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One of President-elect Joe Biden’s closest advisors could face pressure to recuse himself from working on some of the incoming administration’s key initiatives as his brother lobbies for at least two pharmaceutical companies. Steve Ricchetti, who on Tuesday was named counselor to the president in Biden’s eventual administration, has a brother, Jeff, who was hired to lobby for pharmaceutical firms while Biden was running for president, according to disclosure reports. Ricchetti was Biden’s campaign chairman and previously his chief of staff. (Schwartz, 11/18)

President-elect Joe Biden is already ignoring progressive demands by adding former lobbyists to his roster of senior staff. Last week, more than 50 liberal advocacy organizations and more than a dozens liberal House members signed a letter urging Biden to bar anyone with ties to the corporate world from serving in his administration. “We urge you to decline to nominate or hire corporate executives, lobbyists, and prominent corporate consultants to serve in high office,” the letter demanded. It said that such people are incapable of “working in the service of the general welfare.” (Phillips, 11/18)

Johnson & Johnson plans to increase the number of Black managers in the company by 50% within five years as part of a $100 million initiative to tackle racial inequality, executives said Tuesday. The world's biggest health company said it also would create college scholarships for Black students interested in science, business and health care. (Diamond, 11/18)

KHN: Surprise Federal Drug Rule Directs Insurers To Reveal What They Pay For Prescription Drugs 

Health insurance companies will have to give their customers estimated out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and disclose to the public the negotiated prices they pay for drugs, under an unexpected new Trump administration rule. The administration said those requirements, part of a broader rule issued Oct. 29 forcing health plans to disclose costs and payments for most health care services, will promote competition and empower consumers to make better medical decisions. (Meyer, 11/19)

With the COVID-19 pandemic nearing its second year in the U.S., lawmakers have banged the drum on boosting "onshore" production of key pharmaceuticals and ingredients to ensure supply-side security. Now, a New Jersey-based contract manufacturer is dropping more money into its Iowa site to support the effort. Cambrex will invest $50 million to add four active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) facilities at its Charles City, Iowa, small-molecule drug site and expand capacity by 30%, the company said Tuesday.  (Blankenship, 11/17)

It's estimated that 10% to 15% of people with Parkinson's have a genetic form of the disease and Sanofi Genzyme is backing a new study to help find those people. Working with the Parkinson's Foundation, the effort, called PD GENEration, will provide free genetic testing, either by in-person blood testing at selected sites or by a telemedicine appointment combined with at-home cheek swabs. Sanofi will contribute $1 million to the study over the next two years. (Klahr Coey, 11/18)

The launch of Amazon Pharmacy on Tuesday sent shockwaves through the pharmacy pipeline, with industry observers speculating that the shipping giant’s latest move would spur major competition across the sector. Above all else, Amazon’s new service — which lets customers buy prescription drugs online and have them delivered — further centralizes the home as a site of care, likely motivating others in the business to roll out similar offerings designed to meet patients where they are, according to health care analysts. (Brodwin, 11/18)