HHS Moves To Bar Harvard From Receiving Federal Funding, Contracts
The university has 20 days to request a hearing to appeal the decision. Plus, the Trump administration says it will defund a federal government watchdog group. In other news: Trump shared a video promoting cannabis use for seniors.
Bloomberg:
US Recommends Harvard Be Excluded From Federal Funding, HHS Says
The US Department of Health and Human Services said Monday that it is referring Harvard University for administrative suspension and debarment proceedings, a move that would exclude the school from entering into contracts with all government agencies or receiving any federal funding, including research grants and student aid. If successful, the debarment attempt would cut off a key funding source for Harvard, a fresh financial blow after the Trump administration’s freeze of more than $2.6 billion in existing federal dollars. (Knox, 9/29)
The Washington Post:
Trump Administration Moves To Defund Inspector General Watchdog Group
The Trump administration plans to end funding starting Wednesday for an oversight group that helps inspectors general root out waste, fraud and abuse, marking the latest example of Trump’s drive to limit federal watchdog activities. The group — called the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency — is the umbrella organization for 72 inspectors general across government. It informed four House and Senate committees on Saturday that it would “cease our statutorily mandated functions and furlough 25 permanent employees” without funding, according to a letter obtained by The Washington Post. (Kornfield, 0/30)
The Washington Post:
Trump’s USAID Pause Stranded Lifesaving Drugs. Children Died Waiting.
USAID antimalarial and HIV supplies valued at nearly $140 million were delayed in the first half of the year or not delivered at all due to the Trump administration’s foreign aid pause, The Post found. (Kelly, Lee, Ombuor, Blaskey, Tran, Galocha, Lau and Houreld, 9/30)
On prescription drug prices —
The Wall Street Journal:
Novartis To Launch Direct-To-Patient Platform For Cosentyx In U.S.
Novartis said it is launching a direct-to-patient platform in the U.S. to sell a discounted version of its Cosentyx drug, the latest big pharma company to move to cut prices ahead of the Trump administration’s deadline. The Swiss pharmaceutical company said Monday that it would offer select units of Cosentyx—a drug treating immune-mediated inflammatory conditions like psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis—at a 55% discount to cash-paying patients with a prescription. The platform will come into effect on Nov. 1. (Look, 9/29)
Politico:
Trump’s Strategy To Get Drug Companies To Act Voluntarily Is About To Be Tested
President Donald Trump sent letters to 17 of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies at the end of July. He demanded that they voluntarily lower U.S. prices for some of their drugs to match what they charge affluent foreign nations. “If you refuse to step up, we will deploy every tool in our arsenal to protect American families from continued abusive drug pricing practices,” he wrote, requesting a response by September 29. (Lim, 9/29)
On Tylenol lawsuits —
NPR:
Trump Blaming Tylenol For Autism Boosts Lawsuits Against The Drugmaker
President Trump's announcement last week linking Tylenol with autism could play a role in ongoing legal cases against the company that makes it. One lawyer representing patients who say they were harmed by the drug says his firm has gotten an influx of more than a thousand calls this week from potential new clients asking for information. (Lupkin, 9/29)
On cannabis —
The Guardian:
Cannabis Stocks Soar After Trump Shares Video Promoting Drug’s Use For Seniors
Cannabis stocks are on a high after Donald Trump shared a video on Sunday promoting cannabis use for seniors and Medicaid coverage of CBD products. The nearly three-minute-long video, posted on the president’s Truth Social platform, touts the usage of hemp-derived CBD as a “gamechanger” that is a pain and stress reliever for seniors. (Aratani, 9/29)
AP:
Vertanical's Drug Made From Marijuana Reduced Back Pain, Study Finds
An experimental medication made from marijuana successfully reduced back pain in a new study, offering further support for the drug’s potential in treating one of the most common forms of chronic pain. The 800-patient study by a German drugmaker is the latest evidence of the therapeutic properties of cannabis, which remains illegal under U.S. federal law even as most states have made it available for medical or recreational use. (Perrone, 9/29)
