Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pfizer To Soon Quadruple Price Of Covid Shots In US
Reuters: Pfizer Expects To Hike U.S. COVID Vaccine Price To $110-$130 Per Dose
Pfizer Inc expects to roughly quadruple the price of its COVID-19 vaccine to about $110 to $130 per dose after the United States government's current purchase program expires, Pfizer executive Angela Lukin said on Thursday. (Erman, 10/21)
In news on pharmaceutical companies and drug accessibility —
Stat: Major Investors Press Drugmakers To Widen Access To Medicines
Three dozen institutional investors are urging the boards at several of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies to establish concrete metrics for linking executive compensation with policies that widen access to medicines to low- and middle-income countries. (Silverman, 10/20)
Bloomberg: Novartis Allows Generic Leukemia Drug Production In Seven Nations
Novartis AG agreed to allow generic drugmakers in seven middle-income nations to produce a leukemia treatment, the first time a voluntary license has been granted for a patented cancer drug as part of a public health initiative. (Sguazzin, 10/20)
Stat: Novartis To License Cancer Drug To Low- And Middle-Income Countries
Amid a push to widen access to medicines to poor countries, Novartis has reached an agreement to license one of its best-selling cancer treatments so that generic manufacturers can produce copies for distribution to 44 low- and middle-income nations. (Silverman, 10/20)
On clinical trials —
Stat: Supporting Family Caregivers Would Improve Clinical Trials
During the Covid-19 pandemic, America’s 53 million family caregivers gained some long overdue recognition for their vital role as unpaid extenders of an under-resourced health care workforce. The clinical trial enterprise, however, has yet to appreciate caregivers — and fully engage them — as critical partners in recruiting and supporting people who are older, disabled, or have Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, or other chronic medical conditions for research studies. (Sharon Inouye and Jason Resendez, 10/21)
And in other industry news —
Reuters: U.S. Justice Dept Seeks More Details On $8 Bln CVS-Signify Health Deal
The U.S. Department of Justice has asked for more details on CVS Health Corp's proposed $8 billion deal to buy Signify Health, in a possible indication that the companies face a longer deal investigation rather than a quick approval. (10/20)
The Boston Globe: Coalition Urges Federal Officials To Put New Research Agency In Mass.
A group of universities, hospitals, and life science companies is ramping up its efforts to persuade federal officials to locate a new federal health research agency in Massachusetts. The Coalition for Health Advances & Research in Massachusetts released a letter on Thursday with some 80 signatories stating that the state has the “density of resources” necessary for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, aka ARPA-H. (10/20)
Politico: Industry Blasts EPA Plan For 'Forever Chemicals' Crackdown
While the organizations said they supported EPA's commitment to cleaning up sites polluted with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, they balked at the agency's plans to use the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act to target the two most notorious compounds. EPA is currently in the process of designating PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under the law, which will allow regulators to recoup major costs from polluters. (Crunden, 10/20)
Reuters: Indivior Partner Dodges Monopoly Claims Over Opioid Treatment Drug
Specialty pharmaceutical company Aquestive Therapeutics Inc has escaped a lawsuit by a group of 42 states accusing it of helping Indivior Inc use illegal tactics to shield its opioid addiction treatment Suboxone from generic competition. (Pierson, 10/20)
