TOP STORIES
Fear of the spreading Zika virus is getting very real in Brazil, as the country’s government has decided to deploy 220,000 troops for a day next month to spread awareness about the virus. Plus, a Virginia resident who traveled abroad has tested positive for the virus. — The New York Times, Reuters
Market Trends to Watch for Health Systems and Their Specialty Pharmacies
The future looks bright for the integrated specialty pharmacy model – for health systems, providers, and most importantly, for patients.
LIFE SCIENCES
“Unexpected complications” led to Valeant CEO Michael Pearson’s lengthy hospital stay, but he is on the road to recovery. No word on a return date. – Wall Street Journal
The World Health Organization has posted a final version of its proposed biologics naming policy, which states that each biologic, including biosimilars, would be assigned a four-letter “biological qualifier” that would make it possible to trace the compounds globally. — BioCentury
Blend Therapeutics is now Tarveda Therapeutics and just closed $38 million Series C with Novo A/S as a new investor. – Xconomy
Health Executives on Digital Transformation in Healthcare
Hear executives from Quantum Health, Surescripts, EY, Clinical Architecture and Personify Health share their views on digital transformation in healthcare.
A federal judge said the FDA has jurisdiction in a class-action racketeering lawsuit filed against Boston Scientific connected to counterfeit resin made in China to make pelvic mesh. – MassDevice
New research suggests that the financial burden that cancer care puts on many people contributes to lower survival rates. — Drugs.com
Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Karolinska Institutet announced that a collaboration agreement has been signed for the establishment of a research center exploiting the human microbiome. — Business Wire
The Thuasne Group, owner of Townsend Design, an industry leader in orthopedic knee and leg braces, announced the acquisition of Quinn Medical, LLC, a spinal bracing company. — PR Newswire
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
Here are a few of the projects that $70 million in PCORI money will go to: examination of active surveillance versus traditional treatment options; effectiveness of two medications – roflumilast and azithromycin; effectiveness of different approaches involving community health workers and other methods to help adults with serious mental illness quit smoking; among others. – PR Newswire
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force published new recommendations in JAMA that suggest primary care physicians screen all patients over the age of 18 for depression at least once. — Becker’s Hospital Review
POLITICS
President Obama is also putting a strong focus on Zika virus awareness as he directed his top health officials to step up public outreach the virus that is now expected to spread across the U.S. — The Hill
A LITTLE BIT EXTRA
Apple isn’t having an financial trouble. It just reported the largest quarterly profit of any public company in history, again, with profits of $18.4 billion for its first fiscal quarter of 2016. This beats the company’s previous record from last year by $400 million. — VentureBeat
Photo: Screenshot via New York Times