Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs Are Particular Problem For Cancer Patients
For many cancer patients who die from this awful disease, their tumors aren’t solely responsible. In many instances, superbugs sicken these patients, who can’t fight off resistant infections due to weakened immune systems — even with the help of antibiotics. (Cynthia L. Sears and Fyza Shaikh, 9/12)
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. As an HIV doctor in central Texas, I know that nowhere is that adage truer than in the case of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication that is up to 99% effective at preventing HIV. A recent ruling in a Texas federal court has the potential to threaten not just PrEP but access to all commonsense preventive medical care for people in the U.S. (Dr. Aliza Norwood, 9/11)
A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted yesterday to recommend approval for an ALS drug being developed by Amylyx Pharmaceuticals. The fate of this small company’s drug could matter well beyond ALS to influence how data are regarded for other medicines. (Lisa Jarvis, 9/8)
The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act brings a new era to drug pricing in the United States. After decades of being an outlier, it now joins every other developed nation in having the federal government engaged in negotiating drug pricing. (Steve Pearson, 9/8)
Among the many crowd-pleasing elements of the Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Joe Biden last month, is a measure that will cap the cost of insulin for Medicare recipients. (9/9)
If Abbott wanted to encourage more pharmacies and other stores to sell Plan B over the counter, he could direct the attorney general to clarify the legality of doing so since there seems to be so much confusion. (9/12)
The face of Ashton Harmon-Manser on a billboard hangs high above a busy strip of Interstate 70 in Kansas City because that’s where the 22-year-old died two years ago of an accidental overdose of fentanyl. (9/9)
Our nation’s public-private partnership that has guided formulation, testing and delivery of drugs to patients — from cancer treatments to pain medications to neurological problems — is badly in need of a reboot. (David Wiebers, 9/10)
