs reclassify these drugs to higher cost tiers to compensate for lost profit, patients could face an estimated $688 million more in out-of-pocket costs. This cost-shift could result in over 320,000 patients abandoning treatment, potentially leading to 145,000 major cardiovascular events and up to 97,000 deaths. "This research underscores a serious gap in how drug pricing reforms are being implemented and monitored," said Dr. Popovian. "Without proper oversight and transparency, policies that were meant to help patients could end up hurting them." The GHLF education campaign includes: A peer-reviewed paper published in JHEOR: "Could the Inflation Reduction Act Maximum Fair Price Hurt Patients?" A patient-friendly article: "Lower Prices, Higher Risk: How Drug Reform Could Backfire on Patients" published on GHLF's website and supported by social media A special podcast episode of Healthcare Matters, co-hosted by Dr. Popovian A downloadable infographic explaining the findings at-a-glance "This campaign is not about politics—it's about patients," said Seth Ginsberg, GHLF Co-Founder and President. "We want people to understand what's at stake when reforms don't account for the full complexity of our health care system." GHLF encourages policymakers, journalists, and patient advocates to explore these resources and consider how reforms like the IRA impact access to critical medications. About GHLF The Global Healthy Living Foundation is a U.S. based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, international organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses by advocating for improved access to health care through education, patient-centered clinical research, support, advocacy, and economic and policy research. GHLF is also a staunch advocate for vaccines. The Global Healthy Living Foundation is the parent organization of CreakyJoints®, the international, digital community for millions of people living with arthritis and their supporters worldwide who seek education, support, activism, and patient-centered research in English, Spanish, and French. In addition to arthritis and autoimmune disorders, GHLF supports dermatology, gastroenterology, neurology, cardiology, oncology, infectious disease, rare disease, and pulmonary patients through a host of different programs and activities which draw more than 700,000 patients a month to GHLF websites and create more than 10 million impressions a month on seven social media platforms. In 2024, GHLF had more than 1 million views and listens with its patient-centered audio-visual content, found on YouTube and podcast platforms. GHLF never asks the public for donations, receiving funding instead through governments, non-governmental organizations, foundations, industry, family foundations, and GHLF Co-Founder Louis Tharp. Visit for more information. View source version on Contacts Louis Tharpltharp@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
10-06-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Global Healthy Living Foundation Peer-Reviewed Research Shows Hidden Risks of the Inflation Reduction Act's Drug Pricing Reform
UPPER NYACK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) has launched a research-backed public education campaign to raise awareness about the unintended consequences of drug pricing reforms under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). This initiative stems from a recent peer-reviewed paper co-authored by GHLF's Chief Science Policy Officer, Dr. Robert Popovian, Pharm.D., MS, published in the Journal of Health Economics and Outcomes Research (JHEOR). It includes a podcast episode, an infographic, and an article aimed at informing patients, caregivers, and policymakers. they can shift the drug to a higher price tier where patients will pay more out-of-pocket Share 'The IRA's 'maximum fair price' (MFP) policy was designed to reduce out-of-pocket costs for Medicare patients. However, it may lead to the opposite: higher out-of-pocket costs and increased health risks for vulnerable patients,' report author Dr. Popovian says 'By suppressing the retail price, CMS is reducing the profit margins and revenue for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which is good. Predictably, the PBMs will not stand pat—they can shift the drug to a higher formulary tier, where patients will pay more out-of-pocket to acquire the medicine so the PBM can protect its profit margin,' said Dr. Popovian in a recent episode of GHLF's Healthcare Matters podcast. The study specifically modeled outcomes for two widely used blood thinners, Eliquis and Xarelto. If PBMs reclassify these drugs to higher cost tiers to compensate for lost profit, patients could face an estimated $688 million more in out-of-pocket costs. This cost-shift could result in over 320,000 patients abandoning treatment, potentially leading to 145,000 major cardiovascular events and up to 97,000 deaths. 'This research underscores a serious gap in how drug pricing reforms are being implemented and monitored,' said Dr. Popovian. 'Without proper oversight and transparency, policies that were meant to help patients could end up hurting them.' The GHLF education campaign includes: 'This campaign is not about politics—it's about patients,' said Seth Ginsberg, GHLF Co-Founder and President. 'We want people to understand what's at stake when reforms don't account for the full complexity of our health care system.' GHLF encourages policymakers, journalists, and patient advocates to explore these resources and consider how reforms like the IRA impact access to critical medications. About GHLF The Global Healthy Living Foundation is a U.S. based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, international organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses by advocating for improved access to health care through education, patient-centered clinical research, support, advocacy, and economic and policy research. GHLF is also a staunch advocate for vaccines. The Global Healthy Living Foundation is the parent organization of CreakyJoints®, the international, digital community for millions of people living with arthritis and their supporters worldwide who seek education, support, activism, and patient-centered research in English, Spanish, and French. In addition to arthritis and autoimmune disorders, GHLF supports dermatology, gastroenterology, neurology, cardiology, oncology, infectious disease, rare disease, and pulmonary patients through a host of different programs and activities which draw more than 700,000 patients a month to GHLF websites and create more than 10 million impressions a month on seven social media platforms. In 2024, GHLF had more than 1 million views and listens with its patient-centered audio-visual content, found on YouTube and podcast platforms. GHLF never asks the public for donations, receiving funding instead through governments, non-governmental organizations, foundations, industry, family foundations, and GHLF Co-Founder Louis Tharp. Visit for more information.
Business Wire
07-05-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Vaccines Still Matter – Global Healthy Living Foundation Sees Strong Patient Engagement Despite Current Negative Rhetoric
BUSINESS WIRE)--At a medical conference for vaccine professionals, Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) social media posts, podcasts and YouTube videos had surprising uptake among chronically ill patients, despite continuing anti-vaccine rhetoric from many media, individuals and government sources. ...Surprising uptake among chronically ill patients, despite continuing anti-vaccine rhetoric from many media, individuals and government sources. GHLF's coverage of the World Vaccine Congress, held in Washington, D.C. last week, reached more than 23,000 non-attendees and generated more than 800 engagements across platforms including LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. A special video podcast episode of Healthcare Matters recorded at the conference and published on April 25 has so far garnered more than 4,900 views/listens and continues to climb. 'These aren't big numbers for consumer-oriented social media posts or podcasts,' said Robert Popovian, PharmD, MS, GHLF's Chief Science Policy Officer. 'But GHLF's digital output is organic, high-credibility and tailored to niche audiences of professionals, as well as individuals and caregivers with specific chronic diseases. It isn't necessarily relevant unless you have, or care for someone, with a very specific disease, so these are significant numbers in a short time frame,' he said. 'It signals to us that maintaining and protecting health in the face of a chronic illness is important to this audience. They want information about vaccines, and they understand the value of vaccinations in reaching their health goals,' Dr. Popovian added. 'Before the current drop in vaccination rates among the general public in some areas of the U.S., people with ongoing illnesses who were often immunocompromised, could rely on the overall community immunity to add an extra measure of protection against disease. This extra protection, afforded by healthy vaccinated individuals who felt a responsibility to their neighbors, isn't as prevalent today so we lose community immunity and diseases that were eradicated in the U.S. many years ago are returning,' Popovian added. 'What really struck me at the World Vaccine Congress was how aligned people were — from pharma leaders to advocates to policy folks — about the urgency of fighting misinformation and navigating funding shortfalls. Even with different perspectives, there was a real sense of unity and shared purpose, which left me hopeful about the road ahead, especially with new applications for mRNA vaccines,' Ben Blanc, MS, GHLF's Director of Digital Production and Engagement said. The Healthcare Matters podcast, which proved immediately popular among patients, was recorded live at the Congress and hosted by Dr. Popovian and Mr. Blanc. The episode featured vaccine experts, including: Richard Hughes, Partner at Epstein Becker & Green and Lecturer in Law at George Washington University Tommy Acciani, Director, U.S. Vaccine Policy, GSK Abby Bownas, Co-lead, Adult Vaccine Access Coalition Rekha Lakshmanan, Chief Strategic Officer, The Immunization Partnership The podcast explored the current landscape of adult immunization policy, funding threats to vaccine infrastructure, misinformation challenges, and what's next for vaccine innovation. For continued updates and to access GHLF's World Vaccine Congress content, visit: All interviews, as well as our special video episode, can be found here: About GHLF The Global Healthy Living Foundation is a U.S. based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, international organization whose mission is to improve the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses by advocating for improved access to health care through education, patient-centered clinical research, support, advocacy, and economic and policy research. GHLF is also a staunch advocate for vaccines. The Global Healthy Living Foundation is the parent organization of CreakyJoints®, the international, digital community for millions of people living with arthritis and their supporters worldwide who seek education, support, activism, and patient-centered research in English, Spanish, and French. In addition to arthritis and autoimmune disorders, GHLF supports dermatology, gastroenterology, neurology, cardiology, oncology, infectious disease, rare disease, and pulmonary patients through a host of different programs and activities which draw more than 700,000 patients a month to GHLF websites and create more than 10 million impressions a month on seven social media platforms. In 2024, GHLF had more than 1 million views and listens with its patient-centered audio-visual content, found on YouTube and podcast platforms. GHLF never asks the public for donations, receiving funding instead through governments, non-governmental organizations, foundations, industry, family foundations, and GHLF Co-Founder Louis Tharp. Visit for more information.
