First salvo

Accessible and affordable: Civica Rx will now be the name of a new, not-for-profit generic drug company in the U.S, to help patients by addressing shortages and high prices of lifesaving medications. Since the initiative was announced in January 2018, more than 120 health organisations representing about a third of hospitals in the U.S. have contacted Civica Rx (a group of seven health systems) and expressed a commitment or interest in participating with the new company. The company is organised as a Delaware non-stock, not-for-profit corporation, and will be headquartered in Utah, U.S. Initial governing members will include Catholic Health Initiatives, HCA Healthcare, Intermountain Healthcare, Mayo Clinic, Providence St. Joseph Health, SSM Health, and Trinity Health. Major philanthropies and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are also backing the venture. The company has identified 14 hospital-administered generic drugs as the initial focus of the company’s efforts. It will be an FDA-approved manufacturer and will either directly manufacture generic drugs or sub-contract manufacturing to reputable contract manufacturing organisations. Civica Rx expects to have its first products on the market as early as 2019. Picture shows a pharmacy technician preparing prescriptions on an automated line at the central pharmacy of Intermountain Healthcare in Midvale, Utah. — Business Wire