What we're reading, May 24, 2016: Doubt grows about the stability of the Anthem-Cigna merger; use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices stalls in the US; and drugmakers are cautious about developing a Zika virus.
Another big healthcare deal might bite the dust. Months after the merger between Pfizer and Allergan fell through after the Obama administration announced new rules targeting inversion deals, Wall Street has growing doubts over the pending merger between Anthem and Cigna, according to Reuters. News of management squabbles have called the stability of the deal into question with some analysts estimating the likelihood of the deal closing at less than 50%.
Use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices is stalling in the United States. While the percentage of Americans who use these devices (10%) has stayed the same from May 2015 to May 2016, more Americans are expressing a negative view toward e-cigarettes, reported The New York Times. Meanwhile, the healthcare community remains divided over the safety of e-cigarettes and vaping devices.
Drugmakers are being cautious about diving into development of a vaccine for the Zika virus. According to Bloomberg, pharmaceutical giants are slow to get started on a vaccine because large portions of countries infected with the virus could develop an immunity to Zika in the next 10 years. So far, Sanofi is the only major drugmaker to forge ahead with developing a Zika vaccine.
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