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* Price cuts have so far come a year after market launch

* Lobby group VFA: retroactive rebates pose incalculable risks

* Ban on price increases over time to remain in place (Adds market size, key players, reaction from lobby group)

By Ludwig Burger

FRANKFURT, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Germany's prospective three-party government plans to cut prices retroactively for recently-launched prescription drugs to keep healthcare expenses under control, the coalition agreement showed on Wednesday.

Pharmaceutical companies have only been free to set prescription drug prices in Germany, Europe's largest pharma market, for the first 12 months following approval by the European Commission.

This respite allows for an elaborate benefit assessment and price setting procedure that was introduced in 2011 and which typically results in a discount.

Instead of taking effect after negotiations are wrapped up, the new price will be enforced with a retroactive reimbursement from the seventh month after market launch, if the coalition plan is passed into law during the four-year parliamentary session.

The agreement will install Germany's first federal coalition between Social Democrats (SPD), libertarian Free Democrats (FDP) and Greens, and bring the curtain down on the era of Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"The negotiated reimbursement price is to take effect from the seventh month after market entry," said the coalition document.

Pharmaceutical sales in Germany rose almost 7% to 49.5 billion euros ($55.4 billion) last year, according to market researcher IQVIA.

Novartis, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co and Bristol-Myers Squibb are among those with the largest market presence in the country, while Bayer , Merck KGaA and unlisted Boehringer Ingelheim are the biggest Germany-based drugmakers.

The German association of research-based pharma companies VFA said the plan may discourage drugmakers from seeking an immediate launch because backdated rebates posed an "incalculable risk".

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"The traditional strength of the German system, the fast availability of new medicines, is needlessly put at risk," it added.

The coalition document also said drugmakers would continue to be banned from unilaterally increasing drug prices over time, keeping current rules in place.

($1 = 0.8929 euros) (Reporting by Ludwig Burger Editing by Emma Thomasson and Mark Potter)

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UPDATE 1-Germany's government-to-be eyes backdated drug price cuts - Yahoo Finance

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) A year after suffering a huge election loss, New Zealand's conservative opposition leader Judith Collins was ousted Thursday by her caucus.

Collins was in the role for a tumultuous 16 months. She never polled well as leader of the National Party, even after liberal Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's popularity began to fade somewhat in recent months as a coronavirus outbreak took hold in Auckland.

Rumors about a possible move against Collins had been circulating for weeks. But she ended up making the first move on Wednesday night by stripping former leader and potential rival Simon Bridges of his portfolios.

Collins said she made the move because she had found out for the first time that Bridges made inappropriate comments to female colleague Jacqui Dean about five years ago at a function.

But other National Party lawmakers weren't impressed with the move by Collins, pointing out that Bridges had apologized at the time.

The new National Party leader will be chosen next week. Possible contenders include Bridges, former Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon and former police officer Mark Mitchell. Collins plans to stay on in Parliament as a lawmaker representing the Auckland district of Papakura.

Collins said it had required stamina and resolve to take on the leadership during the worst of times.

I knew when I was confided in by a female colleague regarding her allegation of serious misconduct against a senior colleague, that I would likely lose the leadership by taking the matter so seriously, Collins wrote on Twitter. If I hadnt, then I felt that I wouldnt deserve the role.

Dean said that Bridges apologized at the time but the incident "continued to play on my mind.

Ardern last year won a second term in a landslide of historic proportions. The popularity of her Labour Party has slipped since then, but most of the gains have gone to the libertarian ACT Party, while Collins and the National Party have continued to languish in opinion polls.

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New Zealand opposition leader Collins ousted by caucus - Plainview Daily Herald

THE RECORD 40/29 NEWS ON THE RECORD AT THE CANDIDATES INHE T 2022 RACE FOR GOVERNOR. WERE ASKINGOR F INTERVIEWS WITH ALL SIX CANDIDATES VYING FOR ARKANSASS TOP OFFICE. THEYRE HERE TO GO ON THE RECORD WITH0/ 429 NEWS AHEAD OF THE PRIMARIES ONE OF THESE CANDIDATES. MAYBE OUR NEXT GOVERN. ARE EACH WEEK WELL GO THROUGH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS GETTINGO T KNOW THE CANDIDATES PREPARING YOU FORHE T PRIMARY VOTE. THIS IS 40/29 NEWS ON THE RECORD AND TNKHA YOU SO MUCH FOR JOININGS U FOR OUR NEW PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM 4290/ NEWS ON THE RECDOR AND YUNA LEE EVERY WEEK. WELL TALK TO NEWAKSMERS ABOUT THE ISSUES AFFECTING US HERE IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS AND THE RIVER VALLEY NEXT NOVEMBER ARKANSAS WILL G TOO THE POLLS TO CHOOSE THE STATES NEXT GOVERNOR SIX CANDIDATES HE AVDECLARED THAT THEYRE RUNNING FORHE T HIGHEST OFFICE IN 2022 THE FIRST HURDLE WINNING THE PARTY PRIMARIES NEXT SPNGRI SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS IS ALONE IN THE REPUBLICAN RACE FOR GOVEORRN THIS AFTER ATTORNEY GENERAL LESLIE RUTLEDGE EXITED THE RACE AND ENTEREDHE T CONTEST FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE. OR ANTHONY BLAND DR. CHRIS JONES JAMES RUSSELL AND SUPA SUPERSETH MAZE ARE RUNNGNI LIBERTARIAN RICKY D

Chris Jones explains his position on the issues on 40/29 News On The Record

Updated: 12:06 PM CST Nov 22, 2021

Arkansas Democrat Chris Jones is a nuclear engineer, a Ph.D. in urban planning, and an ordained minister. He's also running for Governor of Arkansas.Jones talked with 40/29's Yuna Lea about the campaign and his position on issues facing Arkansas. The interview was broadcast on 40/29 News On The Record, which airs Sundays at 10:30 a.m.Three other Democrats besides Jones are running for governor. They are Anthony Bland, James "Rus" Russell, and Supha Xayprasith-Mays. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the only Republican running, and Ricky Dale Harrington is the only Libertarian running. William E. Gates is running as an independent candidate.

Arkansas Democrat Chris Jones is a nuclear engineer, a Ph.D. in urban planning, and an ordained minister. He's also running for Governor of Arkansas.

Jones talked with 40/29's Yuna Lea about the campaign and his position on issues facing Arkansas. The interview was broadcast on 40/29 News On The Record, which airs Sundays at 10:30 a.m.

Three other Democrats besides Jones are running for governor. They are Anthony Bland, James "Rus" Russell, and Supha Xayprasith-Mays. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the only Republican running, and Ricky Dale Harrington is the only Libertarian running. William E. Gates is running as an independent candidate.

Arkansas Democratic candidate for governor Chris Jones introduced himself and explained why he is running.

Jones talked about how important education is for children and young adults, and how Arkansas can help provide opportunity.

Jones says parents and individuals, not the government, should make personal decisions for themselves.

Jones praised current Gov. Asa Hutchinson's coding initiative, but would have done things differently when it came to handling COVID-19 if he were governor.

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Chris Jones explains his position on the issues on 40/29 News On The Record - 4029tv

WWE Hall Of Famer Kane was recently a guest on The Doug Collins Podcast where he spoke about his decision to start a career in politics. The former World Champion admitted he could see he was losing a step inside the ring.

As my wrestling career was starting to wind down and I could see that I was getting older and starting to lose a step. I knew that I needed to do something else in my life, Kande admitted. I had always been interested in politics and government. Mainly, my philosophy is very Conservative-Libertarian. My interest was keeping the government off my back.

One of the big things that wrestlers have to deal with is being away from home for large periods of time. That was the case throughout Kanes career and he spoke about that, admitting that his wife did everything and he believes you need a strong partner.

Crystal raised the kids and she also worked and did everything, he admitted. Its really because of her. I dont think its possible to do that if you dont have a strong partner. Not everybody is built for that, frankly, and that is okay. It is what it is.

I think you just have to understand the dynamics in your personal relationship, or in your marriage if thats the case. I was able to do it because Crystal could just do it, Kane said. She had actually been a single mom before we got married. Probably nine years, or so. So, she was used to that anyway. But its always hard. On our side of things, we miss all the good stuff. We miss the birthday parties and the holidays and the basketball games and thats whats really difficult.

If you use any quotes from this article please credit The Doug Collins Podcast with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Kane Reflects On Decision He Made When WWE Career Was Winding Down - Wrestling Inc.

Political party in the United Kingdom

Political party in the United Kingdom

The Libertarian Party, also known as the Libertarian Party UK (LPUK), is a libertarian political party in the United Kingdom.[2][4] Adam Brown has been the party's leader since August 2015.[1][7]

The party was founded in January 2008 under the leadership of Patrick Vessey, having registered the party with the Electoral Commission in November 2007.[2] In May 2008, The Daily Telegraph leader writer Alex Singleton claimed the founders should have set up a pressure group rather than a party. Singleton believed the new party would reduce the influence of libertarianism.[8]

On 17 September 2008, Vessey resigned as party leader and was replaced by Ian Parker-Joseph.[citation needed] The party claimed a membership of 1,000 and hoped in the wake of the parliamentary expenses scandal "to establish themselves in the media landscape with a couple of robust performances".[9] He said the party wanted much smaller government and would initially cut taxation to 10% before removing it altogether.[10]

On 28 November 2010, Andrew Withers was elected as party leader.[11][bettersourceneeded]

Following an internal ballot on 15 August 2015, party members elected Adam Brown as the party leader.[1]

During the 2018 local elections, the party was described as on "the fringes of mainstream British politics".[12]

In October 2018, MEP Bill Etheridge, a former member of the UK Independence Party, joined the party[13] and became its deputy chairman.[14] Etheridge continued as a member of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy parliamentary group in the European Parliament.[15] However, he then left to join the Brexit Party in February 2019.

The party did not field parliamentary candidates at the 2015 general election, describing it as a "waste of time and funds".[11]

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Libertarian Party (UK) - Wikipedia