MHE March 2024

Greg Baker, CEO of AffirmedRx, describes his early career, shares some of his critical opinions about the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industry and how, in his view, his company is offering a better alternative.

Tthe FDA approved Kevzara (sarilumab),an interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor, last year. It may help people with polymyalgia rheumatica ease off taking glucocorticoids.

Small cell lung cancer is a less common form of lung cancer and very aggressive. Researchers and drug developers are looking for new treatments, especially for patients whose cancers have stopped responding to first- and second-line treatments. Tarlatamab, a bispecific T-cell engager, looks promising as a third-line treatment.

Two herring fishing businesses are challenging the so-called Chevron deference that gives federal agencies considerable leeway in setting regulations. The Supreme Court heard their cases in January.

Simmering tensions in the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industry have turned into fault lines. The PBMs challenging the "big three" have formed a trade association. Purchaser coalitions want change. The head of the industry's trade group says inherent marketplace friction has spilled over into political friction.

Hospitals and healthcare software developers are adjusting to a world in which blocking healthcare data will come with potentially stiff penalties under rules proposed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).

Canadian health officials warn that maintaining a drug supply for Canadians is their priority. The staunch opposition of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry may also be an obstacle to imports from north of the border.

Biotech companies and researchers are investigating whether psychedelics could be used to treat a variety of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.