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Health insurer Anthem Inc on Thursday said it reached a deal under which Gilead Sciences Inc's hepatitis C drug Harvoni will be the primary treatment for patients infected with the most common strain of the liver-destroying virus. Anthem said the deal effectively lowers its hepatitis C treatment costs. "We were able to achieve a very competitive rate and a freeze on retail pricing for 2015," the insurer said in an emailed statement. "That does favorably impact plan costs for 2015." Gilead has come under fire for the high cost of Harvoni, as well as predecessor drug Sovaldi, which was launched in late 2013 at a price of $1,000 per pill. Harvoni has a list price of $94,500 for 12 weeks of treatment, or $1,125 per daily pill. (Beasley, 1/8)

Some seniors who enrolled in Medicare Part D plans with Aetna or its subsidiary Coventry Health Care could be in for a surprise when they try to fill their prescriptions this year. During the most-recent enrollment period, Aetna identified some pharmacies as network members that actually are not, and as a result, some people couldn't fill prescriptions at their usual pharmacy, the National Community Pharmacists Association said Thursday. (Hirst, 1/8)

The Food and Drug Administration has been criticized in the past for relying on advisory committees stacked with members who have ties to the pharmaceutical industry. But a study released Thursday found that advisory committee members with financial conflicts of interest are no more likely to recommend a drug’s approval than those without those conflicts – and suggests that legislative attempts to limit panelists with industry ties could have a damaging effect on the drug approval process. (Gustin, 1/8)