AJMC Staff

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

Lawyers were questioned in a federal lawsuit intending to overturn approval of a drug used for medication abortion; during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, US maternal mortality increased for the third year in a row; the Alzheimer’s Association is lobbying Congress to push for Medicare coverage of new Alzheimer drugs under early access.

Sarilumab, a biologic, is sold as Kevzara.

Kentucky passes a bill to require insurers to cover biomarker tests for patients with cancer; CDC opioid guidelines updated in November may be too late for patients with chronic pain; the Environmental Protection Agency is proposing new limits to reduce dangerous human-manufactured chemicals in drinking water.

The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will cover Alzheimer drug lecanemab (Leqembi) based on inclusion criteria approval and other factors; Pfizer Inc. will buy drug maker Seagen Inc. and their targeted cancer drugs for $43 billion; Novo Nordisk will reduce its insulin costs by up to 75%, and also plans to discount other drugs.

Expanding Medicare coverage for obesity drugs; tens of thousands of doctors begin 3-day strike; a surge in Black infant deaths in 2020 highlights racial disparities.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

Biden’s proposed budget emphasizes expanding health care and lowering drug costs; nasal spray zavegepant (Zavzpret) approved for treating adults with acute migraine; updated guidelines may help more women detect breast cancer early on.

Myasthenia gravis affects about 60,000 individuals in the United States.

Medicaid plans begin planning for the upcoming lapse in continuous coverage starting April 1, 2023; Bayer plans to spend $1 billion on US pharmaceutical research and development in 2023; opioids were the most common cause of death by poisoning in young children.

Given the cost and impact of chronic diseases on the US health care system, health technology like digital coaching for chronic diseases is increasingly being looked at as a way to offer personalized therapies on a wide scale.

US adults had low trust in public health agency information during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new survey reported; a new study showed that people who have been incarcerated are more likely to die when they have cancer, compared to those never incarcerated; an unproven drug aimed at preventing preterm birth will be removed from the US market.

President Joe Biden proposes plan to tackle Medicare funding situation, testing GOP; WeightWatchers is in the process of buying telehealth company Sequence that will allow weight-loss drugs like Ozempic to be prescribed; patients experiencing long COVID-19 seem to be more likely to have gastrointestinal (GI) issues, finds a study.

Cyber attacks on health care are raising cyber insurance costs; Democrats and Republicans clash over what constitutes a cut vs a reform; rural hospitals begin conversion under a new federal payment program.

A roundup of the latest biosimilar news from The Center for Biosimilars®.

Medicaid expansion deal proposed in North Carolina; FDA gains new leverage over quick drug approvals; Walgreens announces it will not dispense abortion pills in several states where it’s legal.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

Obesity could cost the world trillions by 2035 if current trends continue; colorectal cancer diagnoses are growing in young people, stumping doctors; the albuterol shortage is deteriorated further by shutdown of all but 1 domestic manufacturer.

The FDA approved the first drug for the rare disease Friedreich’s ataxia; House Republicans seek information from pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs); FDA panel narrowly supports respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for older adults.

Merck ends a prostate cancer study involving pembrolizumab; a little-known nervous system condition is affecting some patients after COVID-19 infection; the artificial sweetener erythritol might increase risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a preliminary study.

A new investigation blames the COVID-19 pandemic on a leak from a laboratory in China; Colorado proposes co-pay limits for EpiPens; the first at-home flu and COVID-19 test maker, Lucira Health, declares bankruptcy.

Court decision could ban abortion pill, mifepristone, nationwide; Illinois gears up to fight mental health crisis among children; CMS rejects expanded coverage for Alzheimer drug, Leqembi.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

The latest research to look at the links between Parkinson disease and air pollution said the Rocky Mountain region and the Mississippi-Ohio River Valley appeared to be the most affected.

Wall Street investors pour money into developing new psychedelic treatments for mental illnesses; extreme temperature fluctuations around the country can pose health risks; Moderna and Merck's combination skin cancer treatment receives breakthrough designation from the FDA.

The civil money complaints, which carry a maximum penalty of $19,192 for a single violation, are intended to hold tobacco companies accountable for selling e-liquids—or vape juice—without FDA approval.

Merck’s COVID-19 pill has been shown to not be successful against household infection risk; the government plans to allow states to use Medicaid funds for prison drug treatment and other services; Ozempic, used to treat type 2 diabetes, is in short supply because it’s being sought for weight loss.

A fifth person has been cured of HIV following a stem cell transplant for cancer; a new study examining a treatment of spinal cord stimulation after stroke had favorable results; some food companies enraged by proposed FDA healthy food guidelines.