Pharmaceutical giants sue WA over new drug pricing law
Two of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies sued Washington state on Wednesday, alleging a new law to tamp down prescription drug prices for hospitals won’t result in discounts for patients.
The lawsuits came the same day Gov. Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 5981. The law passed the Senate along party lines with Democrats in support, and with some Republican votes in the House. It takes effect in June.
Hospitals and pharmaceutical companies are at odds over the legislation, making it one of the most hotly contested bills of the 2026 legislative session. The law seeks to add transparency to the federal 340B drug pricing program and to stop drug manufacturers from restricting who can dispense their medication.
Two of those manufacturers, Novartis and AbbVie, are now suing the state over the new law in federal court in western Washington. Similar laws in other states have been upheld.
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/03/30/pharmaceutical-giants-sue-wa-over-new-drug-pricing-law/