Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. On The Right Track, But Needs More Work
Los Angeles Times: Will Mark Cuban's Pharmacy Lower Drug Prices?
Mark Cuban, the billionaire “Shark Tank” celebrity and Dallas Mavericks owner, is getting attention again — this time for his Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co., which seeks to reduce prescription drug prices for Americans. A new study finds that Medicare could have saved $3.6 billion in 2020 if it had paid Mark Cuban drug prices. (Peter Neumann, Joshua Cohen and Daniel Ollendorf, 7/11)
The Star Tribune: A Bold Venture To Cut Rx Costs
The brash billionaire and owner of the Dallas Mavericks has launched an online pharmacy with a mission: upending the business model that makes prescription drug manufacturing and distribution reliably profitable. It's a system that often leaves consumers struggling to pay for the drugs they need. (7/10)
Stat: FDA's Proposed Rule Would Facilitate Prescription-To-OTC Switches
After a decade-long wait, the Food and Drug Administration finally issued a proposed rule in late June that would make it easier for pharmaceutical companies to switch products from prescription-only to over-the-counter status while still retaining a prescription version. (Martha Rumore, 7/12)
The Star Tribune: The Conflict Between Government Agencies Regarding PFAS
Drugs containing PFAS and conditions with treatments that introduce the presence of PFAS include, but are not limited to, tachyarrhythmias (flecainide), antidepressants (fluoxetine), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (celecoxib), antibiotics (levofloxacin), rheumatoid arthritis therapeutics (leflunomide), cholesterol-lowering agents (atorvastin) and even COVID-19 antivirals such as Paxlovid. (David Clement, 7/10)
American Academy Of Pediatrics: Opportunities For Antibiotic Stewardship For Community-Acquired Pneumonia
When you make the diagnosis of pneumonia, how do you decide if the patient should receive antibiotics? Do you use the clinical symptoms? Chest xray (CXR) results? Other criteria? (Rachel Y. Moon, MD, 7/5)
New England Journal of Medicine: Accelerated Approval — Taking The FDA’s Concerns Seriously
As the U.S. Congress debates a must-pass bill reauthorizing Food and Drug Administration (FDA) user fees for drug and device companies, the future of the FDA’s accelerated-approval program has become a focus of policy discussion. (Rachel E. Sachs, J.D., M.P.H., et al, 7/6)
