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At the Christmas gala of the youth branch of Forum for Democracy,guests with racist,identity-based and far-right views were present last month. This is according to research by the Volkskrant. The newspaper names, among others, the Dutchman john A., the German Severin Köhler and the Slovenian Zan Zalec.
John A. was sentenced to six months in prison last year for projecting racist texts on the Erasmus Bridge during the New Year’s transition from 2022 to 2023.He is one of the faces of White Lives Matter, an extremist group that believes the white race is threatened and needs to be protected.
The NOS followed along in the group’s Telegram channel in 2023. A manifesto stated that the group is striving for a country where at least 99 percent of the population is “white.” People who do not qualify for this may stay temporarily if it is “in favor of the Whites.”
AIVD warns about fight clubs
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John A. is also a member of Active Club Dietsland. This is one of the right-wing extremist fight clubs that the AIVD has been warning about for several years.According to the intelligence service, these groups are preparing for the ”certain race war” in their eyes.
the Inflation Reduction Act and Prescription Drug Pricing
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), signed into law on August 16, 2022, allows Medicare to negotiate the prices of certain high-cost prescription drugs, aiming to lower healthcare costs for seniors and taxpayers. This marks a significant shift in U.S. policy, as previously Medicare was prohibited from directly negotiating drug prices with pharmaceutical companies.
For decades, the U.S. government refrained from direct price negotiation, relying instead on market competition and other mechanisms. The IRA changes this by authorizing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to select drugs for negotiation based on factors like high Medicare spending and lack of generic or biosimilar competition.The negotiated prices will be phased in over several years, starting with 10 drugs in 2026, increasing to 20 drugs by 2029.
On February 1,2024,CMS announced the first 10 drugs selected for medicare price negotiation. These drugs include those used to treat diabetes, heart failure, blood clots, and cancer.
How Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Works
Medicare drug price negotiation under the IRA is a multi-stage process overseen by the CMS. The law empowers the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to select drugs for negotiation, considering factors like spending, clinical benefit, and availability of alternatives.
The negotiation process involves CMS engaging directly with drug manufacturers to reach an agreed-upon price. Manufacturers can face financial penalties, including excise taxes and withdrawal from Medicare and Medicaid, if they refuse to participate or fail to comply with the negotiated price. The negotiated prices apply to Medicare Part D and Medicare Part B,covering both prescription drugs dispensed through pharmacies and those administered by healthcare professionals.
According to a CMS fact sheet, the agency estimates that the IRA will save Medicare approximately $100 billion over the next decade. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) initially estimated savings of $80 billion, but revised its estimate upwards in February 2024.
Drugs Selected for Initial Negotiation (2026)
The first 10 drugs selected for Medicare price negotiation represent a range of conditions and treatment areas. These selections were based on high Medicare spending and the absence of generic or biosimilar competition.
- Eliquis (apixaban) – Blood thinner
- Xarelto (rivaroxaban) - Blood thinner
- entresto (sacubitril/valsartan) – Heart failure
- Farxiga (dapagliflozin) – Diabetes and heart failure
- Fiasp/NovoLog (insulin aspart) – Diabetes
- Januvia (sitagliptin) – diabetes
- Imbruvica (ibrutinib) – Blood cancer
- Stelara (ustekinumab) – Autoimmune disorders
- Spravato (esketamine) – Depression
- Jardiance (empagliflozin) – Diabetes and heart failure
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcement emphasized that these drugs were chosen as they represent significant costs to Medicare beneficiaries and the program as a whole.
Legal Challenges and Industry response
The pharmaceutical industry has actively challenged the IRA’s drug price negotiation provisions in court, arguing that the law violates the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause and due process rights.
Several lawsuits were filed by industry groups like the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). In December 2023, a federal judge ruled against PhRMA’s initial challenge, finding that the IRA does not violate the Constitution. Reuters reported on the ruling, noting that the judge dismissed the industry’s claims of unconstitutional taking and due process violations.
PhRMA has appealed the decision, and the legal battle is ongoing. the industry argues that the IRA will stifle innovation and reduce investment in new drug progress. However, supporters of the law contend that it will make prescription drugs more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans.
