January, 2023

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STAT+: Medicare Advantage insurers to repay billions under final federal audit rule

STAT

The federal government will audit Medicare Advantage insurers aggressively under a rule finalized Monday, which is expected to result in billions of dollars in overpayments going back toward Medicare’s trust fund and patients over the next decade. However, federal officials watered down one of the auditing policies by giving insurers seven years of immunity from having the samples of their diagnosis coding errors extrapolated to their broader Medicare Advantage membership.

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This biotech CEO secured two billion-dollar Big Pharma deals during the pandemic

PharmaVoice

With the industry focused on cancer and COVID-19, Marc de Garidel made deals centered on cardio.

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Google and DeepMind share work on medical chatbot Med-PaLM

pharmaphorum

Google and DeepMind have developed an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot tool called Med-PaLM designed to generate “safe and helpful answers” to questions posed by healthcare professionals and patients. The tool is an example of a large language model or LLM, which are designed to understand queries and generate text responses in plain language, drawing from large and complex datasets – in this case, medical research.

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New Report: More than 160 medicines in development for mental illness

PhRMA

Mental illness represents a broad spectrum of health conditions affecting mood, thinking and behavior. These conditions include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorder, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, among others. Each of these illnesses often varies in its degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe, and may occur together.

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Navigating Payroll Compliance: Future-Proofing Payroll in an Evolving Regulatory Landscape

Speaker: Jennifer Hill

Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.

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Major study on DMT shows promise for depression

European Pharmaceutical Review

The first major study on the efficacy of DMT in treating any mental health condition showed a remission rate of 57 percent following a single dose, in a Phase IIa trial for major depressive disorder (MDD). “SPL026 (intravenous DMT) with supportive therapy was shown to have a significant antidepressant effect that was rapid and durable, with a remission rate of 57 percent at three months following a single dose of SPL026,” stated Dr Carol Routledge, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer at Small P

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STAT+: Pfizer is scolded by a U.K. trade group for remarks its CEO made about vaccination

STAT

After weeks of deliberation, Pfizer was scolded by a U.K. pharmaceutical industry trade group after its chief executive officer made misleading statements in a media interview about the need to vaccinate young children against Covid-19. The fracas began when the Pfizer chief, Albert Bourla, gave an interview to the BBC and discussed the idea of vaccinating children between five and 11 years old, a course of action that had not yet been approved by regulators in the U.K.

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Forks in the road lead one medical expert to a ‘game changing’ liver treatment

PharmaVoice

Durect’s chief medical officer altered his retirement plans to take a leading role at the company, which is developing a treatment for severe alcohol-associated hepatitis.

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HIV vaccine being developed by Johnson & Johnson fails clinical trial

STAT

Yet another experimental HIV vaccine has failed. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases reported Wednesday that a Phase 3 clinical trial of a vaccine was stopped because the vaccine was ineffective at preventing HIV infection. The vaccine was being developed by Janssen, the vaccine division of Johnson & Johnson.

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Routine vaccinations drop among U.S. kindergartners for the third year in a row

STAT

The percentage of U.S. kindergartners who’ve received standard childhood vaccines took a small but notable dip into the 2021-2022 school year, health officials said Thursday, amid disruptions related to Covid-19 and fears that anti-vaccine sentiment stirred up by the pandemic could be spreading to other shots. Vaccinations among children remain high, but the trend — with coverage dropping from about 95% in the 2019-2020 school year to 94% in 2020-2021 to 93% in 2021-2022, according

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From Diagnosis to Delivery: How AI is Revolutionizing the Patient Experience

Speaker: Simran Kaur, Founder & CEO at Tattva Health Inc.

The healthcare landscape is being revolutionized by AI and cutting-edge digital technologies, reshaping how patients receive care and interact with providers. In this webinar led by Simran Kaur, we will explore how AI-driven solutions are enhancing patient communication, improving care quality, and empowering preventive and predictive medicine. You'll also learn how AI is streamlining healthcare processes, helping providers offer more efficient, personalized care and enabling faster, data-driven

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For most mild infections, long Covid symptoms clear after a year, large study finds

STAT

Since long Covid emerged, how best to define it, predict it, and treat it has been up for debate, but perhaps the most urgent question for patients and providers alike has been how long it lasts. A new study analyzing nearly 2 million patient records in Israel concludes that for most people, the troubling symptoms that persist after a mild Covid infection fade away after about a year.

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Medical schools are missing the mark on artificial intelligence

STAT

Ready or not, health care is undergoing a massive transformation driven by artificial intelligence. But medical schools have barely started to teach about AI and machine learning — creating knowledge gaps that could compound the damage caused by flawed algorithms and biased decision-support systems. “We’re going to be at a point where we’re not going to be able to catch up and be able to call out the technology defects or flaws,” said Erkin Ötleş, a

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Drugstores make slow headway on staffing problems

STAT

Joan Cohrs missed her chance to grab a prescription at her usual drugstore by about 30 seconds. Cohrs walked up to the counter of an Indianapolis CVS pharmacy shortly after a metal curtain descended, closing it for lunch. She didn’t mind. The 60-year-old said she feels compassion for people in health care.

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STAT+: The health tech tracker for 2023’s first quarter: 12 industry events to watch

STAT

Continuing economic uncertainty and the threat of a recession are casting a pall over health tech in 2023 — a dramatic shift for an industry that enjoyed abundant funding in the pandemic’s early stages. Last quarter’s string of layoffs at companies like Ro, Noom and ThirtyMadison portend tight budgets and conservative contracts this year, with employers unsure about which digital offerings actually drive down health care costs for workers.

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Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide

Managing HR tasks like payroll, compliance, and employee data can overwhelm small businesses. That’s where a Human Capital Management (HCM) solution comes in. Our eBook, Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide , shows how an HCM system automates tedious processes, ensuring your business stays compliant and efficient. You’ll learn how to simplify payroll, eliminate costly errors, and empower your employees with self-service tools.

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STAT+: Oscar Health’s CEO on post-hype health insurance and finally turning a profit

STAT

Oscar Health has excelled at one thing in particular since its inception a decade ago: burning cash. The health insurance company did not plan to be profitable immediately. It was staking its future on the new Affordable Care Act marketplaces and had to grow quickly to compete with larger insurance carriers. Oscar organized its health insurance product through an app, promoted virtual care, advertised on New York subways, and then low-balled prices in certain markets to attract young, healthy pe

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Mix-it-yourself Wegovy? Some are trying risky sources for weight-loss drugs

STAT

With a few clicks, Daniel added the chemical to his online cart and ordered it. In less than a week, a vial containing white powder arrived at his house. He used a syringe to measure out sterile water and eject it into the vial to dissolve the powder. Then, with a different syringe, he drew up about a quarter of a milliliter of the solution and injected it into his lower abdomen.

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Opinion: NIH advances landmark recommendations on disability inclusion and anti-ableism

STAT

A diverse and inclusive workforce benefits science and research. But unless it includes people living with a disability — the largest minority group in the U.S. and around the world — research will never be fully representative and science will not reach its full potential. Although 27% of U.S. adults live with a disability, only 10% of science, engineering, and health doctorate holders, and less than 2% of researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health, report having a di

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Live blog: Tracking the meeting of the FDA advisory panel on Covid vaccines

STAT

Fasten your seat belts, folks. We’re about to hit some turbulence. If you’re reading this, you’re interested in the discussion on the future of Covid-19 vaccination that’s going to take place today in a meeting of the Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee. We at STAT can’t predict the outcome, but we know enough to expect that this meeting will feature some heated debate.

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Position Your Pharmacy for Expansion

Speaker: Chris Antypas and Josh Halladay

Access to limited distribution drugs and payer contracts are key to pharmacy expansion. But how do you prepare your operations to take the next step? Meaningful data: Collect and share clinical data regarding outcomes, utilization, and more Reporting: Limited distribution models require efficient tracking and reporting systems Workflows: Align workflows with specific pharma and payer contractual requirements For in-depth, expert insights on pharmacy expansion, watch this webinar from Inovalon.

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A new study links social media use to changes in teen brains. Is that a bad thing?

STAT

Today’s teens and tweens have never known a world without social media. There are still a lot of open questions about how sites like TikTok and Instagram may shape their development — and stories focusing on the potential negative impacts of social media tend to dominate the news. But a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics is the latest in a growing body of research that suggests the relationship that young people have with social media is too complicated to be categorized as

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FDA scientists propose an annual Covid shot matched to current strains

STAT

Scientists at the Food and Drug Administration propose making Covid vaccination a regular, once-a-year shot that is updated to match current strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to documents posted by the FDA on Monday. For people who are older or immunocompromised, the FDA would recommend two annual doses of the revised shot.

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STAT+: As more never-smokers develop lung cancer, researchers test an AI model to predict patient risk

STAT

Massachusetts General Hospital is launching a prospective trial of an artificial intelligence tool designed to predict patients’ risk of lung cancer, a crucial area of inquiry amid rising incidence of the disease in never-smokers. The trial, to begin later this year, will test the accuracy and usefulness of an AI system the hospital developed with researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Jameel Clinic.

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Mistakes happen in research papers. But corrections often don’t

STAT

Mistakes happen — in life, in the lab, and, inevitably, in research papers, too. Journals use corrections and retractions to resolve those mistakes. But one particularly high-profile case is now drawing fresh attention to the problems with journals’ process for addressing concerns about research integrity. Late last year, Stanford University announced that it was opening an investigation into its president, neuroscientist Marc Tessier-Lavigne, over allegations of research misconduc

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Best Practices to Streamline Compensation Management: A Foundation for Growth

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

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Scientists are finding increasing evidence for a link between air pollution and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s

STAT

The air in Mexico City was once so toxic that people watched as dead birds fell out of the sky. In 1992, the United Nations declared the city the most polluted in the world, with its unregulated diesel engines, factory production, fossil-fuel powered energy plants, and widespread use of internal-combustion engines, all trapped in a high-altitude, mountain-lined valley.

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STAT+: An FDA pathway to clear medical devices is putting patients at risk, research suggests

STAT

The Food and Drug Administration’s approach to evaluating some new medical devices might actually increase the risk that those devices will later be recalled over safety concerns. For some medical devices, the FDA requires data from studies in people to show that the device, including things like implantable heart defibrillators or stents, is safe and effective.

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STAT+: Fate Therapeutics plans mass layoffs, after early end to cell therapy deal with Janssen

STAT

SAN DIEGO — Fate Therapeutics, a biotech upstart with big ambitions to use cell-based therapies to treat autoimmune diseases and cancer, is now planning to cut back on both jobs and experimental drugs after an early end to a deal with Janssen. The setback, announced Thursday, will cut the company’s size to 220 workers by the end of the first quarter of this year.

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STAT+: FDA’s Califf says congressional report on Aduhelm controversy contained “no surprises”

STAT

SAN FRANCISCO –  U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner Robert Califf doesn’t disagree with the basic findings of a congressional investigation into the agency’s role in the controversial approval of Aduhelm, Biogen’s first Alzheimer’s drug. He just wishes the report’s tone had been different. “There were no surprises in the report,” Califf told STAT’s Matt Herper during a Monday night event hosted by STAT during the J.P

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Enhance Healthcare Efficiency With Top Payroll & HCM Services

Running a healthcare facility requires precision and care, not just for patients but also for your staff. Our guide, "A Buyer’s Guide to Payroll & HCM Services," helps healthcare providers choose the best provider. Efficient payroll management ensures timely, accurate payments, critical for maintaining staff morale and trust. Compliance support helps navigate complex healthcare regulations and avoid costly fines.