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What We're Reading: Gilead's HCV Drug Sales Drop 19%
What we're reading, July 26, 2016: revenues from Gilead's hepatitis C drugs continue to fall; Arizona's plan to unfreeze enrollment in CHIP has been approved; and Colombia declares an end to the Zika virus epidemic.
Revenues from Gilead’s hepatitis C virus (HCV) drugs continue to fall due to competition and pricing pressures. The Wall Street Journal reported that sales of HCV drugs fell 19% overall during the second quarter of 2016. Sales of Harvoni took a big hit (-29%), while Sovaldi sales saw a gain (5.2%). Gilead executives said the decrease in sales is a result of increased competition in the space and a mandatory price cut in Japan.
Arizona’s plan to unfreeze enrollment in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) has been approved, making it the last state to provide coverage. Between 30,000 and 40,000 children will become newly eligible for healthcare coverage starting September 1, according to The Washington Post. The state had frozen enrollment for its KidsCare program in 2009 to save money after the recession and the program had been formally shut down in 2014.
Colombia has declared an end to the Zika virus epidemic in the country. While new cases will continue to appear, the country’s vice minister of health said that the outbreak has been controlled, according to STAT. The peak of the epidemic in Colombia was early February, when more than 6000 cases were reported in a week. The latest weekly survey reported fewer than 1000 cases. However, some experts believe declines in case in some countries could just be a seasonal drop rather than a true end to the outbreak.
Standard Criteria for Loss of Ambulation Needed in DMD
April 19th 2024A recent study suggests the differences between ambulation definitions for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) can impact the identification of ambulant vs nonambulant individuals, and standard criteria across settings are needed.
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Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
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Early Involvement Critical in Treating Immunotherapy-Induced Overlap Syndrome
April 19th 2024A series of case studies reveals the importance of early diagnosis and involvement of special teams of clinicians when dealing with potential cases of overlap syndrome, which encompasses myocarditis, myasthenia gravis, and immune checkpoint inhibitor–related myositis.
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Making Giant Strides in Maternity Health Through Baby Steps
April 9th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are kicking off a special month-long podcast series with our strategic alliance partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our first episode, which is all about the Baby Steps Maternity Program and its mission to support women throughout every step of their pregnancy journey.
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