On January 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (the OIG) issued a Special Advisory Bulletin (the Bulletin) addressing the application of the federal anti-kickback statute (the AKS) to direct-to-consumer (DTC) prescription drug sales. 

The Bulletin, the OIG’s first Special Advisory Bulletin since September 2014, was issued in response to the proliferation of DTC programs. The Bulletin, which sets forth the framework under which a manufacturer’s DTC program presents a low risk of violating the AKS, is viewed by the growing DTC industry as favorable guidance. DTC programs offering modern weight-loss medications, such as GLP-1 drugs, are becoming increasingly popular, and the Bulletin provides a helpful framework to support the viability of these programs. 

On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) issued a landmark 6–3 decision sharply curtailing presidential authority to impose unilateral tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).