And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is rather modest. We plan to catch up on our reading, promenade with the official mascots, and have a listening party with Mrs. Pharmalot. The rotation will likely include this, this, this and this. And what about you? This remains a lovely time to enjoy the great outdoors, so perhaps a drive in the country, a walk along the beach, or a jaunt down a river is in order. You could take in a moving picture show. There is still time to take a last-minute getaway and, fingers crossed, get a deal on airfare. Or you could simply plan the rest of your life. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon …
The U.S. Supreme Court blocked a nationwide settlement with Purdue Pharma that was designed to shield members of the Sackler family — who own the company that makes OxyContin — from civil lawsuits over the fallout of the long-running opioid crisis, STAT writes. The move came in response to a request from the Biden administration to halt a bankruptcy plan that had been reached with numerous state and local governments around the country. The arrangement would provide immunity for the Sacklers in exchange for a contribution of up to $6 billion to the proposed settlement.
As demand for Ozempic and Wegovy surges, a little-noticed warning about the medicines was issued recently by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, STAT notes. The agency received a “few” adverse event reports about compounded versions of the medicines and the warning raised an important question: To what extent should the public be concerned? The answer is not straightforward, because the situation raises issues involving regulatory oversight of compounders, ongoing drug shortages, and a legal strategy pursued by Novo Nordisk, which makes both drugs and recently filed lawsuits against some compounders. Ultimately, these seemingly divergent topics feed into public health concerns.
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