First Edition: June 28, 2019
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
Health Care Gets Heated On Night 2 Of The Democratic Presidential Debate
Candidates including South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, New York Sen. Kristen Gillibrand and Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet offered their takes on universal coverage, each underscoring the importance of a transition from the current system and suggesting that a public option approach, something that would allow people to buy into a program like Medicare, would offer a “glide path” to the ultimate goal of universal coverage. (Luthra, 6/27)
Kaiser Health News:
Delaney’s Debate Claim That ‘Medicare For All’ Will Shutter Hospitals Goes Overboard
At the first Democratic presidential primary debate, former Rep. John Delaney (Md.) outlined his opposition to “Medicare for All” and focused on one potential loser: hospitals. “If you go to every hospital in this country and you ask them one question, which is, ‘How would it have been for you last year if every one of your bills were paid at the Medicare rate?’ Every single hospital administrator said they would close,” he said. (Luthra, 6/27)
Kaiser Health News:
Pelosi Aims For Feds To Negotiate Drug Prices, Even For Private Insurers
As House Democrats hash out a proposal empowering the federal government’s top health official to negotiate lower drug prices, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is taking it a step further and pushing a plan that could benefit even those Americans with private health insurance. A draft plan spearheaded, but not yet released, by Pelosi and other House Democratic leaders would ensure that prices negotiated on the most expensive drugs would apply not only to the government but to all payers, including employers and insurers, a Democratic aide said. (Huetteman, 6/28)
Kaiser Health News:
States Design Drug Import Plans To Curb High Prescription Prices, With Donald Trump's Support
Seeking a solution to the soaring costs of drugs, Colorado, Florida and Vermont are making plans to import medications from Canada, where prescriptions are cheaper.President Donald Trump has offered his support, marking the first time drug importation has won a presidential endorsement. The states’ plans are in their infancy. But they signal how frustration among consumers — especially those shouldering greater portions of their health bills through high-deductible health plans — is putting pressure on federal and state officials. (Galewitz, 6/28)
Kaiser Health News:
KHN’s ‘What The Health’: Dems Debate Health Care
Health care played a feature role in the first debate among Democratic presidential candidates Wednesday, with would-be nominees spreading across the spectrum on the question of how quickly to move to universal coverage and what, if any, role should remain for private insurance. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump earlier this week signed an executive order calling for hospital prices to be made more available to the public. But some analysts wonder if publicizing prices could cause them to rise rather than fall. (6/27)
Reuters:
Harris Challenges Biden In Breakout U.S. Debate Performance
Presidential candidate Kamala Harris dominated her Democratic rivals in a debate on Thursday, confronting front-runner Joe Biden on race and calling his remarks about working with segregationist senators "hurtful." In a breakout performance, the daughter of a black father from Jamaica and an Indian mother was at the center of several heated exchanges during the second night of debates among Democrats vying for the right to challenge Republican President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. (Oliphant and Gibson, 6/28)
The Associated Press:
Takeaways From Night 2 Of The Democratic Debate
The roster for Thursday night's Democratic presidential debate demonstrated some of the party's major divisions — even before candidates started talking. (Riccardi and Summers, 6/28)
The Washington Post:
Democratic Presidential Candidates Dive Into Complicated Health Policy With Mixed Results
For two nights, the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates tried to navigate the complicated terrain of national health-care policy — with answers that were often oversimplified, incomplete or simply misleading, according to health-care experts. Both nights saw abbreviated explanations of how to move 330 million Americans onto a single government health insurance system. Candidates gave dire warnings about the dangers of Medicare-for-all that even the proposal’s critics say could not come to pass. And some of the Democratic presidential candidates overstated rising costs during the Trump administration. (Stein and Abutaleb, 6/28)
The New York Times:
Which Candidates And Topics Got The Most Time During The Second Democratic Debate
When the moderator asked who would abolish private health insurance in favor of a government-run plan, only Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Ms. Harris raised their hands. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York explained that she supports Mr. Sanders’ “Medicare for all” bill, but that it will have a transition period for people to actively buy-in. (6/27)
The Hill:
Biden Vows To Oppose Any Democrat Or Republican Who Wants To Dismantle ObamaCare
Former Vice President Joe Biden said the fastest way to get to universal health care coverage is to build on ObamaCare and vowed to oppose any Democrat or Republican who tries to cut down the law. "I’m against any Democrat who wants to take down ObamaCare and any Republican who wants to take it away," Biden said. (Weixel, 6/27)
The New York Times:
6 Takeaways From Night 2 Of The Democratic Debate
Mr. Sanders entered the debate as a top candidate in the polls and fund-raising, and there were big expectations he would use his stature to push his message of revolution and aggressively go after Mr. Biden. But though many of the progressive policy ideas he has helped popularize dominated the night — most notably, universal health care — he at times got lost on stage, overshadowed in particular by Ms. Harris. (Glueck, Goldmacher, Ember and Epstein, 6/27)
The Washington Post:
Who Talked Most During The Democratic Debate
Onstage with several candidates who are decades younger than him, [Sanders] also is trying to make the argument that a septuagenarian should be the face of revolutionary change in Washington. He talked about that revolution when asked how he would get his health-care plan passed. “We’ll do it the way real change has always taken place, whether it was the labor movement, the women’s rights movement or the civil rights movement,” he said. “When tens of millions of people are prepared to tell the insurance companies and the drug companies that their days are gone, that health care is a human right.” (Davies, Fuchs, Mellnik, Schaul, Wootson and Hughes, 6/27)
The New York Times:
Bernie Sanders On Health Care Costs
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and other 2020 candidates often note that the United States spends twice as much on health care as other comparable nations but gets less value in return. (Stevens, 6/27)
Politico:
Sanders Says Generational Attacks On Him And Biden Amount To 'Ageism'
Sen. Bernie Sanders chafed at generational attacks against the older Democratic candidates on the debate stage on Thursday night, saying the digs struck him as "ageism." “I think that's kind of ageism to tell you the truth,” Sanders, who is 77, responded when a journalist asked about the "generational argument being made by one of your younger rivals." (Deshpande, 6/28)
The Washington Post Fact Checker:
Fact-Checking Night 2 Of The First Democratic Debate
Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.): “Except for plastic surgery, everything else is banned under the Medicare-for-all proposal.” Bennet is basically correct. Section 107 of the Sanders Medicare-for-all would make it illegal for any private health insurer to sell coverage that duplicated benefits under the law or for any employer to duplicate the benefits, but would not prohibit the sale of health insurance for benefits not covered under the bill. But the bill proposes to cover just about everything. Hospital services. Primary and preventive care. Prescription drugs and medical devices. Mental health care. Lab work. Pediatrics. Dentistry. Hearing and vision care. Rehab. Emergency services. Even long-term care. (Kessler, Rizzo, Lee and Kelly, 6/28)
The New York Times:
Biden Comes Under Attack From All Sides In Democratic Debate
Without condemning Mr. Biden by name, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York also rejected his deal-making ethos and called attention to his history of taking more conservative positions on abortion rights — including his past support for a ban on federal funding for abortion, known as the Hyde Amendment. Mr. Biden renounced his support for the measure only this month. (Martin and Burns, 6/27)
The New York Times:
Joe Biden On Abortion And The Hyde Amendment
For all Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s efforts to focus his campaign on the economy and the middle class, he has been unable to escape his past views on more contentious subjects — particularly abortion, which has become one of the defining issues of the 2020 race. (Astor, 6/27)
The New York Times:
Kirsten Gillibrand’s ‘Family Bill Of Rights’ Seeks To Level The Playing Field
In May, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York unveiled her “Family Bill of Rights,” a set of policy proposals aimed at easing the financial strain on parents of young children. The policies, which she said she would enact in her first 100 days if elected president, fits with her campaign’s focus on women and families. (Stevens, 6/27)
Politico:
How The Dems Used Their Time During The Second Night Of The First Primary Debate
Throughout the debate, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York frequently interjected and had the night’s longest closing remarks, reiterating her role as the author of a universal healthcare bill and frequent advocacy for women’s rights. (King and Dugyala, 6/28)
The Associated Press:
Fact Check: Dems On Migrant Kids, The Rich And Climate
A fired-up field of Democrats stumbled on some facts at the most visceral turns in their debate Thursday as they took on and sometimes sparred over race, the treatment of migrant children, the climate and the super-rich. ... [The candidates] are tapping into a misleading and common insinuation by Democrats about Trump placing "children in cages." The cages are actually chain-link fences and the Obama-Biden administration used them, too. Children and adults are held behind them, inside holding Border Patrol facilities, under the Trump administration as well.Obama's administration detained large numbers of unaccompanied children inside chain link fences in 2014. Images that circulated online of children in cages during the height of Trump's family separations controversy were actually from 2014 when Obama was in office. (Woodward, Long and Borenstein, 6/27)
The Washington Post:
Immigration, A Central Issue For Trump, Also Key Issue At Democratic Debate
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said Trump has “torn apart the moral fabric of who we are.” South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg called the president’s family separation policy “dead wrong.” And Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) vowed to use his executive authority, if elected, to erase Trump’s policies. “On day one, we take out our executive order pen and we rescind every damn thing on this issue that Trump has done,” Sanders said to cheers. But the Democrats also had to confront the party’s role in creating and funding a federal immigration system that set the stage for Trump’s tighter enforcement. (Sacchetti, 6/28)
The Wall Street Journal:
Video: Democratic Hopefuls Say Undocumented Should Have Health-Care Access
In Thursday night’s presidential debate on NBC, all 10 Democratic hopefuls showed support for access to health care for everyone — regardless of immigration status. (6/27)
Politico:
Did The Democrats Step On A Second Big Landmine?
Pete Buttigieg expressed the sentiments of his fellow debaters when he said: “This is not about a handout. This is an insurance program. We do ourselves no favors by having 11 million undocumented people in our country be unable to access health care.” And then he added: “The real problem is we shouldn't have 11 million undocumented people with no pathway to citizenship. It makes no sense. The American people agree on what to do. This is a crazy thing. If leadership consists of forming a consensus around a divisive issue, this White House divided us around a consensus issue. The American people want a pathway to citizenship and protections for Dreamers.” (Greenfield, 6/28)
The Washington Post:
Democratic Rivals Attack Biden, With Harris Leading The Way On Race Issues
Trump, who was attending the Group of 20 summit in Japan, was paying attention to the debate and weighed in after all 10 Democrats raised their hands to declare that they would support providing health care for undocumented immigrants. “All Democrats just raised their hands for giving millions of illegal aliens unlimited health care,” Trump said on Twitter during the debate. “How about taking care of American Citizens first!? That’s the end of that race!” (Scherer, Olorunnipa and Janes, 6/28)
The New York Times:
Bernie Sanders On Drug Costs
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont frequently assails the cost of prescription drugs, citing the statistic that one in five Americans cannot afford them. He has called for prices to be cut in half. (Stevens, 6/27)
The Washington Post:
Democratic Debate Night 2 Highlights: Harris Takes On Biden On Race; Candidates Talk Guns, Abortion, Economy
Democrats don’t shy away from guns: A topic many Democrats steered clear of for decades was front and center in the second hour of the debate, highlighting how attitudes have changed in recent years amid rising anger in the party over mass shootings. The candidates spoke about guns in personal terms. Swalwell decried the fact that parents now have to remember what their children are wearing when they set off for school, in case they have to identify their bodies later. Buttigieg, a military veteran, said his life experience informs his decisions. “As somebody who trained on weapons of war, I can tell you there are weapons that have absolutely no place in American cities,” he said. Sanders, whom critics accused in 2016 of being too conservative on guns, faced scrutiny over his past comments as well as a direct challenge from Swalwell, who has sought to position himself as the field’s staunchest advocate of gun restrictions. (6/28)
The Wall Street Journal:
Biden Draws Bulk Of Attacks In Second Debate
Mr. Buttigieg also faced questions over his handling of a fatal shooting of a black man by a white police officer, including why the racial makeup of his police department didn’t match the community it served. “Because I couldn’t get it done. My community is in anguish right now,” Mr. Buttigieg said. He added that he wouldn’t take sides on whether the officer acted improperly until an investigation is finished. “It’s a mess. And we’re hurting.” (Thomas, Day and Jamerson, 6/28)
NPR:
5 Takeaways From Night 2 Of The Democratic Debate
Democrats, living under Trump, are mad as hell, and they are frustrated. The past few presidential elections have had even more extreme pendulum swings than the last — George W. Bush resulted in Barack Obama, who was followed by Trump. So it might make sense then that Democrats are proposing policies that are very liberal and make them feel good. Here's some of what they are proposing (with who said they support them), based on two nights of debates. (Montanaro, 6/28)
The Washington Post:
Transcript Of First Democratic Debate Night 2
[Here] is the full transcript of the debate. (6/28)
The Wall Street Journal:
Democrats’ Comments Give Health-Care Stocks A Stronger Pulse
Beaten-down health-care stocks saw some relief Thursday, a day after most Democratic presidential candidates shied away from forcefully endorsing plans to nationalize the U.S. health-insurance industry. The moves come after such stocks have lagged behind the broader market in 2019. Insurance stocks in particular fell sharply in April, when Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced a bill that would extend government-run health insurance to every American, dubbed Medicare for All. (Osipovich, 6/27)
The Washington Post:
Transgender Issues Came Up Like Never Before In A Presidential Debate — And The Community Noticed
Sure, Julián Castro mixed up transgender women with transgender men in the first Democratic presidential debate. But to many in the transgender community, the moment was monumental: Here, on a national debate stage, a candidate for president brought up the transgender community in a conversation about reproductive health care. (Schmidt, 6/27)
Politico:
What Castro Meant When He Said Trans Women Need Access To Abortions
About a half-hour into Wednesday night’s Democratic debate, Julián Castro was asked whether his health care plan would cover abortion. “Yes, it would,” Castro said. “I don’t believe only in reproductive freedom. I believe in reproductive justice.” Standard fare for a Democratic candidate. But then he continued. “And, you know, what that means is that just because a woman — or let’s also not forget someone in the trans community, a trans female — is poor, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have the right to exercise that right to choose. And so I absolutely would cover the right to have an abortion.” (McCaskill, 6/27)
Reuters:
In Victory For Trump, U.S. House Democrats Back Down On Border Aid Bill Demands
Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives backed down to President Donald Trump and passed a $4.6 billion aid package to address a migrant surge at the U.S.-Mexico border without the additional protections for migrant children that liberals had sought. Trump, the Republican-controlled Senate and moderate Democrats insisted on finishing the emergency aid bill as soon as possible, without further haggling over demands for greater migrant safeguards and reduced immigration enforcement spending. (Cornwell, 6/27)
The Washington Post:
House Passes $4.6 Billion Border Bill As Leaders Cave To Moderate Democrats And GOP
These moderates said they wanted to see the House act to address the border crisis, not get locked in a conflict with the Senate, especially with Congress about to leave Washington for a week-long Fourth of July recess. “To leave is unacceptable and not to take care of these children is unacceptable,” said Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.), a member of the moderate Blue Dog group. “And quite frankly, not to work out a compromise with the Senate, in my mind, is unacceptable.” (Werner, DeBonis and Bade, 6/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
Border Bill Passes In House, Opening A Democratic Rift
The bill provides nearly $2.9 billion for the care of children who enter the U.S. unaccompanied. It funds 30 new teams of immigration judges, and more than $1 billion goes toward Customs and Border Protection to help the agency process migrants. (Duehren and Peterson, 6/28)
The New York Times:
House Passes Senate Border Bill In Striking Defeat For Pelosi
“In order to get resources to the children fastest, we will reluctantly pass the Senate bill,” Ms. Pelosi said in a letter to Democratic lawmakers. “As we pass the Senate bill, we will do so with a battle cry as to how we go forward to protect children in a way that truly honors their dignity and worth.” (Hirschfeld Davis and Cochrane, 6/27)
The Associated Press:
Border Bill Exposes Dems' Rift Over Limits Of Fighting Trump
While both chambers of Congress approved the package by lopsided margins, Senate Democrats led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer backed it overwhelmingly, with just six Democrats voting "no." They congratulated themselves for cutting the best deal they could in the Republican-controlled chamber, where the rules virtually force the two parties to compromise if legislation is to pass. "You've got a 30-1 vote," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, Senate Democrats' chief negotiator on the measure, citing the Appropriations Committee's overwhelming approval, which presaged the Senate's 84-8 final passage. "Around here these days you couldn't get 30-1 that the sun rises in the East." (Fram, 6/28)
NPR:
Democratic-Led House Passes Senate's, Less Restrictive, Emergency Border Bill
Pressure to pass an aid package to deal with overcrowded and filthy facilities and to provide adequate care for a burgeoning population of unaccompanied minors who are detained for weeks in temporary shelters has intensified over the past week following reports from lawyers who visited the children. (Romo, 6/27)
The New York Times:
Five Takeaways From The Border Aid Vote
House Democrats have long played up their diversity, saying that the variety of viewpoints strengthen the party’s reach.But the different factions have frequently clashed, with more moderate members voicing concern that the progressive wing pushes the party too far to the left and more liberal members complaining about the tendency of moderate members to break with the party and vote with Republicans. (Cochrane, 6/27)
Politico:
‘Everyone Hates This Place’: Border Bill Tears Apart Democratic Caucus
Democrats broke into open warfare Thursday over Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s surrender to the Senate’s emergency border aid package, with the caucus’ long-simmering divide between progressives and centrists playing out in dramatic fashion on the House floor. Some lawmakers even resorted to public name-calling, with progressive leader Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) accusing moderate Democrats of favoring child abuse — an exchange on Twitter that prompted two freshmen centrists to confront him directly on the floor, with other lawmakers looking on in shock. (Caygle, Ferris and Desiderio, 6/27)
The Washington Post:
Ocasio-Cortez’s Chief Of Staff Accuses Moderate Democrats Of Enabling A ‘Racist System’
After the House passed a divisive spending bill that funds agencies dealing with the border crisis, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s chief of staff criticized her boss’s moderate Democratic colleagues who approved the measure, saying it will “enable a racist system.” The intraparty debate over the $4.6 billion emergency spending bill was the latest example of a deepening divide between centrist Democrats and those further to the left, like Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.). (Thebault, 6/28)
The Associated Press:
Cold, Cramped, Filthy: Migrants Describe Border Centers
At night, the teenage girl from Honduras wraps a thin foil blanket around herself and her infant son as they lie on a floor mat in the cold. The lights are blaring and sleepless children are crying. It’s so crowded inside the caged area that there isn’t space for her baby boy to crawl. This is the 17-year-old’s account, one of dozens filed in federal court this week by advocates for children locked away in the immigration system. (Attanasio, Taxin and Calvan, 6/27)
NPR:
Scenes Of Tearful, Flu-Stricken And Underfed Migrant Kids Emerge In New Accounts
The descriptions contained in sworn declarations as part of a legal case stand in stark contrast to what was seen when federal officials opened the doors of a Border Patrol facility outside El Paso on Wednesday. At the station in Clint, Texas, journalists, including a reporter from NPR, surveyed an orderly and clean facility in which pantries were stocked with snacks like microwavable burritos and soup and storage rooms were full of basic supplies like toothbrushes, soap and clothes. (Rose and Allyn, 6/27)
The Associated Press:
US Government Seeks Part Of Oklahoma's $270M Opioid Deal
The U.S. government wants a portion of Oklahoma's $270 million settlement with Purdue Pharma that stemmed from the state's ongoing lawsuit against opioid makers. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wrote to the head of Oklahoma's Medicaid agency that it has determined the federal government is entitled to part of Oklahoma's proceeds. (6/27)
The Washington Post:
Federal Government Demands Part Of Oklahoma’s $270 Million Deal With Purdue
In a June 12 letter to an Oklahoma Medicaid official, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it “is aware the state reached the aforementioned $270 million . . . settlement with the Purdue defendants” and “the federal government is entitled to a portion of that amount.” The settlement stemmed from Oklahoma’s 2017 lawsuit against three major pharmaceutical companies — Purdue, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Johnson & Johnson — that has become a closely watched first test of whether states and cities can force the drug industry to pay for the damage of the opioid epidemic. (Bernstein, 6/27)
The Associated Press:
New Florida Law Authorizes Statewide Needle Exchanges
Jose Garcia carried a drawstring backpack full of used syringes as he walked into the converted shipping container that serves as the base for Florida’s only hypodermic needle exchange program. The 57-year-old carefully counted as he dropped 115 syringes one-by-one into a locked biohazard bin brimming with hundreds of other used needles. (Rua, 6/27)
NPR:
Florida Republicans Approve Miami Needle-Exchange Program
There's a green van parked on the edge of downtown Miami on a corner shadowed by overpasses. The van is a mobile health clinic and syringe exchange where people who inject drugs like heroin and fentanyl can swap dirty needles for fresh ones. One of the clinic's regular visitors, a man with heavy black arrows tattooed on his arms, waits on the sidewalk to get clean needles. "I'm Arrow," he says, introducing himself. "Pleasure." (Mack, 6/27)
The Associated Press:
Court Won't Halt Suits Against Doctor Over Drug Dose Deaths
A court official has refused to pause pretrial proceedings in wrongful-death lawsuits against a doctor charged with 25 counts of murder and the Ohio hospital system where he worked. William Husel is accused of ordering excessive painkiller doses given to dozens of patients in the Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System who later died. (6/27)
The New York Times:
The Lessons Of Washington State’s Watered Down ‘Public Option’
For those who dream of universal health care, Washington State looks like a pioneer. As Gov. Jay Inslee pointed out in the first Democratic presidential debate on Wednesday, his state has created the country’s first “public option” — a government-run health plan that would compete with private insurance. Ten years ago, the idea of a public option was so contentious that Obamacare became law only after the concept was discarded. Now it’s gaining support again, particularly among Democratic candidates like Joe Biden who see it as a more moderate alternative to a Bernie Sanders-style “Medicare for all.” (Kliff, 6/27)
CNN:
Medtronic Recalls MiniMed Insulin Pumps As FDA Warns About Hacking Risk
The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning on Thursday about possible risk of hacking for some diabetes patients' insulin pumps. Certain insulin pumps from Medtronic MiniMed have been recalled due to potential cybersecurity risks and it's recommended for people who use those insulin pumps to switch to different models, according to the FDA. (Howard, 6/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
FDA Says Medtronic Insulin Pumps Pose Cybersecurity Risk
Medtronic began notifying patients about the issue Thursday, saying a hacker could potentially connect wirelessly to a nearby insulin pump to change settings or control insulin delivery. But the company said the likelihood of such a danger from hackers is small, and that the unauthorized person would need to be in fairly close proximity to the person with the insulin pump—several feet away, or potentially at a house next door, depending on the hacking equipment being used. (Burton, 6/27)
The Washington Post:
Gilead’s Deal To Provide Free HIV Prevention Drug Truvada For Trump Effort Is Getting House Scrutiny
The chairman of the House Oversight Committee is expanding the committee’s review of Gilead Science’s patent claims relating to Truvada for PrEP, the company’s drug that prevents HIV infection. In a letter released Thursday, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) demanded emails and other information from Gilead about negotiations that led to Gilead’s pledge to donate free doses of the drug for President Trump’s effort to eradicate HIV by 2030. (Rowland, 6/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
Walgreens Profit Squeezed By Generic Drugs
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. needs a new business model to offset thinning profits from the sale of generic drugs, which continue to drag down results, the drugstore chain’s chief executive said Thursday. The comments from Stefano Pessina came after the Deerfield, Ill.-based company said profit fell in the latest quarter from a year earlier even as sales increased. (Terlep and Al-Muslim, 6/27)
Reuters:
Pfizer Names Former FDA Chief Scott Gottlieb To Its Board
Pfizer Inc said on Thursday it has named former U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb to its board of directors, effective immediately. Gottlieb stepped down abruptly as the FDA chief in March this year, a role he had held since May 2017. (6/27)
The Associated Press:
Future Is In Doubt For Cheaper Versions Of Biologic Drugs
They were the drugs that were supposed to save the U.S. tens of billions of dollars. Called "biosimilars," they are near-copies of complex and expensive biologic drugs to treat cancer, rare diseases and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and colitis. But U.S. sales have been so limited that their future is in doubt. Already, one company has scrapped nearly all its biosimilar development projects. (6/27)
The Associated Press:
Amazon Adds New Option: Buy On Amazon, Pick Up At Rite Aid
Amazon is adding a new way to get your packages: head over to another store's sales counter to pick it up. Starting Thursday, Amazon shoppers will be able to fetch their orders at more than 100 Rite Aid stores across the United States. It will expand to 1,500 Rite Aid locations by year-end. And Amazon said it's looking to bring the service to other stores, both big and small. It's the first time Amazon is bringing the service to the U.S., after it began offering it at stores in Italy and the United Kingdom last month. (6/27)
CNN:
Hepatitis A Vaccine Recommended Through Age 18 And For HIV Patients
Amid a surge in hepatitis A cases across the United States, an advisory panel for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending vaccination against the virus for children and teens who have not been immunized, as well as HIV patients. Previously, hepatitis A vaccination was recommended for children ages 12 to 23 months. (Howard, 6/27)
The Associated Press:
Health Panel: Millions Of US Kids Should Get Hepatitis Shot
Thirteen years ago, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended hepatitis A shots for all U.S. children at age 1. On Thursday, the panel said the shots should be given to older children who weren't vaccinated earlier, including 14- to 18-year-olds who turned 1 before the recommendation was made. (6/27)
The New York Times:
HPV Vaccine Proving Very Successful
HPV, or human papilloma virus, is a common sexually transmitted disease, and while most cases are harmless, some types of the virus can cause genital warts and cancer. Researchers reviewed 40 studies of HPV infection in 14 high-income countries, with data from more than 60 million people followed for up to eight years after vaccination. The study is in The Lancet. They found that the prevalence of HPV 16 and 18, which cause most cases of cervical cancer, decreased over the period by 83 percent among girls ages 13 to 19, and by 66 percent among women 20 to 24. (Bakalar, 6/27)
The Associated Press:
Vaccine No Match Against Flu Bug That Popped Up Near End
The flu vaccine turned out to be a big disappointment again. The vaccine didn't work against a flu bug that popped up halfway through the past flu season, dragging down overall effectiveness to 29%, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday. The flu shot was working well early in the season with effectiveness put at 47% in February. But it was virtually worthless during a second wave driven by a tougher strain, at just 9%. (6/27)