2023

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Importance of Patient Navigation in Specialty Pharmacy

Pharmacy Times

Many patients face significant challenges in accessing their specialty medications, which highlights the importance of pharmacy-deployed patient navigation programs designed to help resolve nonclinical, system-related barriers to care.

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Here are the worst biopharma CEOs of 2023

STAT

Pfizer is this year’s anti-Eli Lilly. If David Ricks is the best biopharma CEO of 2023 , then Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla is, unfortunately, the worst. My annual Worst Biopharma CEO list is typically populated with blockheads and scoundrels. That’s not why Bourla is here. The reason is accountability. Strategic missteps , financial miscalculations, and scientific setbacks have plunged Pfizer into a deep crisis.

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Talking techbio with NVIDIA: Accelerated computing, NLP, and GenAI in drug discovery

pharmaphorum

Talking techbio with NVIDIA: Accelerated computing, NLP, and GenAI in drug discovery Mike.

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9 Ways Pharmacies Can Participate in Health Literacy Month

Digital Pharmacist

Health literacy plays a crucial role in the overall well-being of individuals and communities. October is recognized as Health Literacy Month, a time when healthcare professionals, organizations, and communities come together to promote understanding and access to health information. Pharmacies, as key healthcare providers at the frontline, have a unique opportunity to actively participate in Health Literacy Month and contribute to improving the health literacy of their customers.

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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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Study suggests PBMs are gaming pharmacy system to overcharge for drugs

PharmaVoice

Markups for generics can be as high as 7,000%, the researchers said.

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As ALS research booms, one treatment center finds itself in the spotlight

BioPharma Dive

The Healey center is at the front of ALS research and care, earning acclaim from patients, doctors and scientists. Still, the complexities of the disease and of drug development have brought hard-felt losses.

More Trending

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Texas AG sues Pfiz­er and Tris Phar­ma for adul­ter­at­ed ADHD drug

Pharmaceutical Technology

Texas AG has sued Pfizer and Tris Pharma for providing adulterated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder drug, Quillivant XR, to children.

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Trends shaping the pharmaceutical industry in 2024

PharmaVoice

Advancements in cloud and AI technology will transform clinical trial efficiency and engagement.

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Opinion: Manufacturers need to be more open about a dangerous Alzheimer’s drug side effect

STAT

Since the FDA’s approval of lecanemab (marketed as Leqembi) and Medicare’s recent decision to cover the drug, I have met with Alzheimer’s patients and their loved ones who are anxious to know whether they may benefit from this new treatment. They come in hope that this new medication may slow the progression of a cruel memory-robbing and personality-eroding disease.

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STAT+: UnitedHealth used secret rules to restrict rehab care for seriously ill Medicare Advantage patients

STAT

Health insurance giant UnitedHealth Group used secret rules to restrict access to rehabilitation care requested by specific groups of seriously ill patients, including those who lived in nursing homes or suffered from cognitive impairment, according to internal documents obtained by STAT. The documents, which outline parameters for the clinicians who initially review referrals for rehab care, reveal that many patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans were routed for a quick denial based on c

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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+: Complications spiked 25% in hospitals bought by private equity

STAT

There’s ample evidence that private equity buyouts in health care drive up costs. A new study shows quality declines, too. Hospitals acquired by private equity saw a 25% uptick in adverse events compared with controls, according to a new study released today in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The findings add to an accumulating body of literature underscoring the harm that occurs when financial investors take over health care providers — not only hospitals, but nur

Hospitals 364
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Quitting alcohol — or even drinking less — reduces risk of oral cavity and esophageal cancer, per new analysis

STAT

Reducing or eliminating alcohol consumption reduces the risk of developing oral cavity and esophagus cancers, according to a special report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. But more data are needed to conclude whether the same is true for several other cancer types, including colorectal, breast, and liver cancer. Even so, it is likely that reducing or ceasing to drink alcohol will lessen the risk of these cancers, said Farhad Islami, a cancer epidemiologist at the American C

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Health data breaches hit an all-time high in 2023

STAT

Odds are, you’ve gotten at least one of the unnerving letters in your mailbox this year: “We’re writing to inform you of a cybersecurity incident,” it might start. It’s the standard notice many health care organizations are required to provide when your protected health information gets exposed — and in 2023, data leaks, hacks, and mishandling led more of them to be delivered than ever before.

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U.S. government spent more on health care in 2022 than six countries with universal health care combined

STAT

American taxpayers footed the bill for at least $1.8 trillion in federal and state health care expenditures in 2022 — about 41% of the nearly $4.5 trillion in both public and private health care spending the U.S. recorded last year, according to the annual report released last week by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. On top of that $1.8 trillion, third-party programs, which are often government-funded, and public health programs accounted for another $600 billion in spendin

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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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After ‘SNL’ skit on sickle cell CRISPR therapy, advocates cite errors and stereotypes

STAT

Mary Brown was sipping coffee at home in Ontario, Calif., Sunday morning when a friend sent a video clip that ruined her breakfast. It contained a skit from “Saturday Night Live” the night before about the new gene therapies for sickle cell disease. In it, workers gather for an office white-elephant-style gift exchange. A white employee, played by Kate McKinnon, gives a Black employee with sickle cell, played by Kenan Thompson, enrollment in “Vertex Pharmaceutical and CRISPR

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NIH panel calls for fewer, better-paid postdocs in bid to halt loss of scientists to industry

STAT

A National Institutes of Health working group on Friday recommended a sizable increase in salaries of postdoctoral researchers and a cap on the length of the position in an effort to secure the future of academia’s research workforce amid an unprecedented exodus of young life scientists to industry. The group called for raising minimum postdoc salaries to $70,000 beginning next year — an increase of more than 20% — and adjusting wages for annual inflation, as well as limitin

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Gene therapy offered this 7-year-old freedom. The price: a grueling year

STAT

PHILADELPHIA — The meds Shelby Campbell needed for her rare blood disorder stopped working just after her sixth birthday. She lost her appetite and was often doubled over in pain. She continued getting blood transfusions but her doctors struggled to manage side effects that threatened her organs. By the time she turned 7, the doctors told her parents they had to do something — soon.

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STAT+: Humana used algorithm in ‘fraudulent scheme’ to deny care to Medicare Advantage patients, lawsuit alleges

STAT

Medicare Advantage beneficiaries on Tuesday filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that the health insurance giant Humana illegally used an algorithm to prematurely cut off payment for rehabilitation care after patients suffered serious illnesses and injuries. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Western Kentucky, argues Humana’s reliance on the algorithm, known as nH Predict, was part of a fraudulent scheme to reap a windfall by systematically denying claims to desperately ill people

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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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In historic decision, FDA approves a CRISPR-based medicine for treatment of sickle cell disease

STAT

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved the world’s first medicine based on CRISPR gene-editing technology, a groundbreaking treatment for sickle cell disease that delivers a potential cure for people born with the chronic and life-shortening blood disorder. The new medicine , called Casgevy, is made by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics.

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New gene therapies confront many sickle cell patients with an impossible choice: a cure or fertility

STAT

As a teenager, Marie Tornyenu was always having to explain herself. If it wasn’t the chronic absences that had her doing homework from a hospital bed, it was the quilted blanket she carried with her on the days she could attend class. “It was a running joke that I was like 80 years old,” she said. “I would usually just laugh it off because the alternative was too depressing.

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Inhaled vaccines could stop Covid infections, monkey studies show

STAT

Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today?  Sign up  to get our biotech newsletter in your inbox. Hey there. Today, we get into why Amy Abernethy is leaving Verily, and why the ongoing reckoning with AI doesn’t necessarily need the voice of Google to chime in. Plus, Jason Mast pops in to give an update on Uniqure’s puzzling approach to presenting trial results.

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STAT+: Pfizer plans to depart BIO

STAT

WASHINGTON — Pfizer has decided to leave the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, according to two sources familiar with the decision. The departure is a blow to BIO, which represents members ranging from small biotech startups to massive pharmaceutical companies. The group on Tuesday announced its new CEO, rare disease advocate and biotech executive John Crowley.

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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.

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STAT+: CVS’s new drug payment plan won’t lower patients’ prices, experts warn

STAT

CVS Health is promising to simplify how its pharmacies get paid for drugs. But that doesn’t mean the drugs will get cheaper. The country’s biggest pharmacy chain said it’s switching to a system where pharmacy benefit managers, employers, and other insurers pay for drugs based on the cost of the drug plus a set markup and dispensing fee.

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STAT+: J&J to emphasize cancer drugs and stop much of its vaccine research

STAT

Eight months into his tenure, Johnson & Johnson’s R&D chief is putting a big emphasis on medicines for cancer, treatment-resistant depression, and autoimmune disease. To sharpen that focus, R&D chief John Reed told STAT that the company is de-emphasizing two areas that have been mainstays for the drug and medical device giant: infectious disease and vaccines, as well as medicines targeting kidney disease and rare eye conditions.

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Is the flu shot market a slam dunk for mRNA vaccines? Experts aren’t so sure

STAT

Here are two things that are true. The world needs more effective flu vaccines. And pharmaceutical companies that learned of the vaccine-making power of the messenger RNA platform during the Covid-19 pandemic need new markets for their technology.

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‘Last roll of the dice’ for a near-term HIV vaccine fails

STAT

A study billed as the last chance to develop an HIV vaccine this decade has been shut down, investigators announced Wednesday at a conference in Harare, Zimbabwe. The trial, known as PrEPVacc, was testing two different vaccine regimens on about 1,500 volunteers in East and Southern Africa. After multiple other high-profile trials failed , a PrEPVacc investigator described the study this summer as “ the last roll of the dice ” for an HIV vaccine until the 2030s.

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5 Reasons to Upgrade Your Pharmacy Management Software

Are you still using workarounds to manage your daily operations? To achieve peak performance, it's time to explore other options for specialty and infusion pharmacy software. Streamline pharmacy operations and improve clinical performance with automated processing, real-time data exchange, and electronic decision support. Download this helpful infographic to: Drive efficiency and patient adherence from referral receipt to delivery and ongoing care – all with our Pharmacy Cloud.

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New England Journal of Medicine reckons with its racist past and complicity in slavery

STAT

The New England Journal of Medicine, the world’s oldest continually published medical journal, publicly reckoned with its history and complicity surrounding slavery and racism Wednesday, publishing the first of a series of essays by independent historians on the role the prestigious publication has played in perpetuating racist thinking in medicine that continues to this day.

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STAT+: Critics say HCA’s cost-cutting is endangering Appalachian patients — a warning for the whole U.S. health care system

STAT

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — There was the beeping of monitors, the stiff sheets, the sterile smell of the hospital room. Mostly, there was pain. Sharp, relentless pain. Mike Messino was recovering from a successful surgery, but the nerve blocks had worn off. He spent two full hours waiting for a nurse to inject pain medication. When he’d worked in this hospital, he’d made sure patients didn’t wait longer than 15 minutes for that kind of care.

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STAT+: In the U.S., scientists see barriers to the development of CAR-T therapies. In Spain, a hospital brews its own

STAT

BARCELONA, Spain — Some of the patients waiting in the oncology ward of a hospital here, with its green-tiled floor and white walls, had arrived for a newfangled remedy for blood cancers, what’s known as a CAR-T therapy. The patients were not here for one of the brand-name medicines — a Kymriah or Yescarta — that have shown the power of these cell-based approaches and helped reap their makers hundreds of millions of dollars.

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House passes site-neutral policy, transparency, PBM reform package

STAT

WASHINGTON — The House passed a relatively major health care package late Monday, an end-of-year victory after the same policies had to be yanked from consideration in September because they lacked bipartisan support. Though the package is unlikely to pass the Senate and become law as-is, its advancing through the House does make each included policy more attractive for a potential government funding deal, as lawmakers draw closer to the Jan. 19 deadline to fund the government and extend

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STAT+: Mayo Clinic to spend $5 billion on tech-heavy redesign of its Minnesota campus

STAT

Mayo Clinic will spend $5 billion to reinvent its flagship medical campus in Rochester, Minn., infusing digital technologies into several new buildings designed to present a 21st-century vision of clinical care, the organization said Tuesday. The project, to include five new buildings with 2.4 million square feet of space, will merge Mayo’s traditional medical services with its increasing investments in artificial intelligence and digital tools.