Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: It's Time For OTC Birth Control Pills; PBMs Are Destroying Rural Pharmacies
Los Angeles Times: Over-The-Counter Birth Control Pills Would Be Life-Changing For Millions
On May 9, the Food and Drug Administration is set to convene a meeting of experts to evaluate the first-ever application for an over-the-counter birth control pill in the U.S. The application is for a progestin-only pill, which doesn’t contain estrogen. The FDA meeting is a promising sign — and the closest we’ve been to seeing an oral contraceptive on the pharmacy shelf without the need for a doctor’s prescription. (Daniel Grossman, 4/29)
The Spokesman-Review: Rural Pharmacies At Risk Without Reform
While health care access in rural communities declines across the United States, local community pharmacies continue to serve an essential role in connecting vulnerable patients to the services, resources and treatments they need to maintain their health and well-being. (Kevin Walker, 4/30)
New England Journal of Medicine: Xylazine — Medical And Public Health Imperatives
Xylazine is an α2-agonist in the same drug class as clonidine, lofexidine, and dexmedetomidine. It was initially studied for use in humans as an antihypertensive agent, but development for human use was discontinued because of adverse effects. Xylazine was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a sedative in veterinary medicine in 1972 but isn’t approved for use in humans. (Rahul Gupta, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., David r. Holtgrave, Ph.D., and Michael A. Ashburn M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., 4/26)
