The health policy journal club is an interdisciplinary, inter-professional group convened monthly by the Farley Health Policy Center to discuss timely topics in health policy. A curated selection of high-yield articles provides the basis for discussion. Past topics have included income inequality and health, professionalism in medicine, patients as consumers, and adjusting payment for measures of social risk. This page presents the reading list from the most recent journal club. 

This month’s theme was “Big Pharma and Prescription Drug Affordability, Part 2: Policy Levers and Reform Proposals.” 

We explored key policy mechanisms aimed at improving drug affordability and access, including the 340B Drug Pricing Program, state-level Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (PDABs), patent law reforms, and the role of pharmaceutical research. The discussion focused on the complexities of these approaches, their potential impact, and the political and legal challenges they face. 

340B Drug Pricing Program 

Martin K. The 340B Drug Pricing Program: How It Works and Why It's Controversial. Commonwealth Fund Explainer. August 6, 2025. 

Feldman WB. Reforming the 340B Drug Pricing Program and Ensuring Access to Affordable Medications. Testimony to the U.S. Senate HELP Committee. October 23, 2025. 

Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (PDABs) 

Ingold J. Colorado just became the first state to cap the price of a prescription drug. What comes next is uncertain. The Colorado Sun. October 7, 2025. 

Patterson JA, Motyka J, Campbell JD, O'Brien JM. Unanswered Questions and Unintended Consequences of State Prescription Drug Affordability Boards. Health Affairs Forefront. June 5, 2024. Template for ‘What We’re Reading’ Posts 

Reck J, Tewarson H. District Court Dismisses Challenge to Colorado's Prescription Drug Affordability Board. NASHP Blog. March 31, 2025. 

Optional: PDABs: Taking on the High Cost of Prescription Drugs. NASHP Webinar. June 27, 2024. 

Drug Patent Law Reforms 

Girvan G. Prescription drug reform can't succeed without fixing the patent system. Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity. July 15, 2025. 

Pharmaceutical Patent Myths. Initiative for Medicines, Access and Knowledge (I-MAK). 2020. 

Unsustainable Drug Prices: Testimony from I-MAK Co-Executive Director Tahir Amin. Congressional Hearing. May 18, 2021. 

The Heavy Price of GLP-1 Drugs: How Financialization Drives Pharmaceutical Patent Abuse and Health Inequities. I-MAK Executive Summary. 2025. 

Pharma and Research 

Abramson J. America's Broken Health Care: Diagnosis and Prescription. Imprimis. 2023;52(2)