Maryland's Prescription Drug Affordability Board has taken its first concrete action, voting to set a price ceiling for the type 2 diabetes medicine Jardiance. The board will now oversee a process designed to lower the drug's cost by January 2027. This marks the initial use of the board's authority to directly regulate medication prices.
The move represents a significant test of state-level power to challenge pharmaceutical pricing. Maryland established the board to address the high cost of prescription drugs for its residents. The decision on Jardiance sets a precedent for how the panel might intervene in other markets.