Pharma & Tech 102120
5 Things to Know About a COVID Vaccine: It Won’t Be a ‘Magic Wand’
Julie Appleby
Approval of a vaccine will be an important step in defeating COVID-19. But it won’t immediately end the pandemic.
Can Ordinary COVID Patients Get the Trump Treatment? It’s OK to Ask
JoNel Aleccia
If you or a loved one has COVID-19, here’s what to consider before seeking experimental treatments.
Black Doctors Work to Make Coronavirus Testing More Equitable
Nina Feldman, WHYY
The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium has increased access to coronavirus testing in the Philadelphia region, testing more than 10,000 people. The group’s mobile unit and pop-up testing sites also offer patients an opportunity to connect with African American health care providers.
Easier-to-Use Coronavirus Saliva Tests Start to Catch On
David Tuller
Regulators and scientists have been leery of introducing the tests, preferring to rely on tried-and-true methods, but evidence is mounting that the spit and swab tests may be more convenient and just as accurate.
Bridging the Miles — And the Pandemic — Teledentistry Makes Some Dentists Wince
Eric Berger
Teledentistry allows dentists to remotely review records and diagnose patients’ teeth over video. Some smile about its promise, while others see the potential for cutting corners. And it faces hurdles to widespread adoption.
To Free Doctors From Computers, Far-Flung Scribes Are Now Taking Notes For Them
Sarah Kwon
Paid even less than low-wage doctors’ scribes in the United States, remote note takers in India gain a foothold in a rapidly expanding industry.
Inside the Flawed White House Testing Scheme That Did Not Protect Trump
Rachana Pradhan and Lauren Weber and Liz Szabo
President Trump relied heavily on testing as protection against COVID exposure, eschewing masks and social distancing.
Not Pandemic-Proof: Insulin Copay Caps Fall Short, Fueling Underground Exchanges
Markian Hawryluk
Although sharing prescription medicines is illegal, many people with diabetes are turning to underground donation networks when they cannot afford their insulin. Caps on insulin copays enacted in Colorado and 11 other states were designed to help. But the gaps between insulin costs and many patients’ financial realities are only widening amid the economic crisis of the COVID pandemic.
Distrusting Trump, States Plan to Vet COVID Vaccines Themselves. Bad Idea, Say Experts.
JoNel Aleccia and Liz Szabo
California and at least five other states have said they may independently vet any vaccines. Experts warn that could needlessly confuse the public.
COVID Takes Challenge of Tracking Infectious College Students to New Level
Lauren Weber
Amid a surge of college coronavirus cases, some local and state health departments have been scrambling to properly trace contacts and assign cases across state and county lines.
Making Money Off Masks, COVID-Spawned Chain Store Aims to Become Obsolete
Markian Hawryluk
A new chain of stores is spreading in malls across America, just like the disease that is giving it business. COVID-19 Essentials is selling masks and all the gear needed to stay safe — and the owner can’t wait to go out of business.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: It’s Scandal Week
President Donald Trump this week issued a prescription drug pricing order unlikely to lower drug prices, and he contradicted comments by his director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the need for mask-wearing and predictions for vaccine availability. Meanwhile, scandals erupted at the CDC, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Food and Drug Administration. And the number of people without health insurance grew in 2019, reported the Census Bureau, even while the economy soared. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.
Signs of an ‘October Vaccine Surprise’ Alarm Career Scientists
Liz Szabo and JoNel Aleccia
President Donald Trump has the legal power to authorize a COVID vaccine over the objections of the Food and Drug Administration and vaccine manufacturers. Such a move could further erode public trust in a vaccine and foist an unsafe shot on Americans.
Election Gift for Florida? Trump Poised to Approve Drug Imports From Canada
Phil Galewitz
The Trump administration is primed to approve a plan designed to help lower costs of some prescription drugs by allowing states to import them from Canada. The announcement could come before Election Day, and Florida appears to be in line to go first.
¿Regalo para Florida? Trump aprobaría pronto importación de medicamentos de Canadá
Phil Galewitz
A pesar de las objeciones de las farmacéuticas, se espera que la administración Trump finalice pronto el plan que permitiría a los estados importar medicamentos de venta bajo receta.
It’s Not Just Insulin: Lawmakers Focus on Price of One Drug, While Others Rise Too
Rachana Pradhan
While insulin is the poster child for outrageous prescription costs, patients are paying ever more to treat depression, asthma, HIV, cholesterol and more. And the pandemic has overtaken efforts to force the issue in Congress.
Señales de una “vacuna sorpresa en octubre” alarma a científicos de carrera
Liz Szabo and JoNel Aleccia
El presidente Donald Trump, que parece decidido a anunciar una vacuna para COVID-19 antes de las elecciones, podría autorizarla legalmente a pesar de las objeciones.
These Secret Safety Panels Will Pick the COVID Vaccine Winners
Rachana Pradhan
Data and safety monitoring boards work under a cloak of secrecy meant to prevent undue influence by stakeholders, such as companies or the government. In the Trump era, some worry the anonymity could actually invite it.
Old Drug Turned ‘Cash Cow’ as Company Pumped Price to $40K a Vial, Emails Show
Michael McAuliff
The CEO of Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals defended the price hikes of Acthar gel, an orphan drug that treats infantile spasms at a House Oversight Committee hearing on Thursday.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: ACA in Peril With Ginsburg’s Seat in Play
The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is giving new life to the latest constitutional challenge to the Affordable Care Act. It also places anti-abortion activists on the cusp of a court majority large enough to ensure the rollback of the right to abortion and, possibly, some types of birth control. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar tries to centralize power at the sprawling department plagued by miscommunications and scandals. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews KHN’s Sarah Jane Tribble about her new podcast, “Where It Hurts,” debuting Sept. 29.
New Laws Keep Pandemic-Weary California at Forefront of Health Policy Innovation
Samantha Young and Angela Hart
Gov. Gavin Newsom approved many consequential health care bills by his bill-signing deadline Wednesday, including a ban on the sale of menthol and other flavored tobacco products, the creation of a state generic drug label and better coverage for mental health disorders.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Election Preview: What’s Next for Health?
How will health issues affect voter choices? What will happen if President Donald Trump is reelected or the White House goes to Joe Biden? In this special election preview episode, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
Sky-High Drug Prices Driven by Pharma Profits, House Dems Charge
Michael McAuliff
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released a damning investigation Wednesday of drug company pricing tactics and profits, as two days of hearings with testimony from pharmaceutical industry CEOs begin.
Promises Kept? On Health Care, Trump’s Claims of ‘Monumental Steps’ Don’t Add Up
Julie Rovner and Phil Galewitz
The president entered office seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act, revamp Medicaid and drive down prescription drug prices, among other things. He’s hit some stone walls.
Trump Approves Final Plan to Import Drugs From Canada ‘for a Fraction of the Price’
Phil Galewitz
The announcement clears the way for Florida and other states to implement a program bringing medications across the border to save money. The effort is strongly opposed by drugmakers and the Canadian government.
Progressive Group Highlights Trump, Tillis Weakness on Insulin Price Tags
Aneri Pattani
The progressive Change Now PAC launched a campaign ad, which also circulated on Facebook, criticizing President Donald Trump and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) for not “fighting” for people with diabetes who struggle with the high cost of insulin.
5 cosas que debes saber sobre la vacuna para COVID. Primero: no será una “bala mágica”
Julie Appleby
Hay docenas de vacunas candidatas que se están probando, y 11 de ellas están en la etapa final de investigación, cuatro en los Estados Unidos.
As Trump Touts His ‘Great’ COVID Drugs, the Pharma Cash Flows to Biden, Not Him
Jay Hancock
President Donald Trump has been heralding drugmakers as “great companies.” Yet in the final stretch of the presidential campaign, Trump is not feeling the love in pharma contributions. Former Vice President Joe Biden is, even though his proposed policies could dent the industry’s profitability.
COVID-19: las farmacéuticas elogiadas por Trump mandan dinero a Biden
Jay Hancock
Revirtiendo una tendencia en las contribuciones de las farmacéuticas, que enviaban mucho dinero a los republicanos, en lo que va de 2020 la industria se ha inclinado hacia los demócratas.