Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Inflation Drives Drug Prices To Fall In Real Terms
Stat: Inflation Caused Another Big Drop In Net Drug Prices, Analysis Finds
Amid ongoing debate over the cost of prescription medicines, a new analysis finds that brand-name drugmakers increased their wholesale prices by 4.9% in the second quarter this year, up slightly from 4.4% a year earlier. But when accounting for inflation, wholesale prices fell by 3.7%, and inflationary pressures are likely to push wholesale prices still higher. (Silverman, 9/23)
Axios: House GOP Eyes Repeal Of Dems' Drug Pricing Law
Some key House Republicans are calling for the repeal of Democrats' newly-passed drug pricing measure if the GOP flips control of one or both chambers of Congress next year. (Sullivan and Knight, 9/23)
In other pharmaceutical industry news —
Axios: Deal Reached To Renew FDA User Fee Programs
Senate and House health committee leaders on Thursday reached an agreement to renew programs that fund key Food and Drug Administration programs for another five years. (Knight and Sullivan, 9/22)
Chicago Tribune: The Tylenol Murders: Investigators Call 1982 Case 'Chargeable'
As the 40th anniversary of the 1982 Tylenol murders approaches, investigators are working with prosecutors on a now-or-maybe-never effort to hold a longtime suspect responsible for the poisonings that killed seven people in the Chicago area, the Tribune has learned. (Gutowski and St. Clair, 9/22)
In health technology news —
The Washington Post: Health Apps Share Your Concerns With Advertisers. HIPAA Can’t Stop It
Digital health care has its advantages. Privacy isn’t one of them. In a nation with millions of uninsured families and a shortage of health professionals, many of us turn to health-care apps and websites for accessible information or even potential treatment. But when you fire up a symptom-checker or digital therapy app, you might be unknowingly sharing your concerns with more than just the app maker. (Hunter and Merrill, 9/22)
Stat: New Details On Apple Watch Study Emphasize Medicaid Enrollment
Newly published details about a high-profile Apple Watch study call it “a priority” to recruit Medicaid patients — a population not usually considered the target for Apple’s pricey products. (Aguilar, 9/22)
