Robert Zirkelbach

Today, we’re launching a new ad campaign exposing how some large, tax-exempt hospital systems exploit 340B to buy medicines at deep discounts, mark them up by thousands, and pocket the difference, all with little oversight. Meanwhile, they can spend program profits on whatever they want – even luxury perks. Patients and taxpayers deserve transparency and accountability. Washington must act. phrma.org/blog/new-goldm…

Three facts everyone should know about compounded drugs: 1. They are not FDA approved 2. Advertising claims may not be supported by evidence 3. Mass-produced compounded drugs marketed as "personalized" are not the same as traditional compounding. Talk with your health care provider about your treatment options.

Today, I shared my thoughts in @thehill: Our health care system is dominated by a handful of vertically integrated conglomerates that can block patients' access to more affordable medicine options to boost their own profits. Read my full op-ed: thehill.com/opinion/health…

Listen to @steveubl on @decidersshow with @BrodyMullinsDC and @camoosomiller discussing whether the U.S. will remain the world's leader in biopharmaceutical innovation. China is investing heavily in life sciences. Keeping America's edge will require policies that support innovation, investment and the next generation of medicines. ow.ly/NYXJ50Zny5N

Not all peptides are created equal. FDA-approved peptides meet FDA standards for safety, effectiveness and quality. Many compounded peptide products promoted online have never been reviewed by the FDA. Don't confuse online marketing with FDA review.

America’s leadership in medical innovation is not guaranteed. While policymakers debate harmful MFN price controls, China is rapidly expanding its role in oncology research and drug development. Weakening our innovation ecosystem would come at a cost for American patients and our global competitiveness. ow.ly/krQJ50Zcsb2

Breakthrough cancer treatments are being developed at a rapid pace, but policy decisions will determine how quickly patients can benefit. Our new ad underscores what’s at stake if the U.S. cedes its biopharmaceutical leadership to other countries: innovation will slow and patients will wait longer for lifesaving treatments. Today, Americans benefit from medical innovation sooner than anywhere else in the world. Maintaining that leadership is essential. See why here: ow.ly/6BJC50Zc0Ci

This is exactly how far #340B has gone off the rails: A private equity-backed hospital chain is converting to nonprofit status and pointing to 340B as a way to add $11M annually to its bottom line. A program meant to help vulnerable patients shouldn’t be treated like a business strategy. More here: healthexec.com/topics/healthc…

As @Axios notes, today's medical breakthroughs are the result of decades of scientific research, investment and innovation. To ensure patients can benefit from the next generation of advances, we need policies that support continued innovation and help make breakthrough medicines accessible to the people who need them. axios.com/2026/06/05/med…

Breakthroughs in cancer treatment are creating new hope for patients and families. Investments like Bristol Myers Squibb’s new $3.5 billion Indiana facility, which will expand the production of advanced cell therapies and biologic medicines, are helping strengthen U.S. manufacturing capacity and accelerate the next generation of cancer innovation. ow.ly/CvJ350Z93zN

Patients are facing higher costs and more denials of care. Price controls like MFN won’t fix that. What patients experience is driven by insurers – who decide what is covered and what patients pay. Real affordability means addressing the root cause of patient frustrations. More here: ow.ly/tq9450Z4J2F

A new @FoxBusiness spotlighted waste, fraud & abuse in 340B. A massive federal program and yet there is no transparency and no requirement patients benefit. If we’re serious about lowering costs, we must fix the federal 340B program.

The @WSJ Editorial Board says the quiet part out loud: 340B has become “sweet arbitrage for hospitals and pharmacies.” Hospital profits grow, patients don’t benefit, and oversight is basically nonexistent. That’s why federal reform is overdue. wsj.com/opinion/340b-d…

The debate over replicating foreign drug pricing policies often leaves out one important fact: Patients in those countries typically have access to fewer new medicines and wait much longer to get them. A new PhRMA report confirms this, showing patients in other countries have access to only 36% of new medicines vs. 88% in the United States. That is not a model we should import. Read more: ow.ly/PZhJ50YZzIZ

A striking @nytopinion piece: Hospital prices and consolidation are major contributors to rising health care costs. Affordability debates should focus on the full system, including hospital market power. nytimes.com/2026/05/04/opi…

Leadership is a choice. Smart federal policies like strong intellectual property protections, efficient regulations and market-driven competition keep America at the forefront of medicine development. We must choose to stay in the lead. More at ow.ly/fyC050YSwyK

Hospitals buy drugs at steep discounts, charge full price or more and keep the difference - without requirements to help patients. That’s not a safety‑net program. It’s exactly why the Washington Post Editorial Board calls today’s 340B “corporate welfare.” This abuse drives higher costs and demands reform. More here: phrma.org/blog/washingto…

Vaccines are one of the best ways to prevent disease before it starts. They train the body’s immune system to fight germs, keeping individuals and families safer. And vaccines play a critical role in improving public health by preventing dangerous diseases like polio and smallpox, saving millions of lives and avoiding countless hospitalizations. I am proud of our biopharma industry every day, and especially during #WorldImmunizationWeek. phrma.org/blog/world-imm…

#340B is now the second largest federal drug program, and on track to be the largest, without basic transparency or oversight. That’s driving higher costs for patients and taxpayers. A rebate model is an important step toward commonsense guardrails. More here: phrma.org/blog/modernizi…

70% initially denied. That’s what IQVIA found for commercially insured patients trying to start brand medicines in 2024. That means patients were blocked from the treatments their own doctors prescribed. It’s time to end insurer practices that put profit over patients. Read more: phrma.org/blog/70-denied…