Study: Pharma Companies Often Profit From Donations to Patient Assistance Charities

Pharmaceutical companies often profit from their donations to non-profit patient assistance charities that are intended to help people afford high-cost medications, according to a study published in this month’s edition of the journal Health Affairs.  

HHS’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has provided guidance on the charities and cracked down in recent years on several charities and drug manufacturers. However, the authors noted that “the current regulations or enforcement permit donations that violate the spirit of Medicare’s Anti-Kickback Statute,” which prohibits pharma companies from covering Medicare Advantage enrollees’ out-of-pocket drug spending for the drugs they manufacture.