TOP STORIES
More Pfizer news – this time, not so good. The company said it expects to pay $785 million to settle False Claims Act suits alleging its Wyeth unit overcharged Medicaid for heartburn drug Protonix. — Law360
LIFE SCIENCES
FDA approves Roche’s investigational medicine Ocrelizumab for multiple sclerosis. — Roche
A new study finds that RNA often appears with an extra letter — and this letter is the regulatory key for control of gene expression. The discovery offers insight into different RNA functions in cellular processes and contributions to the development of disease. — Science Daily
The Competition and Markets Authority in the U.K. fined GlaxoSmithKline $54.4 million for pay-for-delay deals made with generic drugmakers between 2001 and 2004 to slow market entry of generic Seroxat. — BioPharmaDive
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
Jump Technologies and Champion Medical Technologies announced a partnership to help health systems improve tracking and control of supplies, implantable devices and tissue throughout their organizations. — Jump Tech
Zipnosis, a virtual care solution that empowers health systems to launch their own branded virtual care platform, is expanding its offerings with the launch of ZipTicket– a virtual boarding pass that gives patients front-of-the-line access to in-clinic lab tests. — Zipnosis
TECH
A cognitive behavioral therapy-based mobile app can be effective in treating depression symptoms, but is more effective in combination with an employee assistance program, according to a new study by Orcas of their MoodHacker app. — MobiHealthNews
POLITIICS
Here’s a breakdown of what’s going on as the CMS has issued the Final Rule with the goal to provide clear requirements for persons to report and return Medicare overpayments under the “60-Day Rule.” — Health Care Law Today
A LITTLE BIT EXTRA
Women might be better coders than men, but some researchers found that it only seems to appear that way when their gender is hidden from those looking at the results. Sexism is alive and well in the world of computer sciences. — IFLScience
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