What We’re Reading: Canadian Drug Imports; Drug-by-Mail Delivery; Hydroxychloroquine-Related Deaths
January 5th 2024The FDA announced it is allowing Florida to import medications in bulk from Canada at far lower prices than those offered in the United States; health insurance companies are revamping their technology to encourage more people to get their medications through the mail; nearly 17,000 patients with COVID-19 may have died after taking hydroxychloroquine during the first pandemic wave.
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Oral Treprostinil, Selexipag Have Similar Efficacy in Patients With PAH
January 4th 2024Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) had similar efficacy and safety profile when taking either oral Treprostinil or selexipag, indicating that Treprostinil would be an adequate replacement.
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What We’re Reading: Rising Hospital Care Costs; New Antibiotic; Disenrolled Medicaid Beneficiaries
January 4th 2024The average direct cost for hospital treatment for patients with COVID-19 in the United States rose by 26% from 2020 to 2022; scientists have developed a new type of antibiotic to treat a deadly bacteria resistant to most current antibiotics; a survey conducted for Utah state officials gave some clues as to why millions of Americans lost Medicaid coverage last year.
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What We’re Reading: Drug Price Increases; FDA Approvals Rise; Abortion Pill Demand Surge
January 3rd 2024Drugmakers are expected to increase prices on more than 500 drugs early this month; the FDA approved nearly 50% more novel drugs in 2023 than in 2022; the number of Americans who were not pregnant and wanted abortion pills increased by nearly 10 times after the Supreme Court’s 2022 Roe v Wade decision leaked.
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ICYMI: Highlights From ASCO 2023
January 3rd 2024The most-read content from the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting including the latest findings in ongoing clinical trials, a panel discussion on Medicare oncology payment models, and the importance of alignment between clinicians and payers on clinical pathways.
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Proposed Guidance for DMD-Related Respiratory Function Evaluation in the UK
January 2nd 2024A multidisciplinary team has proposed respiratory care guidance for pediatric and adult patients living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in the United Kingdom (UK), with these recommendations meant to optimize DMD care day to day and in acute episodes.
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What We’re Reading: Mental Hospitals for Addiction; Insulin Price Cap; e-Cigarette Crackdown
January 2nd 2024Lawmakers contemplate the return of mental health institutions in response to the drug crisis; new measures to rein in insulin prices take effect; FDA intensifies efforts to curb the teen vaping epidemic.
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CareFirst Files Lawsuit Against J&J Over Delay Tactics for Stelara Biosimilars
January 1st 2024While the first ustekinumab biosimilar, Wezlana, was approved in October 2023, a settlement with Johnson & Johnson (J&J) will keep it off the market until 2025, preventing competition, and causing purchasers to pay substantially more for the agent.
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Patients With RA Receiving DMARDs Have Reduced COVID-19 Vaccine Immune Responses, Study Finds
December 31st 2023A cross-sectional study finds that patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) exhibit a reduced immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine compared with controls.
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Qualitative Study Explores Caregiver Experiences in SMA Treatment
December 31st 2023This qualitative study conducted interviews with caregivers of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to explore their unique experiences and challenges in navigating health systems to access disease-modifying therapies.
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Top 5 Most Popular Reimbursement Content of 2023
December 31st 2023The most popular reimbursement content of 2023 included coverage of the shift from the Oncology Care Model to the Enhancing Oncology Model, reactions to the 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, and concerns around denial of services in Medicare Advantage plans.
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