Morning Read: Researchers could gain access to HIPAA-protected data

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TOP STORIES

A little-talked about section of the House-passed 21st Century Cures Act appears dead in the Senate. Section 1124 would allow HIPAA-protected information to be shared with researchers.

Current law limits researcher access to treatment, payment or operations. But the Cures language isn’t included in bills to be marked up by the Senate HELP Committee. Supporters of the change, backed by groups like the Association of Clinical Research Organizations, say it would expedite medical research. — Politico

The New England Journal of Medicine is the subject of an article highlighting criticism the journal has attracted for its refusal to shift from tradition, embrace transparency and an editorial that described researchers who seek to use others’ data to analyze or replicate their own findings as “research parasites.” — ProPublica

LIFE SCIENCES

FDA approved Inflectra from Celltrion Inc., a biosimilar of Remicade from the Janssen Biotech division of Johnson & Johnson. The agency approved Inflectra to treat Crohn’s disease in adults and in children aged six and older, ulcerative colitis or plaque psoriasis in adults, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. — BioCentury

Merck announced that a new liquid biopsy RAS biomarker test, which it has co-developed and commercialized with Sysmex Inostics, has been granted CE Mark approval. This test will now be made widely accessible for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in Europe, Asia and Australia. — PRNewswire

PAYERS/PROVIDERS

Reviews of healthcare providers on social media sites like Yelp are filling gaps in traditional ratings programs driven by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, a new study in Health Affairs claims. — HealthITNews

Banner Health has reported that its operating income has plummeted by more than 50 percent. — Becker’s Hospital CFO

Philanthropists Vickie and Jack Farber are donating $20 million to Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health to strengthen the neuroscience institute. — Philadelphia Business Journal

Alan Hughes, the COO for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, has resigned. Although no reason was given, customers have endured overbilling, problems verifying effective coverage, and other glitches. — Triangle Business Journal

TECH

Smartphone-based eye exams have caught the attention of the American Optometric Association. The group penned a letter to the FDA asking that the agency impose stricter guidance on Opternative, a smartphone-based eye exam startup that raised $6 million earlier this year. — MobiHealthNews

POLITICS

Drug manufacturers are breathing a sigh of relief after CMS announced it will delay enforcement of a rule that changes the way state Medicaid agencies reimburse pharmacies for prescription drugs. — Modern Healthcare

A LITTLE BIT EXTRA

NASA and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) have publicly released nearly 3 million images from their database of thermal emission images detailing 99 percent of the planet’s surface. They are beautiful. Here’s one overlooking the Andes:

nasfeat