What We’re Reading: Merck in Talks to Buy Seagen; Monkeypox Cases Rise; Pharmacists Can Prescribe COVID-19 Pill

Merck in Talks to Purchase Seagen

Merck & Co is in advanced talks to purchase Seagen Inc, The Wall Street Journal reported. According to sources close to the matter, the purchase could be worth at least $40 billion and is expected to be made in the coming weeks, though there is no guarantee the 2 companies will come to an agreement on a takeover deal. Merck and Seagen are currently discussing a price of more than $200 a share for the cancer biotechnology company, and plan to confirm the deal during or prior to the announcement of Merck’s quarterly earnings on July 28.

More Than 6000 Confirmed Monkeypox Cases

CIDRAP reported that the World Health Organization (WHO) announced there are now more than 6000 monkeypox cases across 58 countries with approximately 80% of cases in European countries. According to data from Our World in Data, there are 7215 confirmed cases as of July 6. Beginning yesterday, Labcorp has begun testing for monkeypox virus in the United State and claims it is able to process 10,000 tests weekly. The WHO Emergency Committee plans to meet again July 18 or sooner to reassess the outbreak and discusses what actions need to be taken to minimize spread.

FDA Order Allows Pharmacists to Prescribe Paxlovid

Under a new FDA order, state-licensed pharmacists are allowed to prescribe Pfizer’s COVID-19 antiviral pill, Paxlovid, Bloomberg reported. The FDA said there are some limitations to ensure appropriate treatment for patients, and individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should still seek care from their primary care doctor or a test-to-treat site first. Individuals seeking a pharmacist’s prescription are advised to bring a complete list of medications being taken so the pharmacist can assess potential drug interactions, and a blood test result from within the last 12 months.