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A U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia judge June 27 against Johnson & Johnson and sided with the Department of Health and Human Services and hospitals in a lawsuit brought by J&J challenging the government’s authority to reject J&J’s proposed 340B rebate model. 

“In sum, based on the plain and unambiguous language of the 340B statute, and supported by its purpose and history, HRSA has the authority to ‘provide’ for discounts, rebates, or both,” Judge Rudolph Contreras wrote. “This conclusion defeats J&J’s claim that HRSA lacked the authority to require prior approval of J&J’s rebate model.”

The AHA in a friend-of-the-court brief urged the court to uphold the government’s decision to reject J&J’s proposed 340B rebate model. Others joining the AHA in the filing were the Children’s Hospital Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges and America’s Essential Hospitals.

Earlier this year, a second district judge reached the same conclusion in cases brought by five other drug companies.