Minnesota looks to create abortion refuge for patients and providers; Moderna’s expected price single dose of COVID-19 sits at $130; FDA staff sees a "clinical benefit" in Biogen’s ALS drug.
Minnesota Seeks to Become Abortion Refuge State
Minnesota passed a bill that creates a refuge state for patients seeking abortions who live in restrictive states, according to The Associated Press. This bill will prohibit Minnesota from enforcing laws, subpoenas, judgments, or extradition requests from other states, such as Texas, against patients and providers who get or give abortions in Minnesota. Furthermore, another bill, currently working its way through Minnesota’s House and Senate, would repeal a list of state laws curtailing abortion rights; a district court judge already declared those laws unconstitutional, but the bill aims to keep an appellate court from overruling that decision.
Moderna’s $130 COVID-19 Vaccine
Moderna said the expected price for a single dose of its COVID-19 vaccine would be about $130 in the United States, Stephen Hoge, company president, told Reuters. The company previously said the range would be $110 to $130 a dose, similiar to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. With the Biden administration ending the pandemic public health emergency in May, price negotiations are shifting to insurers and away from the government.
FDA Panel to Review Biogen’s ALS Drug
Staff at the FDA believe Biogen’s drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may have "clinical benefit" for patients with rare or aggressive forms of this disease, according to CNBC. On Wednesday, a panel of outside expert advisors will consider accelerated approval of Biogen’s drug tofersen, with the FDA expected to make its final decision on April 25, 2023. The panel will review the mixed evidence about the effectiveness and safety of the drug and will act on 2 questions the FDA has asked the panel to consider.
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February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
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Drs Raymond Thertulien, Joseph Mikhael on Racial Disparities in Multiple Myeloma Care Access
December 28th 2023In the wake of the 2023 American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition, Raymond Thertulien, MD, PhD, of Novant Health, and Joseph Mikhael, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FACP, chief medical officer of the International Myeloma Foundation, discussed health equity research highlights from the meeting and drivers of racial disparities in multiple myeloma outcomes.
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The Pivotal Role of Payers in Improving Health Equity, Maternal Health Care in the US
March 26th 2024A presentation at the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health's 2024 Women’s Health Summit discussed how payers, including employers and public entities, can strategically influence health care purchasing to prioritize maternal health and equity.
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What We’re Reading: HHS' Funding Flat; Mifepristone Safety; Insulin Shortage
March 25th 2024Flat funding for Health and Human Services (HHS) leaves critical health initiatives stagnant; Supreme Court weighs tightening regulations on abortion pill; manufacturing delay sparks access concerns for insulin medication.
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