Morning Read: Would you rather be Valeant or Walgreens right now?

TOP STORIES

Who is in worse shape right now: Valeant or Walgreens? You can argue the latest Valeant news is overblown thanks to skittish public-market investors. The Michael-Pearson-returns announcement was almost immediately overshadowed by Valeant acknowledging an SEC investigation and the bumbling way it handled their earning and guidance delays. As a result, the stock tumbled.

But then there was this fascinating take on the state of Walgreens: “If one were to draw a Venn diagram” with Valeant, Theranos and Turing Pharmaceuticals, “the company in the centre would be Walgreens.” – USA Today, Financial Times, CNBC, Wall Street Journal

Looking for more HIMSS coverage? We have a separate HIMSS16 wrapup plus a dedicated daily newsletter with more news all this week.

LIFE SCIENCES

Doctors: Still not warming up to direct-to-consumer genetics. Great quote: “Even if doctors want to make intellectual points, which is their prerogative, I think they can do it in ways that A) respects their patient and B) finds a teachable moment around health issues that dovetails with the patient’s interests.” – Reuters

New AARP report: More than 600 of the most widely used medicines rose an average of 9.4 percent in 2013. – STAT

The FDA wants to give Bayer’s Essure the black-box treatment. – Reuters

Flag Therapeutics has received the Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA and in Europe. – Triangle Business Journal

AstraZeneca continues to shed various parts; it sold the European rights to Moventig (used to treat opioid-induced constipation) for $70 million. – Reuters

Israel’s Deep Optics has raised $4 million to develop its focal glasses products. Essilor and Atomics 14 Ventures were part of the round. – PE Hub

Becton, Dickinson and Company got Europen approval for its Vacutainer Barricor tube, which gathers plasma for in vitro diagnostic use. – Canada Newswire

No one wanted Endo International’s Astora Women’s Health division. So it is shutting it down. – Philadelphia Business Journal

Reapplix has received FDA approval for its 3C Patch System for helps treat wounds such as leg ulcers. – Business Wire

Exelixis closed a $200 million deal that gives rights to Exelixis’ cancer treatment cabozantinib (Cometriq) everywhere but the United States, Canada, and Japan. – Xconomy

PAYERS-PROVIDERS

I interpret this study to mean patient satisfaction is being measured all wrong. If physician empathy equates to 65 percent of satisfaction scores, it’s time to change the algorithm. – PR Newswire

This should make you think not only about how you the menstrual cycle, but hopefully how you should think about other public health issues that intersect poverty, women’s health and issues people don’t like to talk about for no good reason. – The New York Times

HudsonAlpha got $1 million to bring genomic medicine to patients who can’t afford it. – Birmingham Business Journal

Zika updates:

• Mexico says 11 pregnant women infected with Zika – Reuters
• Scientists find Zika increases risk of Guillain-Barre (GBS) – Reuters

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons unveiled a new public service announcement to battle distracted walkers. It has a mime. Question: When is the last time you’ve actually seen a mime (anywhere but in a commercial about urban life)?

– PR Newswire

TECHNOLOGY

Mayo Clinic’s most to Epic System will cost $1 billion. With a B. – Milwaukee Business Journal

Box won FDA-approval for a cloud sharing service that will allow general hospitals to communicate with patients through mobile devices. – San Francisco Business Times

FitBit’s final price for FitStar: $24.8 million. – MobiHealthNews

POLITICS

Here’s what criticism of Trump’s healthcare plan looks like. – Politico

A LITTLE BIT EXTRA

Here’s a quick primer about Super Tuesday, which is today. – Politico

Photo: Flickr user Mike Mozart