Drugs

Trump Changing Drug Price Plan

HHS secretary Alex Azar says the administration is changing a key element in its plan to lower drug prices because President Donald Trump wants the plan to go further than originally announced. The Hill reports that Azar spoke at an Axios event and said that under the original proposal some Medicare drug prices would be tied to lower prices paid in other developed countries, an idea known as the International Pricing Index.

Azar said that although the idea would have lowered prices from where they are now, they still would have been a certain percentage higher than in other countries. He said Trump was not satisfied with that plan and wanted it changed so that prices in the U.S. were lower than in other countries.

The report says it’s unclear if the proposal will ever take effect as Azar did not commit to finalizing it. “I cannot prejudge the president’s decision-making,” he said. The secretary indicated that the proposal would not be an executive order, but rather a formally proposed HHS regulation.

Congressional Republicans have pushed back against the plan, saying it breaks from traditional GOP policy by linking U.S. prices to those in other countries where there are price controls. And Democrats have praised the plan, while also saying it does not go far enough since it would only lower prices for physician-administered drugs for Medicare recipients, meaning that those with private insurance or obtaining drugs at a pharmacy would not benefit.

Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton’s responses on vaccines, contraception and abortion medication during her 9/24 Senate confirmation hearing raise concerns that ideology could influence her decision-making if she takes over the agency, MSNBC senior medical analyst Dr. Vin Gupta said Friday. Gupta was particularly critical of Overton’

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA commissioner nominee Heidi Overton emerged from her Senate confirmation hearing Thursday (see earlier story) without resolving questions about whether she has enough Republican support to advance — and with a rapidly narrowing window for confirmation before the midterm elections. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing provided few

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA has classified Boston Scientific's recall of its Imager II Angiographic Catheters as Class I because a manufacturing problem could cause catheter tips to degrade and detach, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The agency announced the Class I classification 9/25, updating an Early Alert it issued

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome

FDA has approved Roche’s Gazyva (obinutuzumab) for reducing the risk of relapse in adults and children aged 2 and older with frequently relapsing or steroid-dependent, childhood-onset idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who are in remission. The expanded approval covers the use of the CD20-directed antibody beyond its existing

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Gupta Raises Concerns About Overton’s Independence, Ideology

Overton Confirmation Remains Uncertain After Senate Hearing

FDA Classifies Boston Scientific Imager II Catheter Recall as Class I

FDA Approves Gazyva for Childhood-Onset Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome