TOP STORIES
Pennsylvania insurer Highmark Health is looking to counter losses by selling off its vision care business which is valued at roughly $2 billion. The unit, called HVHC, includes Visionworks, a group of 700 stores in 42 states, and an optical-insurance division called Davis Vision, had a profit of $122 million on revenue of $1.5 billion last year. The company, which manages Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance plans in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware, had losses of $85 million tied to the Affordable Care Act plans and it is suing the federal government in an attempt to recover those funds. — The Wall Street Journal
Impax has agreed to purchase generic drugs from Teva and Allergan in a $568 million deal that will allow the Federal Trade Conmission to greenlight Teva’s and Allergan’s merger. — Reuters
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
LIFE SCIENCES
Philips has acquired Northern Ireland-based digital pathology firm PathXL for an undisclosed amount. — BBC
A group of companies including Sanofi and Scotland-based eClinical Health successfully used Facebook to recruit 60 for a clinical trial. Participants used a smart glucose meter synced with Clinpal to transmit their readings. — Fierce Biotech
Biopharma business Radius Health is adding 100 staff as part of its expansion to the Philadelphia area. — Philadelphia Business Journal
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
Taro Pharmaceutical Industries CFO Michael Kalb is resigning for another CFO role and it is hunting for a replacement. — BusinessWire
A profile of Caribou Biosciences CEO Rachel Haurwitz. — STAT
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
A Skagit County Superior Court Judge in Washington state judge has ruled that public hospitals have to offer abortion procedures if they provide maternity services. — Seattle Times
TECHNOLOGY
Research from HyTrust projects that more than 75 percent of healthcare organizations will shift IT systems to a public cloud platform within one year. — Healthcare IT News
2morrow has launched a Spanish version of its clinically tested digital smoking cessation program based on acceptance and commitment therapy. — 2morrow
POLITICS
House Republicans have taken the wraps off their alternative to the Affordable Care Act. — Reuters
Missouri Gov Jay Nixon has signed into law a bill to make a drug that counteracts the effects of an opioid overdose available from pharmacists. — Missourinet
A LITTLE BIT EXTRA
There’s no shortage of academic and government institutions developing treatments for the Zika Virus. But given that the Pentagon has said this month that 17 service members and their family members were infected with the virus during deployments overseas, the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research vaccine is racing to create a Zika vaccine. — Wired
Photo: Flickr user Brent Moore
