Merck sues US government over Medicare drug price negotiations.

Merck has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to block Medicare drug price negotiations, calling the program unconstitutional. The pharmaceutical company argues that the negotiation program, part of the Inflation Reduction Act, is “tantamount to extortion” and violates its First and Fifth Amendment rights. Merck is seeking an injunction to stop the rules from going into effect and intends to litigate the matter all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.