Statement on Inflation Reduction Act’s MFP for ELIQUIS® (apixaban)

Learn about Bristol Myers Squibb's response to the Inflation Reduction Act's Maximum Fair Price (MFP) for ELIQUIS® (apixaban).

August 15, 2024

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the “Maximum Fair Price” (MFP) for a 30-day supply of ELIQUIS® (apixaban), which was selected in the first round of government price setting as part of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). ELIQUIS is the leading anticoagulant relied upon by millions of Americans daily, and it is the most prescribed medicine on the IRA list, not the most expensive. 

The imposed ELIQUIS MFP does not reflect the substantial clinical and economic value of this essential medicine, which is widely recognized for its effectiveness in reducing stroke-related events, hospitalizations, and extended rehabilitation needs.

The MFP is the price Medicare will pay for ELIQUIS and does not set what Medicare patients will pay for ELIQUIS now or in the future. Insurance plans and their pharmacy benefit managers are ultimately responsible for what patients will pay for ELIQUIS, and the IRA does not protect patients from potential increases to their cost sharing or restrictions in access to ELIQUIS once the MFP goes into effect in January 2026. By focusing on government price setting, the IRA overlooks the biggest problem in patient affordability: how plans determine patient out-of-pocket costs.  

Bristol Myers Squibb strongly advocates for uninterrupted access to ELIQUIS and urges insurance plans and their pharmacy benefit managers to continue to make ELIQUIS available to patients without increasing out-of-pocket costs or imposing other barriers to accessing this medicine. We will continue to support holistic policies that enhance affordability and access for patients without compromising future medical innovations. 

ELIQUIS Important Safety Information

Indications

ELIQUIS is indicated to reduce the risk of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. ELIQUIS is indicated for the prophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which may lead to pulmonary embolism (PE), in patients who have undergone hip or knee replacement surgery. ELIQUIS is indicated for the treatment of DVT and PE, and to reduce the risk of recurrent DVT and PE following initial therapy.

Important Safety Information

WARNING: (A) PREMATURE DISCONTINUATION OF ELIQUIS INCREASES THE RISK OF THROMBOTIC EVENTS, (B) SPINAL/EPIDURAL HEMATOMA

(A) Premature discontinuation of any oral anticoagulant, including ELIQUIS, increases the risk of thrombotic events. If anticoagulation with ELIQUIS is discontinued for a reason other than pathological bleeding or completion of a course of therapy, consider coverage with another anticoagulant.

(B) Epidural or spinal hematomas may occur in patients treated with ELIQUIS who are receiving neuraxial anesthesia or undergoing spinal puncture. These hematomas may result in long-term or permanent paralysis. Consider these risks when scheduling patients for spinal procedures. Factors that can increase the risk of developing epidural or spinal hematomas in these patients include:

  • use of indwelling epidural catheters
  • concomitant use of other drugs that affect hemostasis, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), platelet inhibitors, other anticoagulants
  • a history of traumatic or repeated epidural or spinal punctures
  • a history of spinal deformity or spinal surgery
  • optimal timing between the administration of ELIQUIS and neuraxial procedures is not known

Monitor patients frequently for signs and symptoms of neurological impairment. If neurological compromise is noted, urgent treatment is necessary.

Consider the benefits and risks before neuraxial intervention in patients anticoagulated or to be anticoagulated.


Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS, available at BMS.com.

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