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What We're Reading: Pharmacists Can Prescribe Birth Control in Oregon, California
What we're reading, November 23, 2015: Oregon and California both pass laws that authorize pharmacists to prescribe birth control; the US and Europe are approving more drugs; and Turing discounts Daraprim just 50% and only for hospitals.
Oregon, California Authorize Pharmacists to Prescribe Birth Control
Pharmacists in Oregon and California will now be able to prescribe birth control to women without a doctor’s prescription. The states will authorize pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives after women fill out a questionnaire about their health and medical histories. The new legislation will provide easier access to birth control to millions of women. New Mexico and Nevada could follow, according to The New York Times.
More Drugs Being Approved in the US and Europe
The United States and Europe have been busy with drug approvals this year. In 2015, the FDA has already approved 38 novel drugs, which is more than the 34 at the same time a year ago. The total of 41 drugs approved in 2014 was an 18-year high that the FDA looks prepared to surpass. Meanwhile the European Medicines Agency has recommended a total of 84 drugs, which is up from the 75 drugs at the same time last year.
Turing Will Only Give 50% Discount on Daraprim to Hospitals
After public outrage over the news that Turing Pharmaceuticals AG had raised the price of a decades-old medication from $13.50 to $750, the company had promised to reduce the price. Now, Turing has announced it will discount the drug as much as 50% to hospitals, which will mean Daraprim still costs hospitals far more than before Turing raised the price more than 5000% overnight. In addition, the discount will not be given to patients who keep taking the drug after leaving the hospital, The Wall Street Journal reported.
HOPE-CAT Can Identify Maternal Cardiovascular Risk 2 Months Earlier Than Doctors, Study Says
April 25th 2024In a retrospective study, the machine learning tool was able to screen for potential risks of cardiovascular disease nearly 60 days before the patient's medical record showed any signs of a related condition or before they were officially diagnosed or treated for it.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
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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Data Back Neoadjuvant Combo vs Chemo Alone for Early-Stage NSCLC
April 24th 2024For patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), combining neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors and platinum-based chemotherapy improves 2-year outcomes over chemotherapy alone, suggest findings of an extensive literature review and meta-analysis.
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