A ruling against skinny labeling could push back generic drug competition by years, with billions in costs passed on to patients and insurers.

Can a generic manufacturer compare its product to the branded competitor?

Supreme Court justices on Wednesday will hear arguments in a patent case that could change the way generic drug companies market and label copycat products. Why it matters: At the heart of the case is whether efforts to lower health costs through generic competition are undercutting patent protections that brand-name drugmakers say are essential for innovation.

The Supreme Court Wednesday will hear oral arguments about a simmering controversy over so-called skinny labels, with implications for the availability of generics.

Pfizer has reached agreements with Dexcel Pharma, Hikma Pharmaceuticals and Cipla, regarding lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

The justices are set to hear Hikma v. Amarin, a battle over drug patents that could raise costs for patients and change the way generic companies do business.

Officials with the FDA have approved a generic moxidectin product for the treatment and control of internal parasites in sheep. The application for the product, Moxidectin Oral Drench for Sheep, is sponsored by from First Priority Inc.

Prescription drug costs continue to squeeze Washington businesses and their employees. About 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. said in a recent KFF poll that high costs have led them not to fill a prescription.