No. 25-902

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation v. Robert F. Kennedy, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al.

Lower Court: Third Circuit
Docketed: 2026-02-02
Status: Pending
Type: Paid
Experienced Counsel
Tags: anti-injunction-act civil-penalty drug-price-negotiation excessive-fines-clause fifth-amendment first-amendment
Key Terms:
Environmental SocialSecurity FirstAmendment FifthAmendment Takings Punishment Securities JusticiabilityDoctri
Latest Conference: N/A
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the Anti-Injunction Act bars judicial review of a civil penalty labeled as a tax when the penalty is effectively unpayable, whether the Drug Price Negotiation Program violates the Fifth Amendment by forcing drug manufacturers to transfer drugs at government-dictated prices, and whether the program violates the First Amendment by coercing manufacturers to express the government's preferred viewpoints

Question Presented (from Petition)

The Drug Price Negotiation Program (Program) threatens fines unless a drug manufacturer both provides its products at government-dictated prices and publicly declares that those coerced prices are “fair.” The fines at the root of the law are unprecedented in scope—for petitioner Novartis, they would swiftl y escalate to $93.1 billion annually. The Third Circuit declined even to address whether this extraordinary penalty was excessive under the Eighth Amendment, because it found that the Anti-Injunction Act ( AIA) divests federal court jurisdiction over any challenge to a civil penalty unconnected to criminal conduct so long as Congress labels it a tax. The court then concluded that the coerced transfers did not reflect an unconstitutional taking because they were “voluntary,” and that the compelled speech at issue did not implicate the First Amendment because it was merely “incidental” to the regulation of conduct. Each holding involves constitutional questions of first-order importance. The questions presented are: 1. Whether the AIA bars review of any challenge under the Excessive Fines Clause of a civil penalty unconnected to criminal co nduct whenever Congress labels it a tax, even when it is effectively unpayable. 2. Whether the Program violates the Fifth Amendment by forcing manufacturers to transfer drugs to third parties at government-dictated prices. 3. Whether the Program violates the First Amendment by coercing manufacturers into expressing the government’s preferred viewpoints on matters of public concern with which the manufacturers disagree.

Docket Entries

2026-01-23
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 4, 2026)
2025-12-11
Application (25A587) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until January 23, 2026.
2025-12-08
Application (25A587) to extend further the time from January 9, 2026 to January 23, 2026, submitted to Justice Alito.
2025-11-20
Application (25A587) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until January 9, 2026.
2025-11-14
Application (25A587) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from December 10, 2025 to February 8, 2026, submitted to Justice Alito.

Attorneys

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Gregory George GarreLatham & Watkins LLP, Petitioner
Gregory George GarreLatham & Watkins LLP, Petitioner
Gregory George GarreLatham & Watkins LLP, Petitioner
Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al.
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent