�������ýҕ�l

Rep. Pramila Jayapal warned Monday that the upcoming midterm elections could be painful for Democrats if they fail to substantively deliver on their healthcare-related campaign promises, which ranged from tackling sky-high drug prices to lowering the Medicare eligibility age. “It has been a concern for us,” Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and lead sponsor of the Medicare for All Act of 2021, told the Washington Post. “You can see it with the number of Democrats in vulnerable districts across the country who want to be able to go back and tell people that we’ve lowered their costs for child care, for pre-K, for elder care, for drug pricing, for healthcare.” (Johnson, 1/18)

A bill proposing a state single-payer health care system, which would be the first in the nation if passed, has a swell of public support. But it’s unclear if that will be enough to make it over the finish line. Assembly Bill 1400, also known as CalCare, would address issues such as the lack of transparency in medical billing and drug costs, advocates said. The legislation overcame its first major legislative hurdle last week when it passed the Assembly Health Committee on an 11-3 vote, with one abstention. (Waraich, 1/17)

The average person doesn’t have a lot in common with Jennifer Aniston—her fame, her money, her looks (that hair!) However, there is one thing 25 million Americans do share with the A-lister—insomnia. Idorsia has partnered with Aniston on a new unbranded educational campaign, “Seize the Night & Day” to raise awareness that insomnia is a real disorder needing real medical attention. The site focuses on the science behind insomnia, offers tips and tricks to help create a sleep routine and offers a forum to connect with others struggling with sleep. (Coey, 1/14)

Pharma companies spend much of their marketing energy on doctors and patients, but another key stakeholder—the caregiver—is sometimes overlooked. And that’s a lost opportunity, a new report from Phreesia Life Sciences suggests.  ... More than half of patients (52%) rely on caregivers to make their healthcare decisions, according to the report, while another 30% always discuss their treatment options with their caregivers before making a decision. (Missakian, 1/10)

Biopharma merger and acquisition (M&A) activity was subdued in 2021, and it would have approached a record low for recent years but for a flurry of deals in the last quarter.  The top 10 biopharma M&A deals last year reached a combined value of just under $53 billion, well down from the $97 billion tally in 2020 and a fraction of the $207 billion spent on the 10 largest transactions in 2019. (Taylor, 1/18)