Novartis, PhRMA Lose Bid to Block Mississippi Drug Pharmacy Law

A federal judge rejected attempts from the pharmaceutical industry to block a Mississippi law requiring manufacturers to distribute discounted drugs to an unlimited number of pharmacies under the federal drug discount program.

Judge Halil Suleyman Ozerden for the US District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi denied preliminary injunctions Monday in separate lawsuits filed by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Inc. and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, writing plaintiffs haven’t shown a “substantial likelihood of success on the merits as required to obtain a preliminary injunction.”

The manufacturer and industry group argue Mississippi’s law (H.B.728) is preempted under ...