Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Senators Renew Push For Research On Health Impact Of Forever Chemicals
Politico: Senators Revive 'Forever Chemicals' Research Bill
The "Federal PFAS Research Evaluation Act" would require multiple agencies — including EPA, the National Science Foundation, the Defense Department and National Institutes of Health — to work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to produce four consensus reports identifying research needed to understand the health impacts of PFAS contamination. It was introduced by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.). (Borst, 2/23)
Politico: Mark Ruffalo Joins Activists To Slam Biden Admin Over 'forever Chemical' Delays
During a press conference on Thursday afternoon, members of the Environmental Working Group joined with other activists to ramp up pressure on regulators over PFAS, calling for the release of long-awaited drinking standards and other promised rules. Actor Mark Ruffalo was among those who spoke passionately during the event, calling on President Joe Biden to accelerate measures cracking down on the toxic substances. (Crunden, 2/23)
Meanwhile, attention focusses on cancer drug Keytruda —
Reuters: Senator Warren Urges U.S. Patent Office To Scrutinize Merck's Keytruda
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren sent the nation's top patent regulator a letter urging close scrutiny of Merck & Co's requests for new patents on its blockbuster cancer treatment Keytruda, saying further efforts to protect the drug could be an abuse of the system. (Erman, 2/23)
FiercePharma: Warren Asks Patent Office To Scrutinize Merck's Keytruda
With several measures aimed at controlling rising drug prices, the Inflation Reduction Act was a long-awaited victory for the U.S. government over the pharma industry. But the emboldened Senate isn’t stopping there. Led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, and Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, lawmakers have since taken aim at a variety of pharma issues including mergers and acquisitions, offshoring profits and COVID-19 vaccine prices. (Dunleavy, 2/23)
Stat: Lawmakers Call For Scrutiny Of Merck's 'Abuse' Of Patent System
A group of lawmakers is urging the Biden administration to scrutinize any effort by Merck to win added patent protection for its blockbuster Keytruda cancer treatment over concerns the company may abuse the U.S. patent system. (Silverman, 2/23)
In other news —
The New York Times: After Long Delay, Moderna Pays N.I.H. For Covid Vaccine Technique
As Moderna racked up tens of billions of dollars in sales of its coronavirus vaccine, the company held off on paying for the rights to a chemical technique that scientists said it had borrowed from government-funded research and used in its wildly successful shot. But Moderna and the government have now reached an agreement. The company said on Thursday that it had made a $400 million payment for the technique that will be shared by the National Institutes of Health and two American universities where the method was invented. (Mueller, 2/23)
The Hill: Progressives Call On FDA To Take Further Action On Cold And Flu Medicines Shortage
A group of progressive lawmakers have asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to further its efforts to address the shortage of over-the-counter flu and cold medicines, proposing a number of updated measures to improve accessibility. In a letter to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, six Democratic House members stated that despite improvements that have been made in the shortages of ibuprofen and acetaminophen, concerns still remain. (Choi, 2/23)
Politico: EPA Faces Suit Over Widely Used Carcinogen's Risk Value
A Texas-based multinational company is contesting EPA's recent decision to stand by a 2016 determination that dramatically darkened the agency's appraisal of the cancer risk posed by a widely used organic chemical compound. (Reilly, 2/23)
Fierce Healthcare: CMS Wants More Data Before Rethinking Alzheimer's Drug Coverage
CMS said in a statement that it "regrets" that the coverage decision could not be broader, but data on these drugs do not do enough to answer the agency's key questions. "After careful review of the request and supporting documentation, we are making this decision because, as of the date of this letter, there is not yet evidence meeting the criteria for reconsideration," CMS said. (Minemyer, 2/23)
KHN: Senators Have Mental Health Crises, Too
Both Republicans and Democrats in Congress reacted with compassion to the news that Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment of clinical depression. The reaction is a far cry from what it would have been 20 or even 10 years ago, as more politicians from both parties are willing to admit they are humans with human frailties. (Rovner, 2/23)
