Senate committee deadlocks over bill to limit drugmakers' single‑pharmacy restrictions on 340B program

A tie vote left Senate Bill 69 unresolved after more than three hours of testimony and debate at the Utah Senate Business and Labor Standing Committee on Thursday, Feb. 13.

Sponsor Senator David Vickers introduced the measure as a response to drug manufacturers’ recent practice of restricting certain medications covered by the federal 340B program so they may be dispensed only through a single contract pharmacy selected by a covered entity. “The concern from the covered entities is that the list will just keep expanding until many patients will be denied access to more and more medications,” Vickers said during his presentation.

The bill would prohibit manufacturers from enforcing single‑pharmacy limits on covered 340B drugs in Utah. Proponents — including hospital and health‑center representatives, Intermountain Health officials and rural clinic…