Pharma and Tech: May 4, 2023

The Biden Administration Vowed to Be a Leading Voice on Opioid Settlements But Has Gone Quiet
By Aneri Pattani Billions of dollars are headed to state and local governments to address the opioid crisis. Policy experts and advocates expect the federal government to play a role in overseeing the use of the money. Failure to do so, they say, could lead to wasted opportunities. And, since Medicaid helps pay health care costs, the feds could have a claim to portions of states’ opioid settlements.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Will They or Won’t They (Block the Abortion Pill)?
The Supreme Court is considering the future of the abortion pill mifepristone, after GenBioPro sued the FDA over limitations that effectively block generic production of the drug, a major part of the market. Congress is considering proposals that would impose Medicaid work requirements, crack down on pharmacy benefit managers, and more. And President Joe Biden moved to expand health coverage to young immigrants known as “Dreamers.” Rachel Cohrs of Stat, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico join KFF Health News’ Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these issues and more.

Social Media Is Fueling Enthusiasm for New Weight Loss Drugs. Are Regulators Watching?
By Darius Tahir and Hannah Norman Online platforms are overflowing with testimonials for GLP-1s. The drugs show promise for inducing weight loss, but many aren’t FDA-approved for that use.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The Confusing Fate of the Abortion Pill
The legality and availability of the abortion pill mifepristone is in question after a federal judge in Texas canceled the FDA’s approval of the first drug used in the two-drug medication abortion regimen. A 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel overruled that decision in part, saying the pill should remain available, but only under the onerous restrictions in place before 2016. Meanwhile, another federal judge in Washington state issued a ruling in a separate case that conflicts with the Texas decision, ordering the FDA not to roll back any of its restrictions on the drug. Victoria Knight of Axios, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Doctors’ Lesson for Drug Industry: Abortion Wars Are Dangerous to Ignore
By Julie Rovner The American Medical Association ducked the abortion issue for years and now sees its members’ professional opinions second-guessed by lawmakers and judges. PhRMA is following the same playbook.

Did a Military Lab Spill Anthrax Into Public Waterways? New Book Reveals Details of a US Leak
By Alison Young “Pandora’s Gamble” describes how 2,000 to 3,000 gallons of wastewater potentially containing anthrax, Ebola, and other deadly pathogens spilled from an Army facility in Frederick, Maryland, in 2018.

US Officials Want to End the HIV Epidemic by 2030. Many Stakeholders Think They Won’t.
By Daniel Chang and Sam Whitehead The federal government’s ambitious plan to end the HIV epidemic, launched in 2019, has generated new ways to reach at-risk populations in targeted communities across the South. But health officials, advocates, and people living with HIV worry significant headwinds will keep the program from reaching its goals.

Ask a Chatbot: ‘What’s for Dinner?’
By Tarena Lofton The AI program ChatGPT can save time and energy spent meal planning, especially for people with dietary restrictions. But be sure to double-check its work, users say.

Feds Launch Criminal Investigation Into ‘AGGA’ Dental Device and Its Inventor
By Brett Kelman and Anna Werner, CBS News Illustration by Oona Zenda KFF Health News and CBS News recently reported that multiple lawsuits allege the device has led to grievous injuries to patients’ mouths, resulting in loss of teeth.

For California Teen, Coverage of Early Psychosis Treatment Proved a Lifesaver
By Samantha Young A Medi-Cal patient illustrates how early schizophrenia treatments can yield big benefits. Advocates want California to expand such services to more people living with severe mental illness, which they argue will not only improve lives but also save money over time.

How One Patient’s Textured Hair Nearly Kept Her From a Needed EEG
By Tarena Lofton Illustration by Oona Zenda An EEG can help diagnose conditions like epilepsy, sleep disorders, and brain tumors. But a design flaw and outdated Eurocentric practices make the test less effective on thicker, denser, and curly hair types, potentially excluding or deterring some people from getting screened.

Montana Considers Requiring Insurance to Cover Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients
By Keely Larson Young cancer patients must act quickly to preserve their sperm and eggs once they get their diagnosis, and many can’t afford the cost.

Journalists Discuss Enduring Effects of Long Covid and Handling of Opioid Settlement Funds
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

The Drug Company That Prospered Without Creating Any Drugs
By Arthur Allen Horizon Therapeutics, which Amgen is acquiring for about $28 billion, grew large by snapping up cheap drugs from other companies, marketing them to perfection, and jacking up prices.

Pain, Hope, and Science Collide as Athletes Turn to Magic Mushrooms
By Markian Hawryluk and Kevin Van Valkenburg, ESPN A group of former professional athletes traveled to Jamaica to try psychedelics as a way to help cope with the aftereffects of concussions and a career of body-pounding injuries. Will this still largely untested treatment work?

Watch: Rulings on Abortion Pill Have Far-Reaching Repercussions
By Sarah Varney Sarah Varney, a senior correspondent for KHN, joins Ali Rogin of PBS NewsHour to discuss the ruling by a federal judge in Texas that threatens nationwide access to the widely used abortion drug mifepristone, and a separate ruling in Washington state that reached the opposite conclusion.

Journalists Track Opioid Settlement Cash and Fees for Telehealth Visits
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

Listen: How Are States Spending Money From the Opioid Settlements? It’s Not Easy to Know
KFF Health News senior correspondent Aneri Pattani appeared on NPR’s “1A” on May 1 to discuss issues related to how opioid settlement funds are being distributed.

Listen: Mifepristone Remains Available for Now. What Happens Next?
The Supreme Court on April 21 ruled that the abortion pill mifepristone should remain widely available while the lower courts consider the issue, blocking earlier rulings that banned or restricted access to the drug. KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner joined NPR’s “Weekend All Things Considered” to discuss the complicated case.

El dolor, la esperanza y la ciencia chocan cuando los atletas recurren a los hongos mágicos
By Markian Hawryluk and Kevin Van Valkenburg, ESPN El uso de hongos psicodélicos está ganando terreno en los Estados Unidos. Investigadores predicen que la FDA aprobará un tratamiento psicodélico en los próximos cinco años.

La empresa farmacéutica que prosperó sin crear ni un solo medicamento
By Arthur Allen Aunque Horizon afirma que ahora tiene 20 fármacos en desarrollo, en sus 15 años de existencia aún no ha obtenido la licencia de un producto de su creación.