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☆ A CVS Health pharmacy in Vegas becomes first to join new national pharmacy union
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A CVS Omicare pharmacy in Las Vegas has become the first location to join a new national pharmacy union, a milestone as organizers try to help thousands of U.S. pharmacy workers address what they call unsafe working conditions. Nearly 30 pharmacy staff at the Las Vegas branch of CVS's Omnicare won their union election on Thursday by a landslide margin of 87% to 13%. Those workers now join The Pharmacy Guild, which will represent them in labor negotiations with CVS. The Pharmacy Guild will now work to strike a union contract with CVS to address the concerns of Omnicare workers in Las Vegas. The Pharmacy Guild is seeing momentum build in other parts of the country.

Persons: CVS's Omnicare, Shane Jerominski, Jerominski Organizations: CVS, Las, Pharmacy, CNBC, IAM Healthcare, Walgreens, Rite - Locations: Las Vegas, CVS's, Nevada, Rhode Island

☆ Meet the private doctor to the wealthy — at $40,000 a year
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Robert Frank | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

When people ask Dr. Jordan Shlain to describe his medical practice, he says simply: "It's a family office for your health." Rather than simply offering on-call doctors and faster visits, Private Medical has pioneered a highly personalized, all-in-one service that's more akin to the most sophisticated family offices for investments. Like family offices, Private Medical has an in-house team to manage a family's entire health portfolio – from fitness and dietary tracking to longevity research, surgeries and medical emergencies. Private Medical doesn't advertise and gets most of its business through referrals. Shlain declined to give specifics on price, but clients of Private Medical say it charges $40,000 a year for each adult patient and $25,000 per patient under the age of 18.

Persons: Robert Frank, Jordan Shlain, Shlain Organizations: Private, Private Medical, California —, Research Locations: California, California — San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills —, York, Miami

☆ Walgreens CEO says 'human interface' will help the chain beat Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth told CNBC's Jim Cramer his retail pharmacy chain can rival Amazon because of its human-to-human interactions with customers. Wentworth said he loves Amazon, and the online retail giant has set the bar and driven innovation in the industry. But he emphasized that its consumer presence is really what makes the company competitive against Amazon. Over the past few years, Walgreens' business has been hurt by decreasing demand for Covid products, low pharmacy reimbursement rates, competition from online retailers and discontent from pharmacy staff. He also said Walgreens is decreasing pharmacists' "low-value work," such as pill counting, by using micro-fulfillment centers.

Persons: Tim Wentworth, CNBC's Jim Cramer, Wentworth Organizations: Walgreens, Consumers, Amazon Locations: U.S

☆ Ford falls, Amazon advances pharmacy pursuits and Disney board member speaks – our takes the news
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Meanwhile, Amazon 's pharmacy efforts added another wrinkle and Disney 's newest board member weighed in on the proxy fight underway at the entertainment giant. F YTD mountain F stock performance year-to-date. The divergence in stock performance was not great to see. AMZN YTD mountain AMZN stock performance year-to-date. To help offer the swift delivery, Amazon said it is leveraging artificial intelligence "to help pharmacists fill prescriptions quickly and accurately."

Persons: John Lawler, Ford, Jim Cramer, —, Doug Herrington, we're, Jim, Morgan Stanley, James Gorman, Gorman, Trian Partner's Nelson Peltz, Jay Rasulo, We've, Peltz, Wendy's, Heinz, Jim Cramer's, Jim Farley, Bill Pugliano Organizations: Ford Motor, Ford, Bank of America Securities Auto Summit, Motors, Amazon Pharmacy, Worldwide Amazon Stores, Nvidia, CNBC, Disney, FactSet, Procter, Gamble, Unilever, Ford Motor Company, Technology, Getty Locations: —, Monday's Homestretch, New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle , Miami, Indianapolis, Phoenix, Austin , Texas, China, Marshall , Michigan, Romulus , Michigan

☆ Wyoming Bans Gender Transition Care for Minors
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-22 | by ( Amy Harmon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Mark Gordon’s signature, Wyoming joins 23 other states that have passed partial or total bans on gender-affirming care in recent years. Wyoming’s bill, known as Senate File 99, was approved by lawmakers in both chambers earlier this month. Under the legislation, doctors, pharmacists and other health care providers who provide gender-affirming care could have their licenses suspended or revoked. As in other states, proponents of the measure have argued that the treatments in minors are relatively new, and that the long-term effects are not well studied. “I signed SF99 because I support the protections this bill includes for children,” Mr. Gordon said in a statement.

Persons: Mark Gordon’s, Anthony Bouchard, ’, Gordon, “, ” Mr, ’ ’ Sara Burlingame Organizations: Democratic Locations: Wyoming

☆ 8 federal government jobs that can pay over $200K
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Ana Altchek | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

64 federal job categories pay upwards of $200,000, with some reaching $400,000. AdvertisementMany people enter federal roles for job security, not for the money. Data from the US Office of Personnel Management indicates 64 federal job categories have positions that pay over $200,000 — and some pay as much as much as $400,000. AdvertisementThere are currently 55 open positions in this category, with the highest role listed with a starting salary of $180,564. According to OPM, there are currently 319 federal employees in this job category who make over $200,000.

Persons: —, usajobs.gov Organizations: Service, Management, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Department of, IT Management, NASA, FDA, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, General Engineering, Marshall Space Flight, HR Management, National Science Foundation

☆ The jobs where you don't need a bachelor's degree
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Madison Hoff | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Project management saw its share of postings noting a bachelor's or higher slip from January 2019. "I think that points towards some of that potential for skills-first hiring to maybe even impact some of those knowledge worker type of sectors," Stahle said. The new Indeed report noted sectors with big percentage point declines over the last few years for mentions of bachelor's degree or higher in postings. AdvertisementStahle pointed out to BI that software development also saw the share of postings noting a bachelor's or higher fall amid tech layoffs. "It's interesting that the layoffs have happened, but many of the tech employers have still continued to cut in their other job postings," Stahle said.

Persons: —, Cory Stahle, Stahle, we've, they're, isn't, it's Organizations: Service, Business, Employers, Bureau of Labor Statistics

☆ An infamous hacking group is reportedly behind the cyberattack that has left US pharmacies reeling
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Camilo Fonseca | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A high-profile ransomware gang is responsible for the outage that has paralyzed US pharmacies, Reuters reported. Blackcat is behind the attack on UnitedHealth Group's claims management arm last week, per the report. The outage at Chain Healthcare, the payment management arm of healthcare giant UnitedHealth Group, was caused by a ransomware attack by hackers affiliated with Blackcat, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed sources. AdvertisementLast week's attack on Change Healthcare forced its parent company to disconnect its own systems "to prevent further impact," according to UnitedHealth Group. But experts aren't sure if the group responsible for last week's hack was sponsored by foreign actors.

Persons: Blackcat, UnitedHealth, —, Reddit, cybercriminals, Brett Callow Organizations: Reuters, Service, Healthcare, UnitedHealth, Blackcat, Caesars Entertainment, MGM Resorts, UnitedHealth Group, American Pharmacists Association, SEC, Colonial Pipeline, Google, Palo Alto Networks

☆ Outages from cyberattack at UnitedHealth's Change Healthcare extend to seventh day as pharmacies deploy workarounds
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Change Healthcare's systems are down for the seventh day after a cyber threat actor gained access to its network last week. Change Healthcare offers tools for payment and revenue cycle management, and its system outages have disrupted operations in pharmacies and health systems across the country. Change Healthcare merged with Optum in 2022. Rising number of health-care cyberattacksThe attack on Change Healthcare comes after 2023 set a grim record for health-related cybercrime. Impact of Change Healthcare's breachUnitedHealth has not specifically disclosed exactly which Change Healthcare systems have been affected, but the fallout from the cyberattack has caused a ripple of problems across the U.S. health-care system.

Persons: UnitedHealth, John Riggi, Riggi, Cliff Steinhauer, Steinhauer, Cary Brazeman, Brazeman, hadn't Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, UnitedHealth Group, U.S . Securities, Exchange, Change Healthcare, Change, Optum, Healthcare, Palo Alto Networks, Google, CNBC, American Hospital Association, National Cybersecurity Alliance, CVS Health, Walgreens Locations: U.S, Palm Springs

☆ The 4 most in-demand jobs that pay more than $120,000 per year, according to new research
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The labor market continues to offer jobseekers a plethora of opportunities, with employers adding 353,000 jobs in January altogether, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among the industries with the most openings were professional and business services, which added 74,000 jobs, health care, which added 70,000 jobs and retail, which added 45,000 jobs. Here are Ladders' four most in-demand jobs as of February, including the qualifications necessary and annual salaries. Project managerProject managers work in many fields such as architecture, tech and construction. Project managers can make as much as $137,000 per year, according to Indeed.

Organizations: Bureau of Labor Statistics, CVS, Walgreens

☆ Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service is coming to a Gaza hospital
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Mostafa Salem | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Abu Dhabi CNN —Starlink internet service, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, will be provided to the UAE’s field hospital in southern Gaza for patients needing real-time video medical consultations, the UAE’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday. The UAE, which shares good relations with Israel, is one of the few countries operating a field hospital in Gaza. Starlink, operated by SpaceX, uses a network of thousands of satellites to provide broadband, and can deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world, including in areas where conventional internet is unavailable. “Israeli security authorities approved the provision of Starlink services at the UAE’s field hospital operating in Rafah,” the Israeli communication ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. CNN was the first western media outlet allowed to visit the field hospital in Rafah in December.

Persons: Elon Musk’s, Afra Al Hameli, Musk, Shlomo Karhi, ” Karhi Organizations: Abu Dhabi CNN —, Elon, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Communication, SpaceX, “, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, Russian, CNN Locations: Abu Dhabi, Gaza, Rafah, UAE, Israel, Starlink, Ukraine, Russia

☆ A CVS pharmacist at an understaffed store knew she was having a heart attack but stayed at work until she died, her family says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A CVS pharmacist died of a heart attack mid-shift at an understaffed store during the pandemic, USA Today reported. AdvertisementA CVS pharmacist at an understaffed store had a fatal heart attack at work – and her family thinks that she didn't go to the ER because she didn't want to leave the pharmacy unattended. People close to Anderson told USA Today they thought she had decided to wait until her replacement arrived before going to the ER. "COVID has exacerbated this already inhumane situation," a former CVS pharmacist in Connecticut said. Michael DeAngelis, CVS' executive director of corporate communications, told USA Today that Anderson's death was a "tragedy that never should have happened."

Persons: —, –, Ashleigh Anderson, understaffed –, Anderson, Joe Bowman, Anderson texted Bowman, Bowman, Larry Anderson, she'd, COVID, Anderson's, CVS, Michael DeAngelis, Ashleigh, DeAngelis Organizations: Service, USA, Workers, CVS Locations: USA, Seymour , Indiana, Anderson, Connecticut

☆ Ro, the $7 billion healthcare startup, has a high-stakes strategy to take off-brand Ozempic mainstream
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The $7 billion healthcare startup Ro, which has been prescribing brand-name weight-loss shots since January 2023, now offers compounded semaglutide to patients enrolled in its weight-management program. Nonetheless, Ro is the first prominent healthcare company to effectively endorse compounded semaglutide by prescribing it. A poor-quality compounded drug might simply be a dud and a waste of money. But while compounding pharmacies are subject to FDA and state regulations, states are the main regulators, and their oversight is patchy. Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesIt's hard to know if any given vial of compounded semaglutide is safe.

Persons: Wegovy's, Ro, drugmakers, Eli Lilly's, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, Scott Gottlieb, Michael Siluk, That's, they've, Ozempic, Eli Lilly, Eric Kastango, they're, Kastango, aren't, Al Carter, Sarah Jones Simmer, Spencer Nadolsky, WeightWatchers, Tim Church, Wondr, it's, hasn't Organizations: Business, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, US Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, Getty, Novo Nordisk, USP, National Association of, Pharmacy, Health Locations: Novo, Massachusetts, Austria, New York City

For some people with COVID-19, antiviral pills that can be taken at home can lessen the chances of winding up in the hospital. Here’s how to get the pills in the U.S.:— Take an at-home COVID-19 test and contact your health care provider. Photos You Should See View All 45 Images— Use a test-to-treat site, where pharmacists can check if you have COVID-19, write the prescription and give you the pills all in one stop. Find a test-to-treat site at treatments.hhs.gov. Paxlovid is the most commonly prescribed antiviral pill for COVID-19.

Persons: Paxlovid, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: National Institutes of Health’s, Pfizer, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: U.S, treatments.hhs.gov

The Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based company also trimmed its full-year adjusted earnings forecast, citing the possibility of higher medical costs. For the three months ended Dec. 31, CVS Health earned $2.05 billion, or $1.58 per share. CVS Health officials said in November that investors should ground their expectations for 2024 adjusted earnings at the low end of a range of $8.50 to $8.70 per share. CVS Health now foresees 2024 adjusted earnings of at least $8.30 per share. Pharmacists and technicians — mostly for Walgreens and other big retailers like CVS Health — were involved.

Persons: That’s, — Organizations: CVS, CVS Health, Zacks Investment Research, Revenue, CVS Health Corp, Company, Medicare, FactSet, Pharmacists, Walgreens, Rite Aid Locations: Woonsocket , Rhode Island

☆ CVS fined in Ohio for understaffing pharmacy, risking staff and patient safety
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The investigation found that the store was seriously short staffed, pharmacy phones were not working properly and the AC unit was broken. A follow-up visit by agents revealed that the pharmacy was over a month behind in filling prescriptions, according to the agency’s report. In addition to the fine, regulators also put the 7292 Fulton Drive CVS store on probation for at least three years during which it will be subject to enhanced monitoring. The issues being investigated range from hundreds of prescriptions allegedly being past due, pharmacy staffing shortages, clutter and unsafe working conditions and concerns about maintaining adequate medications safety inside the pharmacy. These concerns led some pharmacists to walk out of CVS and Walgreens stores pharmacies last fall and ignited a national push to unionize pharmacy workers.

Persons: we’ve, We’re, Amy Thibault, ” Steven W, ”, Nicole Goodkind Organizations: New, New York CNN, CVS, State of Ohio, of Pharmacy, CNN, Ohio, Pharmacy, state’s, Pharmacists, Community Pharmacists Association, Walgreens, Walmart, Institute, National Institutes of Health Locations: New York, Canton , Ohio, State, Canton, Ohio, United States

And yet, an antiviral treatment proven to lessen the chances of severe outcomes is going underused. The drug, Paxlovid, is lauded by experts as a powerful tool that can prevent hospitalization and death from COVID-19. One Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found that Paxlovid can decrease hospitalization risks among adults by 51%. The study by Harvard researchers found that Paxlovid was disproportionately given to Medicare patients with lower risk of severe infection. “There are very few medications and very few patients whose potential medication interaction with Paxlovid is so severe that they’re better off not taking Paxlovid,” he said.

Persons: they’ve, ”, Amesh, Paxlovid, Kurt Proctor, Celise Ballow, Ballow, “ I’m, I’m, … I’m, ” Ballow, ’ ”, Sarah George, Michael Barnett, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Johns Hopkins University, Disease Control, Pfizer, National Community Pharmacists Association, St, Louis University, Harvard, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: COVID, U.S, Junction , Utah, Paxlovid, Harvard

☆ Big pharma is at a crossroads, as J&J, Merck and others prepare to lose heaps of revenue from blockbuster drugs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Bristol Myers Squibb's Eliquis is a blood thinner used to prevent clotting, to reduce the risk of stroke. Bristol Myers Squibb's Opdivo is an immunotherapy used to treat cancers, including melanoma and lung cancer. Investors will get updates on Merck and Bristol Myers Squibb's plans for the years ahead when they report earnings on Thursday and Friday, respectively. That's unlike generics, which are cheaper copycats of small-molecule drugs like Bristol Myers Squibb's Eliquis. Bristol Myers Squibb is also testing a new form of Opdivo, which is currently administered into a patient's veins.

Persons: Johnson, William Blair, Matt Phipps, Bristol Myers, Johnson's, Merck's Keytruda, J's Stelara, Opdivo, Phipps, biosimilars, Eliquis, Biosimilars, Humira, JB Reed, Samsung's, Piper Sandler, Christopher Raymond, AbbVie, Raymond, Chris Schott, Schott, Robert Davis, Keytruda, Davis, JPMorgan's Schott, Bristol Myers Squibb, George Frey, J, Amgen, J confidentially, Mike Perrone, It's, Anna Moneymaker Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Johnson, NYSE Big, Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Biden, William Blair & Company, CNBC, Guggenheim, Bristol, Leerink Partners, Bloomberg, Getty, Bioepis, JPMorgan, JPMorgan Health Care, Moderna, Bristol Myers, Karuna Therapeutics, Hardy, Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Reuters, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Pharma, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services Locations: drugmakers, EY, Europe, U.S, Cambridge , Massachusetts, Arda, EY's Americas, Bristol, Salt Lake City , Utah, Washington , DC

☆ The White House Medical Unit operated a pharmacy that gave out controlled substances to ineligible Trump staffers, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The White House Medical Unit operated a pharmacy that distributed controlled substances, a new report says. AdvertisementThe White House Medical Unit gave out controlled substances to ineligible Trump staffers, according to a new report from the US Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. "The White House Medical Unit dispensed prescription medications, including controlled substances, to ineligible White House staff," the report says. Sample of the White House Medical Unit Controlled Substance Receipt Tracking Form. White House Medical Unit.

Persons: —, Trump, Walter Reed, General Organizations: White, Medical Unit, Service, Trump, US Department of Defense, White House, Medical, DoD

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — Walgreens has agreed to pay a $275,000 fine to settle allegations that some of its Vermont stores temporarily closed without notice, had untenable working conditions for pharmacists and made medication and vaccination errors during the coronavirus pandemic, the secretary of state announced. The Vermont Board of Pharmacy approved the fine as part of the settlement between the state Office of Professional Regulation and the national pharmacy chain, Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said Wednesday, calling it a “big win for Vermont consumers.”“I am proud of the work our OPR investigators and attorneys have done to hold Walgreens accountable and to ensure safe conditions for patients and pharmacy staff," Copeland Hanzas said in a statement. Walgreens said in a statement Thursday that “it disputes the accuracy of the state’s allegations and admits no liability; however, we are pleased to have reached this settlement.”The fine follows an 18-month investigation after 70 complaints regarding conditions across Walgreens' 32 Vermont stores, the secretary of state's office said. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesWalgreens signed a stipulation and consent order earlier this month with the state's prosecuting attorney. The order said the company has taken steps to improve, including by updating and standardizing policies and procedures for unanticipated pharmacy closings in Vermont; enabling patients to get their prescription filled at another pharmacy if there is a closing; and continuing to provide vaccine training to new and current pharmacy staff.

Persons: Sarah Copeland Hanzas, ”, Copeland Hanzas, Walgreens Organizations: Walgreens, Vermont, Pharmacy Locations: MONTPELIER, Vt, Vermont

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Democratic lawmakers in Oregon on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law, a recognition that public opinion has soured on the measure amid rampant public drug use during the fentanyl crisis. It also aims to make it easier to prosecute dealers, to access addiction treatment medication, and to obtain and keep housing without facing discrimination for using that medication. The Legislature adjourned over the summer, but concern over the state's drug crisis led Democrats to launch the committee in between sessions. Measure 110 directed the state’s cannabis tax revenue toward drug addiction treatment while decriminalizing “personal use” amounts of illicit drugs. Those arrested for small amounts would be referred by police to a peer support specialist to schedule an assessment or intervention.

Persons: “, Sen, Kate Lieber, Lieber, decriminalizing, “ We're, ″ Lieber Organizations: — Democratic, Portland Democrat, Associated Press, Voters, Democratic Locations: SALEM, Ore, Oregon, Portland

☆ 4 stock ideas I brought back from the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference and everything else I learned about the industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

We will go over them – but first, let me talk about what I learned at last week's JPMorgan Health Care Conference that I attended in San Francisco, and what it means to your portfolio. We know health care has a lot of angles too it. The previous CEO Roz Brewer was from Starbucks and struggled with the role that Walgreens plays in health care. You have to be following the transformation of Bristol-Myers, which is opening its wallet to buy a host of drug companies, including anti-psychotic firm Karuna. Health care is the way to go.

Persons: Regeneron, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Dave Ricks, Lilly, donanemab, Lilly's, Zepbound, it's, Abbott, It's, Roche, Merck, Myers, ABT, Robert Ford, Tim Wentworth, He's, Roz Brewer, Wentworth, he'll, Brewer wasn't, Bob Bradway, Amgen, Vas Narasimhan, Sandoz, Karuna, Medtronic, Hugo, Morgan Stanley, Wells, Covid, Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Las Vegas Brendan Smialowski Organizations: Abbott Labs, Covid, Novartis, Amgen, Walgreens Boots Alliance, JPMorgan Health Care Conference, Humana, Drug Administration, Novo Nordisk, Dickinson Co, Bristol, Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Department, WBA, Walgreens, Starbucks, -, pharma, Merck, Keytruda, Horizon Therapeutics, Federal Trade Commission, Myers, BD, CVS Health, JPMorgan, Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Consumer, AFP, Getty Locations: San Francisco, GLP, North Carolina, Europe, Cencora, Amgen, West, Bristol, Target, Las Vegas

☆ Walgreens is following Mark Cuban's blueprint as it embarks on a big strategy shift for prescription drugs
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-05 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Pharmacies are changing how they get paid, and Walgreens wants a piece of the action. It's a departure from the traditional, complicated way drugs are paid for, and proponents say it could make drug pricing more transparent and predictable. It's not a given patients will pay less for drugs at the pharmacy counter under this kind of model. These companies are taking cues from Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs, which is starting to gain traction in the market. The big question is whether Walgreens can compete with CVS and other pharmacies in delivering those extra pharmacy and healthcare services.

Persons: Tim Wentworth, Mark, Wentworth, Borja, Hojas, they're, Caremark, Brian Tanquilut, Tanquilut, CVS, Cigna, Mark Cuban's, It's, Rosalind Brewer Organizations: Walgreens, Business, CVS Health, Getty, CVS, Jefferies, Health Locations: California

☆ AI is helping the healthcare industry and could transform the way patients get drugs and treatments
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-22 | by ( Nicholas Fearn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

In the pharmaceutical industry, AI may one day accelerate new-drug development. In the foreseeable future, McClain expects the healthcare industry to use AI technology to design personalized medicines. Risks to considerWhile AI offers promise for the healthcare industry, there are also a variety of risks professionals using AI must consider and mitigate. Showalter said that a lack of "comprehensive regulations" can also make using AI technology in healthcare settings risky. With this in mind, he said, the medical industry must understand the "fundamentals of AI and its applications in healthcare."

Persons: —, Sean McClain, McClain, Tim Showalter, Showalter, it's, Fred, haven't, Surya Josyula, Josyula Organizations: Experts, Service, Northwestern Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, UW Medicine, University of California, Fujitsu, Aichi Cancer, Fujitsu Laboratories of America Locations: University of California San Diego, Nagoya, Japan, China, United States

☆ Free ChatGPT may incorrectly answer drug questions, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The free version of ChatGPT may provide inaccurate or incomplete responses — or no answer at all — to questions related to medications, which could potentially endanger patients who use OpenAI's viral chatbot, a new study released Tuesday suggests. Pharmacists at Long Island University who posed 39 questions to the free ChatGPT in May deemed that only 10 of the chatbot's responses were "satisfactory" based on criteria they established. Notably, the free version of ChatGPT is limited to using data sets through September 2021 — meaning it could lack significant information in the rapidly changing medical landscape. Grossman acknowledged there's a chance that a paid version of ChatGPT would have produced better study results. It's possible that the free version of ChatGPT has improved and may produce better results if the researchers conducted a similar study now, she added.

Persons: Sara Grossman, LIU, National Institutes of Health's MedlinePlus, Grossman, ChatGPT, there's Organizations: Pharmacists, Long Island University, National Institutes of Health's, Federal Trade Commission

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