2020: The Phenomena and personalities in the year that was
Here is our attempt to capture this bewildering and memorable year by highlighting the phenomena and personalities who made it so.
Amid mixed messages about his Covid-19 diagnosis, Trump looks like a one-man clinical trial
While the White House and doctors at Walter Reed have sought to reassure the public that Trump's condition is improving, he has received numerous drugs for Covid-19, including the steroid dexamethasone, which is typically administered only to those who are critically ill.
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.
Trump launches baseless attack on FDA; agency controversially authorizes plasma treatment for Covid-19
Over the weekend, Trump called the agency, without evidence, part of a "deep state" that was slow-walking vaccines and drugs for Covid-19. The next day, the agency authorized convalescent plasma despite having turned it down shortly before due to insufficient evidence.
Trump’s hydroxychloroquine remarks drive renewed interest in drug as 96,000-patient analysis finds no Covid-19 benefit
The study, published in The Lancet, found a possible association between hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine and heart arrhythmias and death. Meanwhile, SingleCare saw a as much as a 22% increase in scripts filled for hydroxychloroquine following Trump's remarks last week.
Trump’s favorite drug for Covid-19 smacked down in VA study, NIH guidance
A preprint retrospective analysis among 368 patients hospitalized with Covid-19 in the VA system found no benefit and a higher degree of death from hydroxychloroquine. A panel of experts also recommended against using the drug with azithromycin outside of trials due to potential toxicity.
Report: Trump sets sights on another unproven Covid-19 drug, this time from Fujifilm
Politico reported Tuesday that the Trump administration is trying to secure an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for Fujifilm's Avigan. The FDA gave an EUA to two unproven antimalarial drugs over the weekend.
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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.
How much will drug price controls harm innovation? It depends
The drug industry maintains that policies like foreign reference pricing and letting Medicare negotiate prices would harm innovation. But closer examination reveals that while there is truth to that claim, it's more complex than it appears at first glance.
Trump suggests, without evidence, that drugmakers are behind impeachment inquiry
Trump made the baseless remarks while speaking at an event in Florida to sign an executive order related to Medicare. His administration laid out plans to lower drug costs in a 2018 "blueprint."
With new proposed rules, HHS takes major stab at interoperability framework
New proposed rules from HHS would require government health plans and health plans sold on the federal ACA exchanges to give patients free access and control over their health information by 2020 and to implement an HL7 FHIR-based API to open up data access to third party apps and developers.
FDA hones activities amid shutdown, but impact on drugmakers appears limited so far
A regulatory consultant said his clients had not experienced any significant disruption, and the agency has been responsive to inquiries.
Maximize Revenue and Patient Care with Strategic Weight Loss Management
We will highlight Build My Health's revenue practice management tools, which could help physician practices add up to $250,000 to their practices.
CMS offers states potential routes to undermine Obamacare
Current ACA subsidy programs are required to be based on income. Under the rules laid out by CMS states would be able to base subsidies on other factors potentially leaving lower-income, older and sicker patients with less comprehensive coverage options.
Pfizer to raise prices on 41 drugs despite earlier deferral on price hikes
The company emphasized that the increases mostly amount to 3-5 percent and affect only 10 percent of its portfolio, but declined to reveal which drugs are affected.
Drugmakers propose pricing information in DTC ads, but Trump administration says it’s not enough
The industry's main lobbying group, PhRMA, updated its direct-to-consumer ad guidelines to include pricing information, but HHS secretary says voluntary action is insufficient.
Trump attacks Pfizer, drug industry over price increases
The administration also quietly pulled out of its widely publicized pay-for-performance program for Novartis' CAR-T Kymriah.
Here’s what you should know about Trump’s proposal to cut Planned Parenthood funding
The proposal would require facilities receiving federal family planning funds to be physically separate from those that perform abortion; would eliminate the requirement that women with unintended pregnancies be counseled on their full range of reproductive options; and would ban abortion referrals.