Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Do Best-Selling Drugs That Calm Stomachs Damage Kidneys? The Answer’s Unclear.
With flawed systems for tracking the side effects of prescription drugs, a link between proton pump inhibitors and kidney disease suggested by research cannot be proven. Patients who swear by the drugs hope it won’t be.
Quiz: Help Us Take The Pulse Of Our Readers
Even the most exalted among us realize health care policy is complicated. Here’s a pop quiz to see what you have learned as a regular reader of Kaiser Health News.
Overwrought Marketing? Ads, Not Research, Create Some Pharma Best-Sellers
A look at how and why strategic, star-studded advertising brought a drug for a little-known neurological condition into your home.
Nearly 1 In 3 Recent FDA Drug Approvals Followed By Major Safety Actions
More than 70 drugs approved from 2001 through 2010 ran into safety concerns later that resulted in withdrawals from the market, “black box” warnings or other actions.
¿Medicare se niega a pagar su medicamento? Cómo pelear esta decisión
¿Qué hacer si el plan del Medicare no autoriza el suministro de un medicamento? Pasos a seguir para conseguirla.
Louisiana Proposes Tapping A Federal Law To Slash Hepatitis C Drug Prices
Several public health officials endorse using a federal law to slash hepatitis C drug prices in Louisiana and avoid drug bills that could cripple the state budget.
Drug Coverage Denied By Medicare? How Seniors Can Fight Back
Senior citizens have to be patient and keep close records to appeal when Medicare plans refuse to cover their medicines.
En riesgo programas de salud en “ciudades santuario”
La dura posición del gobierno de Trump sobre inmigración podría estimular recortes en la financiación federal y complicar una amplia variedad de programas de salud en estas ciudades.
Trump’s Vow To Squeeze ‘Sanctuary Cities’ Could Play Havoc With Health Programs
Local health officials are bracing for the potential impact of a Trump administration policy that would stop federal funding to jurisdictions that don’t enforce federal immigration laws.
Negotiating Drug Prices: Should State Agencies Band Together?
A California lawmaker wants to strengthen collaboration among public agencies to bring down costs to taxpayers.
Widespread Hype Gives False Hope To Many Cancer Patients
Doctors and drug developers have a stake in making cancer treatments seem better than they really are.
A Spoonful Of Kids’ Medicine Makes The Profits Go Up
Even as drug pricing issues continue to draw scrutiny, federal safety regulations and incentives offer drug companies a new avenue to get a sweet return on their development costs.
Drugmakers Dramatically Boosted Lobbying Spending In Trump’s First Quarter
With high drug prices creating widespread controversy, top pharmaceutical companies and their trade group vastly increased their lobbying spending on Capitol Hill.
Marathon Pharmaceutical Drops Out Of PhRMA Following Drug Price Controversy
Two companies that faced criticism for high-priced drugs, Marathon and Mallinckrodt, have dropped out of the PhRMA trade association.
With Drug Costs In Crosshairs, Health Firms Gave Generously To Trump’s Inauguration
Led by Pfizer and Amgen, about 10 health care firms contributed to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, which earned them entry into private events with the president and vice president.
Readers: Training Patients To Advocate For Their Illnesses Is ‘A Virtue Not A Sin’
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to respond, react and comment on our stories.
Nonprofit Linked To PhRMA Rolls Out Campaign To Block Drug Imports
The advocacy group behind an expensive media blitz opposing Canadian drug imports has deep ties to the drug industry’s largest trade group.
Kids With Hepatitis C Get New Drugs And Coverage May Prove Easier Than For Adults
The drugs, approved by the FDA for children earlier this month, can run $100,000 for a course of treatment.
Drugmakers Help Turn Patients With Rare Diseases Into D.C. Lobbyists
Amplifying the “patient voice,” those with the rarest afflictions are trained to become powerful advocates for new drugs and legislation that would help the industry.
Another Circle Of Hell: Surviving Opioids In The Fentanyl Era
Unlike heroin, fentanyl routinely shuts down breathing in seconds, and it’s becoming more common.