Top of the morning to you. And a steamy one, it is. In fact, there is more steam rising from the grounds of the Pharmalot campus than from our ritual cup of stimulation — our choice today is blueberry cobbler. But this is to be expected at this time of year, yes? In any event, there is work to be done, so as always, we have assembled a few items of interest for you. After all, the world keeps spinning no matter what the thermometer says. Hope you have a successful day and conquer the world. And of course, do keep in touch…
Call it drug pricing déjà vu: Just as they did in 2019, House Democrats are pushing a bill that would allow Medicare to negotiate dozens of drug prices a year, offer those prices to all insurers, and crack down on price hikes, STAT says. Unlike then, Democrats have a starting place: The new bill represents an expansion of the major drug pricing legislation the party passed last year. But the first round of drug price negotiations has not even started yet, and the law is under attack from the pharmaceutical industry in court. The new plan is the most concrete blueprint yet for how Democrats plan to expand on the drug pricing law if they take back control of the House in the 2024 election.
Obesity drugs will not join the latest list of essential medicines issued by the World Health Organization, but treatments for diseases, including Ebola and multiple sclerosis, will be included, Reuters notes. The list is a catalogue of the drugs that should be available in all functioning health systems and inclusion can have great significance for access. A group of U.S. academics had proposed including obesity drugs, but a WHO expert panel recommended against adding them, citing the “uncertain long-term clinical benefit and safety in this patient population.”
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