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In the United States, pharmaceutical advertising seems inescapable. Since the first prescription drug ad ran in the early 1980s, the business of pharmaceutical advertising has exploded. Drug companies spent $7 billion on advertising last year, according to Statista, with most of that going to television ads; more than $287 million was spent on TV advertising for Sanofi and Regeneron’s anti-inflammatory drug Dupixent alone. Yet most people would rather not see these ads at all. (Sheridan, 1/10)

Because of the high price tag, experts say, the number of people who will be able to get the drug when it becomes available — expected the week of Jan. 16 — will be extremely limited. More than 6 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. As a rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services restricts coverage for new Alzheimer's treatments that target amyloid, including Leqembi, to only those patients participating in clinical trials. (Lovelace Jr., 1/19)

The $26,500-per-year price tag for Eisai Co Ltd and Biogen Inc's newly approved Alzheimer's disease drug is slightly above expectations, but should not dent demand for the promising therapy, Wall Street analysts said. The U.S. health regulator on Friday granted accelerated approval to the drug, Leqembi, and the decision was hailed by patient groups. (1/9)

CVS Health Corp. said its revenue for all of fiscal 2022 exceeded its guidance that topped out at $314 billion. Adjusted earnings per share for the year were close to the top end of its guidance of $8.55 to $8.65 a share, the company said Monday in a filing of preliminary results, in part because of buybacks that reduced its share count. (Rutherford, 1/9)

Life sciences firm Qiagen said on Monday it has acquired DNA-biometrics firm Verogen in a $150-million cash deal, strengthening its forensics portfolio. The deal builds on the companies' existing partnership from 2021, under which Qiagen has the rights to distribute some of Verogen's products such as its next-generation gene sequencing panels and genetic code analyzing technology GEDmatch. (1/9)

In some of his first extended comments since taking over as Biogen’s CEO, Chris Viehbacher described the commercial launches this year of an Alzheimer’s treatment and a new medicine for depression as “breakthrough” products will help the company return to sustainable growth. (Feuerstein, 1/9)

KHN: Behavioral Telehealth Loses Momentum Without A Regulatory Boost

Controlled substances became a little less controlled during the pandemic. That benefited both patients (for their health) and telehealth startups (to make money). (Tahir, 1/10)