Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA Chief On Regulations: Some Need To Be Re-Regulated. Others 'Sort Of Ignored, Not Followed.'
Stat: Asked About White House Order, Head Of FDA Says Agency Can ‘Deregulate By Regulating’
Just over nine months after President Trump signed an executive order mandating that each new regulation must be accompanied by suggestions for two regulations to eliminate, the head of one regulatory agency told the public that his agency can accomplish this in what might seem like a paradoxical manner — by creating more regulations. “We actually deregulate by regulating,” Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said at a luncheon. He noted that this was not “some magical construct we’ve adopted … over the last six months” but rather that it was the agency’s normal way of doing business. (Swetlitz, 11/3)
Politico Pro: Liberal Activist Teams With GOP Strategists On Ohio Drug Price Measure
A progressive activist is taking his fight against high drug prices from California to Ohio this fall with a ballot measure aimed at curbing costs. ... If approved, Issue 2 would require that state agencies purchase prescription drugs at prices no higher than those paid by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (Karlin-Smith, 11/5)
Columbus Dispatch: Issue 2 Turns Into Prescription For Confusion
Two days until Election Day, many voters remain confused about Ohio’s high-priced battle over rising drug prices, and the uncertainty could decide the fate of state Issue 2. (Candisky, 11/5)
California Healthline: Health Companies Race To Catch UnitedHealth As Amazon Laces Up
As soon as news surfaced last week about the potential merger of CVS Health and Aetna, all eyes turned to the looming threat from Amazon. The online retailer’s flirtation with the pharmacy business is a factor, no doubt. But many industry experts say CVS and Aetna have another huge competitor on their minds: UnitedHealth Group. (Terhune, 11/3)
