Revamped Medicare Drug Prices Still Cost More Than In Other Rich Nations
A Reuters review found that Australia, Japan, Canada, and Sweden have negotiated much lower prices for the same drugs. In other pharmaceutical news: A decision on whether to reclassify marijuana won't come until after the November election.
Reuters:
US Will Still Pay At Least Twice As Much After Negotiating Drug Prices
The U.S. government's first-ever negotiated prices for prescription drugs are still on average more than double, and in some cases five times, what drugmakers have agreed to in four other high-income countries, a Reuters review has found. A Reuters review of publicly available maximum prices set by other wealthy nations – Australia, Japan, Canada and Sweden – show that they have negotiated far lower prices for the same drugs. (Beasley, 9/3)
On federal marijuana policy —
AP:
A Decision On A Major Policy Shift On Marijuana Won't Come Until After The Presidential Election
A decision on whether to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in the U.S. won’t come until after the November presidential election, a timeline that raises the chances it could be a potent political issue in the closely contested race. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration last week set a hearing date to take comment on the proposed historic change in federal drug policy for Dec. 2. The hearing date means a final decision could well come in the next administration.
(Whitehurst and Peltz, 9/3)
In other pharmaceutical news —
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Dexcom Starts Selling Its New Over-The-Counter Glucose Monitor. Here’s How Much It Costs
San Diego’s Dexcom began sales this week of Stelo, the industry’s first FDA-approved continuous glucose monitor that doesn’t require a prescription. With a two-pack of the biosensor costing just under $100 per month, the local company aims to tap a new market of users and increase access to this technology. Now, people without health insurance coverage for such devices have the option to buy Stelo directly from Dexcom’s website. (Rocha, 9/3)
The Oklahoman:
Oklahoma Company Offering New Device For Female Incontinence
An Edmond-based startup health care company is beginning to ship out its urinary incontinence products after receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Yoni. Fit Bladder Support from Watkins-Conti Products hit pharmacy shelves in Oklahoma for the first time on Monday, the company announced. The product is a new prescription for women experiencing stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Allison Watkins, the company's founder and CEO, said plans call for expansion nationally by the fourth quarter of this year. (Heliot, 8/30)
Stat:
Athira Alzheimer's Drug Fails In Trial
A dark horse effort to treat Alzheimer’s disease, already marred by a data manipulation scandal, fell short in a randomized trial reported Tuesday afternoon. Athira Pharma said that Alzheimer’s patients who received its experimental injection fosgonimeton did not decline at a significantly slower rate than patients who received a placebo injection. (Mast, 9/3)
Stat:
Recursion Study Shows Its AI-Derived CCM Drug Candidate Is Safe
Recursion Pharmaceuticals announced results of a clinical trial for its lead drug candidate Tuesday that, while a success on paper, likely won’t satisfy many investors closely watching the AI drug developer. The Salt Lake City company’s treatment is for cerebral cavernous malformation, or CCM, a potentially life-threatening condition that causes vessels in the brain to become enlarged and irregular, sometimes causing blood to leak into the brain or spinal cord. (DeAngelis, 9/3)
