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What We’re Reading: US Set to Increase Vaccine Donation; Home Births Increase; Aduhelm Sales Slower Than Expected
President Joe Biden reportedly will increase global COVID-19 vaccine donations; the pandemic may have led to an increase in home births; use of Biogen’s Adulhelm, an Alzheimer disease drug, does not hit initial projections.
President Biden to Double COVID-19 Vaccine Donations Worldwide
President Joe Biden is set to announce that the United States will double its purchase of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to 1 billion doses to share globally, The Associated Press reported. According to 2 senior Biden administration officials, this purchase will increase the total US vaccination commitment to more than 1.1 billion doses through 2022. So far, the United States has supplied at least 160 million doses to more than 100 countries as part of Biden’s goal to vaccinate 70% of the global population by next year.
Out-of-Hospital Births Increase in California
The number of women giving birth outside of a hospital setting is rising in California, Kaiser Health News reported. According to the California Department of Public Health, about 5600 (1.34%) people in California gave birth at home or in a free-standing birth center in 2020 compared with about 4600 in 2019 and 3500 in 2010. The proportion of home or birth center births stayed relatively high between January and July 2021, at 1.28%. Experts believe the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this rate, as hospital conditions became riskier for expectant mothers. In the United States, the percentage of out-of-hospital births rose from 1.01% in 2009 to 1.56% in 2019. More recent nationwide data are not yet available.
Aduhelm Given to Just Over 100 Patients as Firm Reportedly Mulls Cuts
As of September 11, just over 100 patients with Alzheimer disease had used Adulhelm, a number far below Biogen’s projections and initial Wall Street estimates, according to STAT News, which cited a source who said the lower numbers of the controversial drug may push the company to consider cost-cutting measures such as layoffs. Costing the average patient $56,000 a year, the FDA-approved Adulhelm still has unproven benefits that have left physicians reluctant to prescribe it and insurers shocked by the price.
A Look at the Legal and Legislative Landscape Impacting Drug Costs for Patients
October 23rd 2024Kimberly Westrich, MA, of National Pharmaceutical Council, and Adam Colborn, JD, of AMCP, run through the current status of lawsuits and lawmaking at the federal and state levels related to pharmacy benefit managers and cost-shifting programs.
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Bridging the Vaccination Gap: Insights on Global Immunization Challenges
July 30th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Jeffery A. Goad, PharmD, MPH, 2024-2025 president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, on the recent report from the World Health Organization and UNICEF on public immunization rates, with national and global health implications.
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Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Health Equity by Design
July 23rd 2024Melissa Clarke, MD, CMQ, the chief health equity officer at Elevance Health, explains "Health Equity by Design" and how Elevance Health is committed to ensuring a personalized and intentional approach for all its members.
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Hospital Stays and Probable Dementia as Predictors of Relocation to Long-Term Care Facilities
October 22nd 2024This article explores late-life relocations in patients with dementia, hospital stays, and their implications for health care policy, geriatric care, and future research priorities.
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