Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Drugmakers Delay Resupply Of Local Anesthetics, Prolonging Shortages
Becker's Hospital Review: Shortage Of 88% Of Local Anesthetics Sees Another Delay
The ongoing shortage of local anesthetics, including bupivacaine and lidocaine solutions, has been extended, drugmakers told the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Pharmaceutical companies have continually postponed their resupply dates, and in a March 6 update, some delayed the dates again. (Twenter, 3/9)
USA Today: The Latest Drug Shortage: Albuterol. Here's Why The Medical Community Is 'Super Concerned'
Akorn Pharmaceuticals, a Gurnee, Illinois manufacturer of liquid albuterol used in hospitals, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Feb. 23, closing its plants in Illinois, New Jersey and New York. The company had been operating under a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing from 2020. (Snider, 3/9)
In other pharmaceutical updates —
Stat: AstraZeneca: Drug Extends Life In Some Early-Stage Lung Cancers
Ever since the Food and Drug Administration approved osimertinib for some early-stage lung cancer patients to take after surgery, clinicians have debated whether the evidence suggested the drug was worth the cost. The initial results of the phase 3 trial testing the drug were “phenomenal,” said Sandeep Patel, a medical oncologist at the University of California, San Diego. The issue was the overall survival analysis wasn’t done yet, what Patel called the gold standard measure for drugs in this setting. (Chen, 3/10)
Reuters: Medical Device Company Founder Arrested For Selling Fake Pain Implants
The founder of a medical device company has been charged with leading a scheme to create and sell a completely non-functional plastic implant purporting to treat chronic pain, resulting in millions of dollars of fraudulent bills to government insurance programs including Medicare. (Pierson, 3/9)
Oklahoman: OU Research On Medical Needle Placement Aims To Aid Treatments, Children
A University of Oklahoma researcher is developing technology to make medical needle placements in patients more accurate, and perhaps make shots for babies and small children less traumatic. (Dulaney, 3/9)
Axios: Health Centers Call For Discount Drug Program Changes
Community health centers are joining forces with drug manufacturers today to call for changes to the government's discount drug program and take aim at hospitals and pharmacy benefit managers they say are milking it. The health centers' involvement could amplify PhRMA's messaging with Congress by arguing they need an intervention soon to keep clinic doors open. (Dreher, 3/9)
Stat: An Unlikely 340B Alliance: PhRMA And Community Health Centers
An unusual new alliance of the brand-drug lobby PhRMA and community health centers is forming to push reforms in the 340B drug discount program, the groups announced Thursday. The groups argue that the federal drug discount program has expanded beyond its original mission to help low-income and other vulnerable populations, and instead is benefiting large, well-resourced hospitals. (Cohrs, 3/9)
