Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Struggle To Find Best Antidepressant Could Be Helped By New Blood Test
The Washington Post: New Blood Test May Be Able To Find Best Antidepressant Match, Study Says
British scientists took a major step toward bringing personalized medicine to mental health on Tuesday, announcing that they developed a blood test that can accurately predict whether you'll respond to the conventional, commonly prescribed antidepressants on the market. This is important because about half of patients who try them don't respond to first-line antidepressants and often spend months struggling to find the right drug. Doctors also have not had a lot of tools to help them create more personalized individual treatment plans. (Cha, 6/7)
Kaiser Health News: FDA Eases Paperwork To Help Some Patients Get Experimental Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration removed an obstacle from of its “compassionate use” policy this month, eliminating some paperwork that physicians must do to obtain experimental drugs for some patients with immediately life-threatening illnesses. Doctors will now file an application for FDA approval that contains just 11 questions, 15 fewer than the old form. They should be able to complete this new version in 45 minutes, the FDA said. The new form is simpler because it was designed for individual patients, replacing an all-purpose format that had been used by doctors acting on behalf of individuals or small or large groups of patients. (Bluth, 6/8)
Meanwhile, Gilead, Merck and Valeant make news —
The Wall Street Journal: Judge Sides With Gilead Against Merck In Case Over Hepatitis C Drug Patents
A federal judge has reversed a jury’s verdict that Gilead Sciences Inc. should pay $200 million to Merck & Co. in a drug-patent dispute, after the judge concluded Merck engaged in misconduct in its efforts to obtain patents for hepatitis C drugs. U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman castigated Merck in a 65-page order filed in federal court in San Jose, Calif., on Monday, concluding a former Merck in-house patent attorney involved in obtaining patents for hepatitis C drugs was “dishonest and duplicitous” and thus “crossing the line to egregious misconduct.” (Loftus, 6/7)
Stat: Gilead Won’t Have To Pay $200 Million In Patent Case Because Merck Lawyer Lied
In an embarrassing blow to Merck, a federal court judge on Monday decided that Gilead Sciences does not have to pay $200 million in damages that was recently awarded in a patent dispute because Merck displayed a “pervasive pattern of misconduct.” (Silverman, 6/7)
The Wall Street Journal: Valeant Shares Drop On Another Deep Cut To Guidance
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. cut its outlook again Tuesday and said some key franchises were performing below its expectations, the latest signs of weakness as the Canadian drug company tries to dig out of months of turmoil and heavy debt. Shares in the company fell as much as 22% Tuesday before bouncing back. The stock closed down nearly 15% at $24.64 on the New York Stock Exchange, its lowest close since November 2010. (Rockoff and Rapoport, 6/7)
For more drug pricing news, check out our weekly feature, Prescription Drug Watch, which includes coverage and perspectives of the issue.
