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What We're Reading: BMS Settles HIV Drug Lawsuit; COVID-19 Breathalyzer Test; HSAs, Health Inequities
Bristol Myers Squibb settles lawsuit on conspiring to block generic competition to HIV drugs; FDA grants emergency use authorization to a novel breath test that can detect COVID-19 within 3 minutes; health savings accounts (HSAs) are being used less effectively by minority and low-income populations.
BMS Settles Lawsuit Alleging Anticompetitive Deals on HIV Drugs
STAT is reporting that Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has agreed to pay up to $11 million to settle a lawsuit stating several drugmakers conspired to block generic competition to HIV drugs. The lawsuit, which also named Gilead Sciences and Johnson & Johnson, claimed that the companies undertook a “no-generic” scheme involving fixed-dose combinations of different HIV drugs that kept prices for these medications high. After 3 years of legal proceedings, the settlement will effectively open the door to generic combinations, such as atazanavir and cobicistat (Evotaz), in the treatment of HIV.
FDA Authorizes COVID-19 Breathalyzer Test
FDA granted emergency use authorization to a novel breath test that can detect COVID-19 within 3 minutes by using gas chromatography and gas mass-spectrometry to detect 5 compounds typically exhaled when people are infected with the virus. CBS News is reporting that the InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer was shown in a study to identify 91.2% of positive COVID-19 cases among an overall cohort of 2409 people with and without symptoms, with false positives occuring in 0.7% of participants. The test will only be available for tests by a qualified and trained operator under the supervision of a health care provider.
Research Suggests Health Savings Accounts May Fuel Health Inequities
Findings of a study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute indicate that health savings accounts (HSAs), which are designed to be a tax-advantaged way for households with high-deductible health plans to save for out-of-pocket medical expenses, may be exacerbating existing health inequities among minority and low-income populations, who are using the accounts less effectively. Compared with men, higher earners, and White and Asian savers, CNBC is reporting that Black and Hispanic beneficiaries, as well as women and low-income individuals, were found to not take full advantage of the tax benefits that HSAs offer by contributing less money, having smaller balances, and investing funds less often.
New Data Update Myasthenia Gravis Outcomes for Patients in Australia
December 3rd 2023Patients living with myasthenia gravis in Australia were surveyed their demographic information, clinical features of the autoimmune disease, adverse effects from treatment, and quality of life. Outcomes were compared against 2011 data from Australia and 2019 data from the United States.
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Oncology Onward: A Conversation With Thyme Care CEO and Cofounder Robin Shah
October 2nd 2023Robin Shah, CEO of Thyme Care, which he founded in 2020 with Bobby Green, MD, president and chief medical officer, joins hosts Emeline Aviki, MD, MBA, and Stephen Schleicher, MD, MBA, to discuss his evolution as an entrepreneur in oncology care innovation and his goal of positively changing how patients experience the cancer system.
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Health Equity and Access Weekly Roundup: December 2, 2023
December 2nd 2023The Center on Health Equity and Access highlights the most recent updates in the realm of health equity, including news, research findings, and initiatives focused on mitigating health care disparities and enhancing overall access to quality care.
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Insufficient Data, Disparities Plague Lung Cancer Risk Factor Documentation
September 24th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with the senior author of a study published in the September 2023 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® on the importance of adequate and effective lung cancer risk factor documentation to determine a patient's eligibility for screening.
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Hospitals Report Declining Cash Reserves, Increasing Reimbursement Delays and Denials
December 1st 2023A new report highlighting the twin pressures hospitals have faced over the last 18 months shows that as reimbursement delays and denials increased and cash and investments decreased, operating expenses have risen sharply.
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