Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Supreme Court Weighs Law Governing Gun Ownership, Marijuana Use
NPR: Supreme Court Ponders Law Making It A Crime For Gun Owners To Use Marijuana
The Supreme Court hears arguments Monday in an important gun case that has united an array of strange bedfellows, from conservative gun rights groups to liberal civil liberties groups. At issue is a federal law making it a crime for drug users to possess a firearm. It's the same law that was used to prosecute then-President Joe Biden's son for illegal gun possession — only this case involves marijuana use and gun ownership. The briefs in the case present diametrically different versions of the facts. On one side, the Trump administration portrays Ali Danial Hemani as a drug dealer and someone with terrorist ties and a marijuana habit. Importantly, he is not being prosecuted for any of those offenses, however. Rather, the government has charged Hemani with violating a federal gun law that bars drug addicts from possession of firearms, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. (Totenberg, 3/2)
The Hill: Cases Of Cannabis Hyperemesis Are On The Rise: What Are The Symptoms, Treatment Options?
More and more states have legalized marijuana in some form in recent years. The federal government also appears poised to reschedule marijuana following a December executive order from President Trump. Meanwhile, health care providers across the country have reported spikes in cases of a painful, sometimes debilitating condition linked to chronic, long-term marijuana use: cannabinoid (or cannabis) hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS. (Bink, 2/28)
More pharmaceutical news —
Stat: Large Hospitals Dominate 340B Drug Discount Program, Per Report
Minnesota hospitals and clinics participating in a controversial U.S. drug discount program reaped at least $1.34 billion in revenue in 2024, and the largest institutions were the biggest beneficiaries, according to a report from the state Department of Health. Specifically, hospitals and clinics received $3.045 billion in discounted medicines under the 340B Drug Pricing Program, but paid $1.53 billion plus another $165 million to various parties for administration fees. Meanwhile, the largest hospitals received more than $1 billion, representing 80% of the total revenue collected. (Silverman, 2/27)
MedPage Today: GLP-1 Drugs Tied To Unexpected Migraine Benefits
Chronic migraine patients who used GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat conditions like obesity or diabetes had fewer emergency department (ED) visits than those on topiramate (Topamax), a real-world data analysis showed. (George, 3/1)
AP: Sanofi Sleeping Sickness Pill Wins Endorsement From Science Panel
European drug regulators on Friday endorsed a new and simpler treatment for sleeping sickness, in what could be a giant boost to efforts to eliminate the disease. A European Medicines Agency committee gave its nod to acoziborole, made by Sanofi. The decision is seen as a crucial step to making the medicine available in Congo, the country with the most sleeping sickness cases, and paving the way for its use in other African countries. The product’s proponents say three of the pills, taken together as a one-time dose, are an easier and far more accessible treatment than current regimens, which can require arduous trips to hospitals. (Stobbe, 2/27)
Fierce Biotech: Lilly Debuts Nvidia Supercomputer With Fanfare And Focus
On Wednesday, Lilly leaders, including Rau and Chief AI Officer Thomas Fuchs, Ph.D., cut the ribbon on a new Nvidia supercomputer, named LillyPod, that the Big Pharma believes to be the most powerful in the industry. After first announcing the supercomputer in October, Lilly and Nvidia followed up with a $1 billion commitment for a new Bay Area AI co-innovation lab, announced at the January J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. (Incorvaia, 2/27)
