Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Popular Medications Cost 2.5 Times More In the US Than Elsewhere
Stat: U.S. Drug Prices More Than Twice As High Than In 32 Other Countries
As debate intensifies over the cost of medicines, a new analysis found that prescription drug prices were on average 2.5 times more expensive in the U.S. than in 32 other countries. That gap widened to 3.4 times costlier when looking specifically at brand-name medications. (Silverman, 1/28)
Stat: Pharma Is Making Slow Progress On Access In Low-Income Countries
Like the proverbial tortoise, a new analysis finds that while the pharmaceutical industry is taking steps to provide access to its medicines, it is doing so at a slower pace than is needed for lower-income countries. The most notable sign of progress is in the R&D planning stages, as more drug makers are thinking ahead about access issues. (Silverman, 1/27)
In other pharmaceutical industry news —
FiercePharma: Nostrum Labs Adds Another NDMA-Tainted Metformin Lot To Its Growing Recall
2020's metformin recalls have bled into the new year. Just this week, Nostrum Laboratories, which already extended a product pull earlier this month, put another lot on the chopping block thanks to familiar contamination fears. Monday, Nostrum said it had recalled another lot of its 750-mg extended release metformin tablets due, once again, to higher-than-allowed levels of the possible carcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). The move extends a metformin recall Nostrum issued in November, which the company first expanded in early January when it yanked another single lot of the popular diabetes med. (Kansteiner, 1/26)
Stat: Coalition Calls For Opioid Settlement Funds To Go To Evidence-Based Efforts
As state and local governments consider how to spend proceeds from settlements with opioid makers, a coalition of medical societies and advocacy groups is urging public officials to create dedicated funds to help people with substance use disorders, rather than fix holes in their budgets. (Silverman, 1/27)
Also —
Stat: A Thermostat For Blood Pressure Could Help Patients With Spinal Cord Injuries
Paralysis or the loss of mobility are among the most pressing and clear consequences of a spinal cord injury. But many patients also face lesser-known complications that can disrupt their daily lives in other ways. One of the most common problems is orthostatic hypotension, or not being able to maintain a stable blood pressure when switching positions between sitting, standing, or lying down. (Gaffney, 1/27)
