According to the company and the White House, these discounts will average 50% off the list price and could be as high as 85% for some medications. On September 30, 2025, just ahead of a deadline set by the White House, Pfizer became the first major pharmaceutical company to publicly agree to the administration’s MFN framework. This order directed HHS to test an MFN payment model for certain drugs covered under Medicare Parts B and D. The reference price is determined by comparing U.S. prices to those in a specific “basket” of countries. The initiative was launched through a landmark voluntary agreement with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which became the first drugmaker to formally commit to the program’s principles. In the event of a federal law enforcement investigation, being as prepared as possible is critical.
Under 18 U.S.C. Section 1347, billing Medicare for diverted prescription medications carries statutory fines and up to 10 years of federal imprisonment, or 20 years in cases involving serious bodily injury. The DOJ has a long history of targeting prescription drug diversion; and, over the years, it has amassed a substantial playbook for prosecuting both individuals and organizations in these cases. In light of these recent cases, pharmaceutical distributors, pharmacies, and other parties that may be at risk of facing diversion-related scrutiny need to give due consideration to the risks involved. When testing drugs at home, using testing kits equipped with chemical reagents can provide preliminary insights into substance purity. To identify genuine vs. counterfeit drug packaging, scrutinize for packaging discrepancies such as misspellings or poor print quality.
Mr Jeffrey said some of the people who had bought medicines from the websites “are just general members of the public, holding down good jobs, getting on with their lives who have unfortunately fallen into this type of drug use”. Criminal gangs have smuggled tens of millions of prescription-only drugs out of the UK’s protected supply chain, a BBC File on 4 programme has discovered. According to the Department of Justice, investigators served a warrant at an apartment that was used by the men as a “black market doctor’s office.” There, they found an exam room, syringes and large amounts of both controlled and non-controlled medications in several cabinets.
