What We're Reading: Measles Quarantines; Roche's Cancer Drug Competition; Blood Pressure Targets for T2D

Hundreds Still Under Measles Quarantine at 2 Universities in Los Angeles

Nearly 700 people at California State University and the University of California, both in Los Angeles, were still in quarantine over the weekend after possibly being exposed to measles. The Associated Press reported that those under quarantine were possibly exposed to a person with measles on each campus earlier this month. Health officials ordered the precautions last week as the nation’s measles rate rose to a 25-year high.

Roche Holding Set to Lose Top Spot as World’s Biggest Seller of Cancer Drugs

The world’s current largest seller of cancer drugs, pharma company Roche Holding AG, will lose its top spot with competition from lower-cost drugs, namely biosimilars. The Wall Street Journal reported that the merger of Bristol Myers Squibb and Celgene will also play a role.

Blood Pressure Regulation Study May Lead to Updated Treatment Guidelines for Hypertension in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Patients with type 2 diabetes who received treatment to keep blood pressure levels at or below 130/80 mm Hg experienced fewer heart attacks, strokes, and other complications from diabetes, according to a press release from the American Heart Association on a study published in its journal Hypertension. These patients also had a lower risk of mortality from any cause, regardless of baseline blood pressure or pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors. The findings may provide greater certainty around optimal blood pressure targets for management of hypertension in patients with type 2 diabetes and could resolve previously conflicted treatment guidelines.