AstraZeneca Sues to Block Arkansas Contract Pharmacy Law

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca is seeking to block an Arkansas law that prohibits manufacturers from placing restrictions on pharmacies that take part in a federal drug discount program.

The manufacturer’s complaint, filed Monday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, alleged the state’s 340B Drug Pricing Nondiscrimination Act, known as Act 1103, would require AstraZeneca PLC to provide drugs to “any and all pharmacies,” which would include pharmacy chains not part of the drug discount program, such as CVS and Walgreens.

The lawsuit fuels the debate over the use of pharmacies in the federal 340B Drug Discount ...