What We're Reading: OxyContin Manufacturers Plan Overseas Expansion
December 20th 2016What we’re reading, December 20, 2016: Purdue Pharma, which makes OxyContin, plans to expand its sales of the drug in foreign markets; family members blame hospital for not warning them about low-quality nursing home; a project to place blast sensors on soldiers to learn more about concussions has been discontinued.
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First NGS-Based Companion Diagnostic Approved With Rucaparib for Advanced Ovarian Cancer
December 19th 2016The FDA has provided accelerated approval for rupacarib along with the first next-generation sequencing—based companion diagnostic test, for the treatment of women with advanced ovarian cancer.
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What We're Reading: How Hospitals Are Battling Rising Drug Costs
December 19th 2016What we're reading, December 19, 2016: how hospitals are altering routines to address rising drug costs; in Colorado, proponents of the aid-in-dying law are searching for more affordable options for the drug to induce death in terminally ill patients; and the 3000 areas in the United States with higher blood lead levels than Flint, Michigan.
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What We're Reading: HHS Extends Deadline for HealthCare.gov 2017 Enrollment
December 16th 2016What we’re reading, December 16, 2016: consumers now have until December 19 to enroll in a marketplace plan for coverage starting on January 1; 20 states file lawsuit against 6 pharmaceutical companies alleging generic price fixing; women who were tested for the BRCA mutation gene after Angelina Jolie’s announcement may not have been at high risk to begin with.
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What We're Reading: Some Democrats Indicate They May Play Ball on ACA Replacement
December 15th 2016What we're reading, December 15, 2016: Democrats won't help repeal the Affordable Care Act, but some may help pass a replacement; drug makers push new opioids despite lack of evidence they reduce overdoses; CDC issues Zika virus travel advisory for Texas town.
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What We're Reading: Obamacare Enrollees Voted for Trump to Fix, Not Repeal, ACA
December 14th 2016What we're reading, December 14, 2016: many Obamacare enrollees voted for Donald Trump expecting him to fix, not repeal, the law; President Barack Obama signs 21st Century Cures Act into law; Ohio Governor John Kasich vetoes one abortion bill, signs another.
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What We're Reading: Psychiatric Drug Use Among Adults
December 13th 2016What we're reading, December 13, 2016: 1 in 6 American adults are prescribed psychiatric drugs; veterans groups want Donald Trump to keep the current Veterans Affairs secretary; and the number of drug-affected newborns is rising more in rural areas.
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What We're Reading: Risk of Unsafe Prescribing for Dual Users of VA and Medicare
December 12th 2016What we’re reading, December 12, 2016: veterans with dementia who used both the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system and Medicare were more likely to be prescribed potentially unsafe medications; HHS will begin to conduct on-site privacy compliance audits in 2017; study finds that women with strong social connections have better breast cancer outcomes.
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What We're Reading: Former Insys CEO Arrested in Fentanyl-Prescribing Scheme
December 9th 2016What we’re reading, December 9, 2016: insurers haven’t taken advantage of 2011 Georgia law allowing interstate policy sales; 6 former executives of Insys Therapeutics arrested for fraudulently boosting sales of their fentanyl drug; with a month left in the year, 2016 has already seen decade-high mumps outbreaks.
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What We're Reading: Senate Passes 21st Century Cures Act
December 8th 2016What we’re reading, December 8, 2016: Senate overwhelmingly passes the 21st Century Cures Act, sending it to President Obama for approval; Surgeon General issues a report calling for action to reduce e-cigarette use by young people; soaring costs of naloxone may hinder efforts to prevent opioid overdoses.
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What We're Reading: GOP Infighting May Derail ACA Repeal and Replace Plans
December 6th 2016What we're reading, December 6, 2016: Members of the GOP are unhappy with the leadership's plans for a 3-year repeal and replace of Obamacare; California bill would require superbugs be listed on death certificates; and Novo Nordisk promises to limit drug price hikes.
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What We're Reading: Insurers That Complained About the ACA Now Seeing Profits
December 5th 2016What we're reading, December 5, 2016: insurers may be turning a corner with Obamacare plans; selling insurance across state lines may be a difficult initiative to implement; and older Americans are not diligent about getting vaccinations.
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What We're Reading: Joint Initiative Launched to Prevent Physician Suicides
December 2nd 2016What we’re reading, December 2, 2016: Johnson & Johnson must pay $1 billion to patients injured by Pinnacle hip implants; 3 organizations join forces on initiative to prevent suicides in physicians and medical trainees; the American Hospital Association has sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump with a list of requests for his administration.
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What We're Reading: More Republicans Want ACA Scaled Back, Not Repealed
December 1st 2016What we’re reading, December 1, 2016: the percentage of Republicans that would like to see the Affordable Care Act scaled back instead of repealed has more than doubled since the election; smoking will soon be prohibited in all public housing nationwide; some physicians are incensed by the American Medical Association’s support for Rep. Tom Price as HHS secretary.
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What We're Reading: FDA Approves Clinical Trial to Treat PTSD With Ecstasy
November 30th 2016What we’re reading, November 30, 2016: the FDA agrees to clinical trials of Ecstasy to treat posttraumatic stress disorder; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center workers strike to protest wages and union rights; a New York pharmacy owner will spend 4 years in jail for distributing 500,000 oxycodone pills without prescriptions.
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What We're Reading: Warren Says Pharma "Hijacked" Cures Bill
November 29th 2016What we're reading, November 29, 2016: Warren cries foul over pharma's role in legislation; women fear what will happen to coverage under Trump; and Gallup poll finds most Americans want changes or repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
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What We're Reading: Are Reforms Coming to Medicare?
November 28th 2016What we're reading, November 28, 2016: The GOP is considering reforms to Medicare and Democrats are gearing up for a fight; the IRS will send letters to try to sign more people up for Obamacare; and the abortion rate reaches the lowest level in decades.
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What We're Reading: Alaska Has a New Method to Hold Down Insurance Costs
November 23rd 2016What we're reading, November 23, 2016: Alaska has a novel plan to hold down insurance premiums; MedPAC's executive director discusses continuation of value efforts; and new findings regarding microcephaly in Zika-infected babies.
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What We're Reading: Virginia Makes Naloxone Widely Available for Opioid Overdoses
November 22nd 2016What we're reading, November 22, 2016: Virginia declares opioid addiction a public health emergency; House calls for a pause of ongoing Obamacare lawsuit; and Anthem-Cigna antitrust trial begins.
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What We're Reading: AMA Issues Mobile Health Guidelines
November 21st 2016What we’re reading, November 21, 2016: 1 in 4 US children do not have access to essential healthcare, even though many are insured; the American Medical Association has released guidelines for the safe use of mobile health devices and applications; the FDA will delay finalization of its policy on the regulation of laboratory-developed tests.
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