CVS and Express Scripts have filed lawsuits against Arkansas to block a law that prohibits pharmacy benefit managers from owning pharmacies, claiming it restricts competition. Supporters argue that the new law curbs unfair control by PBMs over drug pricing and access.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed the law, claiming it aims to protect independent pharmacies from the dominance of pharmacy benefit managers.
CVS argues that the law would force the closure of its pharmacies in Arkansas and disrupt care for over 340,000 patients.
Arkansas’s attorney general supports the law, stating that it stands up to pharmacy benefit managers for the sake of consumers, while CVS claims it violates free commerce principles.
