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☆ Matthew Perry's death means hard questions for the ketamine movement
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-20 | by ( Anna Silman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

AdvertisementWhen Charles Patti read that ketamine had been a major factor in the "Friends" star Matthew Perry's death, his heart sank. AdvertisementMultiple researchers told Business Insider that labeling ketamine as the sole cause of Perry's death is misleading. "Matthew Perry's ketamine overdose should be a lesson in expanded use of the dangerous drug," declared The New York Post. There's no data on how many people go from receiving ketamine treatment in clinics to using it without a prescription. Herzberg, the historian, said he's not particularly worried about Perry's death causing a moral panic.

Persons: Matthew Perry, —, Charles Patti, Matthew Perry's, Patti, Perry, Matthew, Joanna Moncrieff, Ryan Marino, Marilyn Monroe's, David Herzberg, Len Bias, Gerard Sanacora, it's, Chrissy Teigen, Elon Musk, We've, Herzberg, wasn't, Sanacora, I've, Sandhya Prashad, wouldn't, Keith Trujillo, Trujillo, he's Organizations: Service, Los, Business, New York, University of Buffalo, Yale, FDA, American Society, Physicians, Psychotherapists Locations: Florida, Los Angeles County, British, Swiss

☆ CVS will change the way it prices drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Tami Luhby | Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —CVS is revamping the way it reimburses its pharmacies for prescription medications, a move that could make prescription drug pricing simpler and change how much consumers pay for their medicines. It’s a similar model to the one entrepreneur Mark Cuban is pushing with his Cost Plus Drugs company. This shift in payment models could change the cost of prescription drugs for some patients, although it will not necessarily make all medicine cost less. Some drugs may cost less, while others might rise in price, CVS executives said. Americans spend around $1,200 a year on average for prescription drugs — more than any other country — according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Persons: Mark Cuban, ”, Prem Shah, Nick Fabrizio, Fabrizio, they’ve Organizations: New, New York CNN, CVS, Plus, CVS Pharmacy, CVS Health, Cornell University, Organization for Economic Co, Kaiser Family Foundation, Amazon Pharmacy, Cuban, Plus Drug, Blue Locations: New York, California

☆ How Mark Cuban forced the biggest US pharmacy to upend its business
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The new program includes a set markup for medication costs, a step toward drug pricing transparency. The retailer has been facing pressure from new models like Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs. They've been especially focused on pharmacy-benefit managers and the lack of transparency around how much drugs cost. How Mark Cuban changed drug pricingCuban's pharmacy buys drugs directly from manufacturers and sells them to consumers at a 15% markup, plus pharmacy fees. AdvertisementBut the announcement looks to be a step in the right direction for drug pricing transparency.

Persons: —, Mark, Prem Shah, Mark Cuban, GoodRx, PBMs, Kroger, it's Organizations: CVS, Cuban, Plus, Service, Mark Cuban, Federal, US Federal Trade Commission, CVS Health, Kroger, Walgreens, Drug, Wall Street Locations: California

☆ CVS to change how it prices prescription drugs with new pharmacy reimbursement model
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

CVS Health on Tuesday said it will revamp how it prices prescription drugs and scrap a complex model that typically sets how much pharmacies get reimbursed and what patients pay for those medications. CVS' new model could change the cost of prescription drugs for some patients, but it will not necessarily make all medicine cost less, company executives said. Lynch told CNBC: "It's a cost plus markup, plus a fee. Billionaire Mark Cuban last year launched an online pharmacy that takes a similar approach to CVS' new reimbursement model. The company, called Cost Plus Drugs, aims to drive down the price of medicines broadly by selling them at a set 15% markup over their cost, plus pharmacy fees.

Persons: Karen Lynch, Lynch, Prem Shah, markups, Billionaire Mark Cuban, Cuban Organizations: CVS Health, CVS, CNBC, Billionaire

☆ US drug shortages are forcing ‘impossible choices’ for Americans, experts tell Senate committee
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Dr. Jason Westin regularly witnesses the power of lifesaving cancer drugs. But because generic cancer drugs are often in shortage in the United States, he says, he and his patients have been put in a terrible position. Makers of generic drugs don’t have to share information about the supply chain, so buyers currently choose based only on price. Hernandez told the Senate committee that of the top 50 generic drugs paid for by Medicare Part D, 16 were marked up 1,000% or higher. Until there is some kind of legislation that addresses drug shortages, Wosińska and the other experts agreed, they will continue.

Persons: Jason Westin, ” Westin, that’s, they’d, Sen, Marsha Blackburn, Mike Crapo, Generics, ” Crapo, “, ”, Crapo, Inmaculada Hernandez, ” Hernandez, Dr, Marta E, it’s, ” Wosińska, Ron Wyden, ” Wyden, Hernandez, Sanjay Gupta Organizations: CNN, Anderson Cancer Center, US, Finance, Vanderbilt, Tennessee Republican, Food and Drug Administration, Westin, Skaggs School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Centers, Medicare, Medicaid Services, Brookings Institution, CNN Health Locations: M.D, Houston, United States, Nashville, Idaho, China, India, San Diego, Oregon, generics

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is heading to Mexico this week to promote her agency's new strike force to help combat illicit fentanyl trafficking as the U.S. and China step up efforts to stop the movement of the powerful opioid and drug-making materials into the United States. “Combating the flow of deadly fentanyl into communities across the United States is a top priority for President Biden as well as the Treasury Department,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen in a statement. Many of the GOP presidential candidates have said they would use military force against Mexico in response to the trafficking of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. Nelson will co-chair the strike force with IRS Criminal Investigations Chief Jim Lee. Nelson said the strike force "will act quickly and decisively with the top specialists from across the department to nimbly respond to the newest threats.”

Persons: Janet Yellen, —, Biden, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, ”, Brian Nelson, Nelson, Jim Lee Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Strike, Treasury, IRS, Drug, Treasury Department, Disease Control, GOP, Banking, Armed Services Committees Locations: Mexico, China, United States, Mexico City, Yellen, California, America, U.S

☆ Competition will make obesity drugs successful
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Robert Cyran | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In an interview with the Financial Times, he proposed spreading reimbursements over time if the medication proves to be successful. There’s some practical grounding in that solution, but the path of other similar drugs suggests that a competitive market is a better way to make it successful. Snag is, the drugs cost several thousand dollars per patient annually, even after discounts. Medicare, which covers 66 million seniors, can’t pay for weight loss drugs under current law. While it makes more sense for insurers or governments to pay over time if the drugs benefits last, schemes like the one that Jørgensen suggests can only do so much.

Persons: Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, Jørgensen, “, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Sharon Lam Organizations: Reuters, Novo Nordisk, Financial Times, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, North Carolina, The New England, of Medicine, Employers, Thomson Locations: U.S, The, United States, Danish

☆ Maker of Wegovy, Ozempic showers money on U.S. obesity doctors
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +23 min

Novo spent at least $25.8 million over the past decade on U.S. medical professionals to promote its two obesity drugs, Wegovy and Saxenda, the analysis found. Jastreboff has also worked on clinical trials of obesity drugs for Eli Lilly, which markets a Wegovy competitor. Some doctors said Novo’s payments exemplify how the flood of industry money can dominate decision-making about care and coverage. Government pharmacy officer Solaru said her agency concluded that the new obesity drugs could be cost-effective by preventing other weight-related diseases and boosting workplace productivity. In January, the personnel office told its health plans they must cover at least one GLP-1 obesity drug for 8 million workers, retirees and family members.

Persons: Lee Kaplan, Kaplan, ”, gastroenterologist, He’s, Novo, Donna Ryan, Ryan, “, ” Kaplan, ” Novo, Robert Lustig, “ I’m, Lustig, They’re, Ania, ” Jastreboff, Jastreboff, Eli Lilly, Lilly’s Zepbound, Lilly, ” Lilly, Novo’s, Ayana, Sanders, Arthur Kellermann, ” Kellermann, mouthpieces, ’ ”, “ I'm, Jamy Ard, Ard, Dele, ” Solaru, ” Ryan, Scott Kahan, Kahan, Solaru, Christine Gallagher, Wegovy, Rebekah Carl, Carl, Jen Wexler, gaunt, Wexler Organizations: Novo Nordisk, Dartmouth, Nutrition Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Reuters, Cambridge, Obesity Society, U.S ., Management, Reuters . Pharmaceutical, ”, U.S, United, National Health Service, University of California, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Doctors, Wegovy’s, BMI, Yale University’s Center, Weight Management, Wall Street, American Medical Association, Rutgers University’s School of Public Health, Affordable, . Pharmaceutical, Companies, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Wake Forest University, Wake Forest Baptist Health Weight Management, Obesity, Pennington Biomedical Research, U.S . National Institutes of Health, Personnel Management, Coalition, STOP, George Washington University, Novo Locations: CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, Boston, U.S, Novo, Danish, United States, Louisiana, San Francisco, Wegovy, Pennington, Baton Rouge , Louisiana, Government, New Columbia , Pennsylvania, Florida

☆ Justices Search for Middle Ground on Mandatory Sentences for Gun Crimes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Adam Liptak | More About Adam Liptak | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Supreme Court heard arguments on Monday over which drug offenses trigger mandatory 15-year sentences under the Armed Career Criminal Act, which is a kind of federal three-strikes law. By the end of the arguments, most of them seemed to have settled on a middle ground. The law imposes the mandatory sentences on people convicted of unlawfully possessing firearms if they had already committed three violent felonies or serious drug offenses. The question for the justices was how to determine which drug offenses count under the law, which refers to a schedule of controlled substances overseen by the attorney general. Depending on which version of the schedule applies, a state drug conviction may or may not count as a strike under the federal gun law.

A new version of the popular diabetes treatment Mounjaro can be sold as a weight-loss drug, U.S. regulators announced Wednesday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Eli Lilly's drug, named Zepbound. Zepbound is the latest diabetes drug approved for chronic weight management, joining Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, a high-dose version of its diabetes treatment Ozempic. Those with diabetes, who have a harder time losing weight, cut about 12%, or nearly 27 pounds (12 kilograms), the FDA said. Approved for weight loss in 2021, Wegovy helped people lose about 15% of their weight or 34 pounds (15 kilograms), according to study results.

Persons: Eli Lilly's, dieters, Zepbound, Wegovy, Fatima Cody Stanford, tirzepatide, pare, ”, Katherine Saunders, Eli Lilly, Mounjaro, Kelly Burns, Burns Organizations: U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, FDA, Massachusetts General Hospital, New York's Weill Cornell Medicine, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: U.S, Zepbound, Wegovy, Massachusetts, Boston, St . Petersburg , Florida

☆ A doping free-for-all Enhanced Games calls itself the answer to doping in sports. Opponents say it poses a danger to health
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Molly Stazicker | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +23 min

The Enhanced Games is the brainchild of businessman Aron D’Souza. Aron D'Souza is the founder of the Enhanced Games. But that isn’t the only potential legal jeopardy the Enhanced Games faces, according to American lawyer Jim Walden, who represents Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov. “If you look at the Enhanced Games website, it’s almost as though they’re advertising their disregard of the law,” Walden told CNN Sport. If it goes ahead as planned in December 2024, D’Souza insists that the Enhanced Games will unlock the potential of humanity.

Persons: Dr, Grigory Rodchenkov, –, Rodchenkov, Oscar, Aron D’Souza, ”, D’Souza, “, Raphael Faiss, Faiss, WADA, they’re, Aron D'Souza, ” WADA, Travis Tygart, Jim Walden, ” Walden, Alex Wong, ” Rodchenkov, USADA’s Tygart, ” D’Souza, he’d, “ They’re, Ben Johnson, Johnson, Mike Powell, Pierre de Coubertin –, Ben Johnson –, Eugene, Simona Halep, – Faiss, CNN Roxadustat, Michele Verroken, ” Verroken, Verroken, Hamish Coffey, ’, Brett Fraser, ” Fraser, “ I’ve, I’ll, Jess Ennis, Hill, CNN D’Souza, Trevor Painter, ” Painter, John William Devine, ” Devine, don’t, Martial Saugy Organizations: CNN, Olympics, ”, Testing Agency, ITA, International Olympic Committee, Olympic Games, IOC, CNN Sport, Netflix, Doping Agency, Research, University of Lausanne, United, United States Anti, US Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Sports, Gaming Initiative, “, Games, Seoul, London Games, Bettmann, Athletics Integrity Unit, National Institutes of Health, Sporting Integrity, Australian Olympic, Olympic, United States Patent, Sciences, Swansea University Locations: Paris, United States, Seoul, South Korea, Eugene , Oregon, Cayman Islands, Tokyo, Wales

☆ Bladder cancer studies suggest new ways to treat the disease and improve survival
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

This is one of several new studies exploring ways to improve how bladder cancer is treated. “Ever since I was in med school, a metastatic bladder cancer treatment was gemcitabine and platinum. Urothelial cancer is a type of bladder cancer that begins in the urothelial cells, which line the inside of the bladder. The drug became the first therapy targeting a genetic alteration to be approved by the FDA to treat patients with the most common type of bladder cancer, metastatic urothelial cancer. “These results support nivolumab plus cisplatin-based chemo as a new standard approach for the treatment of metastatic urothelial cancer.”

Persons: vedotin, hadn’t, ”, Thomas Powles, ” Powles, we’ve, —, Powles, Toni Choueiri, Dana, “, enfortumab, ” Choueiri, drugmaker Janssen, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, nivolumab, Matthew Galsky Organizations: CNN, Society for Medical Oncology, University of London, Barts Cancer, US, Inc, Astellas Pharma, Merck, Co, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, EMA, Lank, Genitourinary Oncology, Farber Cancer Institute, ESMO, New England, of Medicine, University of Texas, Anderson Cancer Center, US Food and Drug Administration, National Library of Medicine, CNN Health, Bristol Myers Squibb, Ono Pharmaceutical Company, Cancer, The Tisch Cancer Institute Locations: Madrid, United Kingdom, United States, Europe, Mount Sinai

☆ Georgia will be first US state where pharmacies sell medical cannabis
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —For the past year and a half, medical cannabis company CEO Gary Long has spent a lot of his time reassuring Georgia’s small-town mayors about what will soon be coming to their local pharmacy: medical marijuana. The Georgia Board of Pharmacy is currently processing applications from pharmacies around the state that want to sell low-dose THC products. National chains such as CVS and Walmart won’t be selling THC products in Georgia, but Long said 130 local pharmacies have already agreed to sell his product exclusively. Making medical cannabis so accessible in such a traditionally conservative Deep South state like Georgia caught some by surprise. Californians have been able to buy medical cannabis since 1996 and adults there got the right to use it recreationally in 2016.

Persons: Gary Long, that’s, ”, Long, Coke, Andrew Turnage, Jimmy Kimmel, “ I’ve, ” Long, Jonathan Marquess, ” Marquess, it’s, Jay Wexler, “, Brian Kemp, Marquess ’, Marquess, there’s, ” Turnage, Aaron Smith, ” Smith, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Turnage, I’ve Organizations: CNN, Botanical Sciences, Georgia, of Pharmacy, CVS, Walmart, Medical Cannabis Commission, Georgia General Assembly, US Drug Enforcement, Boston University School of Law, Justice, Gov, Pharmacy, Georgia Pharmacy Association’s Academy of Independent Pharmacy, National Cannabis Industry Association, Get CNN, CNN Health Locations: Georgia, United States, Connecticut, Massachusetts

☆ Bristol Myers' injectable form of Opdivo meets main goal in kidney cancer trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Test tubes are seen in front of a displayed Bristol Myers Squibb logo in this illustration taken, May 21, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 19 (Reuters) - Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY.N) said on Thursday the injectable form of its blockbuster cancer drug Opdivo met the main goal in trial that had patients with a type of kidney cancer. "We believe this new option, given as a single injection administered in less than five minutes, could transform the treatment experience for both patients and physicians," Gina Fusaro, an executive at Bristol Myers Squibb, said. The trial also showed a non-inferior response rate to the subcutaneous drug, compared to its intravenous form. Bristol Myers now plans to discuss with regulators the next steps for submission and approval of subcutaneous injections for multiple types of cancers.

Persons: Bristol Myers, Dado Ruvic, Opdivo, Gina Fusaro, Roche, Johnson, Helen Torley, Leroy Leo, Anil D'Silva, Shinjini, Shounak Organizations: Bristol, Bristol Myers Squibb, REUTERS, Therapeutics, U.S, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Obesity revolution gorges on dialysis maker
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Aimee Donnellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Megan Jelinger Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Kidney dialysis kit-makers look set to be the latest victim of the obesity drug boom. On Wednesday, shares in Germany-listed Fresenius Medical Care (FMEG.DE) fell 20% after a medical trial showed a Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) drug can reduce the risk of kidney failure. Diabetes and obesity drugs are showing their fringe benefits. In a recent drug trial, Wegovy, an obesity remedy made by Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, reduced the incidence of serious cardiovascular events like strokes and heart attacks by 20% in overweight patients. The collapse in Fresenius Medical Care’s share price looks appropriate.

Persons: Dawn, Megan Jelinger, Michael Sen, Danish drugmaker, Neil Unmack, Oliver Taslic Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Novo Nordisk, Denmark’s Novo Nordisk, Fresenius, Thomson Locations: Findlay , Ohio, U.S, Germany, Fresenius, Vamed, Danish

Tina Kotek said Tuesday she has directed state police to launch new strategies aimed at disrupting the fentanyl supply chain and holding sellers of the frequently deadly drug accountable. Kotek said in a statement that she made the announcement at a Tuesday meeting of her task force created to revitalize downtown Portland. “I want all Oregonians to know that the state is moving forward with several new fentanyl strategic enforcement and disruption strategies,” Kotek's statement said. So far this year, the Oregon State Patrol has seized nearly 233,000 fentanyl pills and 62 pounds of powder, the statement said. Illegally made fentanyl is often added to other drugs, including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, to increase its potency.

Persons: Tina Kotek, Kotek, General Merrick Garland Organizations: —, Oregon Department of Justice, Oregon State Patrol, Washington , D.C, U.S . Justice Locations: SALEM, Ore, — Oregon, Portland, “, U.S, Washington ,

☆ Medicare's drug-price negotiations will save the government billions in healthcare spending — but patients may not feel the benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Natalie Rahhal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Patients with private health insurance aren't likely to see a drop in costs from the negotiations. Longo said the price-setting provisions will drive research and investment away from treatment options for Medicare patients. If drug companies won't come to the negotiating table to lower drug prices paid by private insurers, those insurers could take the companies' drugs off their lists of covered medications. Or, if private insurance companies don't negotiate drug prices down for their patients, patients in some cases could seek out different insurance. "These are not full solutions, but they are the beginning of cracks in the facade" of drug companies' constant price hikes, Feldman said.

Persons: Biden, Juliette Cubanski, Jeffrey Davis, Davis, Richard Frank, —, Nicole Longo, Longo, it's, — aren't, Robin Feldman, Feldman, Cuban's Organizations: Medicare, Healthcare, Morning, Centers, Services, Congressional, McDermott, Consulting, Brookings Schaeffer Initiative, Health, Pharmaceutical Research, Manufacturers of America, PhRMA, University of California Law School, Costco, Pharmaceutical Locations: Lower

☆ Philadelphia's mayor says his fellow Democrats just voted for more people to die from drug overdoses. Experts say he's right.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

People should not, generally, inject into their bodies a substance they bought with cash from a stranger on the street. And many will not resort to best practices, like using a clean needle, and contract diseases that require lifelong treatment. In 2019, the former president's Department of Justice sued to stop a Philadelphia-based nonprofit, Safehouse, from opening what would have been the country's first safe injection site, citing a federal law originally aimed at crack houses. AdvertisementAdvertisementBesides, Philadelphia, a city battling not just drug addiction but poverty and gun violence, is not about to open drug treatment resorts. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney is one of the few public officials to explicitly endorse supervised injection sites.

Persons: Philadelphians, Scott Burris, Isaiah Thomas, Thomas, Mike Driscoll, Donald Trump, Biden, Nora Volkow, Ronda, Goldfein, —, Jim Kenney, Cherelle Parker, Kenney Organizations: Service, Center of Public Health, Research, Temple University, Philadelphia Inquirer, president's Department of Justice, National Institute on Drug, New York Times, of Pennsylvania, Walmart, Philadelphia, Democratic Locations: Philadelphia, Wall, Silicon, Kensington, Vancouver, Canada, Philadelphia's, New York City, Ronda Goldfein, Europe

☆ Pennsylvania prisoner Danilo Cavalcante captured after escaping from prison for murder of girlfriend Deborah Brandao
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( Ray Sanchez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“Our nightmare is finally over and the good guys won,” Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said Wednesday. The theft and shooting ultimately may have been a turning point in the intense search by hundreds of law enforcement officers. About 500 law enforcement officers – including the Pennsylvania State Police, FBI, ATF, and the US Marshals – searched the area of the shooting. At 8:18 a.m., a Chester County dispatcher said they had their man. “The radio room, Chester County government and the various other agencies working on the prisoner escape are proud to announce the subject is in custody.

Persons: Danilo Cavalcante, Cavalcante, –, clasped, Deb Ryan, “, George Bivens, Charles Lyman, Lyman, ”, “ It’s, ” Bivens, Bivens, “ Cavalcante, John Shapiro Organizations: CNN, Philadelphia Eagles, Pennsylvania, Police, ” Police, Pennsylvania State Police, FBI, ATF, US, US Drug Enforcement Administration, Tactical, Patrol, Eagles Locations: Chester, Chester County, Philadelphia’s, Brazil, Chester County’s, Coventry Township, East, South Coventry Township, Pennsylvania

BEIRUT (AP) — The U.S. Treasury on Tuesday slapped terrorism sanctions on a family network of seven individuals and businesses in Lebanon and South America accused of financing the militant group Hezbollah, including a Lebanese man who officials say was involved in two deadly attacks in Argentina in the 1990s. The Iran-backed group is designated a “foreign terrorist organization," and Washington also claims that the group has been involved in drug trafficking in Latin America to generate revenue. Rada, according to the Treasury, spent over a decade in South America before relocating to Lebanon. Political Cartoons View All 1154 ImagesRada's brother, Samer, was also sanctioned and accused of being involved in various drug trafficking and money laundering operations across Latin America. The Treasury also slapped sanctions on Lebanon-based company Black Diamond SARL and owner Ali Ismail Ajrouch.

Persons: Amer Mohamed Akil Rada, ”, “, Brian Nelson, Mehdi Akil Helbawi, Diamond SARL, Ali Ismail Ajrouch Organizations: Treasury, Argentine, Israelite Mutual Association, Embassy, Rada, BCI Technologies Locations: BEIRUT, U.S, Lebanon, South America, Lebanese, Argentina, Buenos Aires, Iran, Washington, America, Colombia, Latin America, Belize, El Salvador, Venezuelan

President Joe Biden's administration has said it plans to appeal the 5th Circuit's decision as well. The 5th Circuit's decision partially sided with the anti-abortion groups and doctors who challenged mifepristone. In April, the Supreme Court granted emergency requests by the Justice Department and the pill's manufacturer Danco Laboratories to put on hold Kacsmaryk's order while litigation continued. Mifepristone is taken with another drug called misoprostol to perform medication abortion, which accounts for more than half of all U.S. abortions. Since last year's Supreme Court decision, at least 14 U.S. states have put in place outright abortion bans while many others prohibit abortion after a certain length of pregnancy.

Persons: Evelyn Hockstein, mifepristone, Joe Biden's, Jessica Ellsworth, Circuit upended, Matthew Kacsmaryk, Roe, Wade, Andrew Chung, Will Dunham Organizations: Alamo Women's, REUTERS, U.S, Supreme, Danco Laboratories, New, Circuit, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Justice Department, mifepristone, Republican, Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, Defending, Thomson Locations: Carbondale , Illinois, U.S, New Orleans, Amarillo , Texas, New York

☆ Pot stocks jump as federal agency reportedly seeks to downgrade cannabis from the hard-drug category
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Drug Enforcement Agency received an official recommendation to downgrade marijuana. Currently, pot is classified as a Schedule I drug, on par with heroin. Marijuana's category downgrade would be a serious shift for the cannabis industry, easing restrictions on its use. The largest marijuana exchange traded fund, the AdvisorShares Pure US Cannabis ETF, gained around 19%. It was outpaced by the Roundhill Cannabis ETF, at 20%.

Persons: Anne Milgram, Cronos, SNDL Organizations: Drug Enforcement Agency, Service, Bloomberg, Department of Health, Human Services, Drug, DEA, Cannabis ETF, Cannabis, Aurora Cannabis Locations: Wall, Silicon

☆ CVS pushes into making cheaper versions of complex drugs with new discount Humira
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Bertha Coombs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

CVS Health is partnering with drugmaker Sandoz to produce a near identical version of the blockbuster arthritis treatment Humira that will sell for 80% below the price of the brand-named drug. The move is part of the company's new venture focused on securing, and in some cases co-producing, biosimilar drugs, which are the equivalent of generic versions of complex gene or protein-based therapies known as biologics. CVS is already one of the leading players when it comes to sourcing generic drugs through Red Oak, its joint venture with Cardinal Health . Abbvie reported more than $4 billion in Humira sales in its most recent quarter, which was slightly better than expected. Correction: CVS Health subsidiary Cordavis will partner with Sandoz on biosimilar drugs.

Persons: drugmaker Sandoz, We've, it'll, Prem Shah, drugmaker, Amgen's Amjevita, Murdo Gordon, Abbvie, Cuban's, John Ransom, Raymond James, Ransom, Sandoz Organizations: CVS Health, CVS, Cardinal Health, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Sandoz, Novartis, FDA, Blue, Drug Company, Amazon Pharmacy Locations: U.S, Red, California

CVS Health logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. The regional health insurance provider will still retain CVS Caremark for managing specialty drugs, which are costly medications used to treat complex conditions like cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Other analysts highlighted difficulties in shifting to a different model than the one offered by companies like CVS - which provide other services including home drug delivery and reimburse pharmacies for patients' prescriptions. Amazon Pharmacy will provide at-home delivery of prescription drugs as well as upfront pricing, while Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company will provide access to generic drugs, Blue Shield said. Blue Shield of California's other partners include privately held Abarca for processing claims related to prescription drugs, while smaller PBM Prime Therapeutics will work to negotiate savings with drugmakers.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Cigna, UnitedHealth, Mark, Elizabeth Anderson, J.P, Morgan, Lisa Gill, Gill, Blue, Manas Mishra, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Shweta Agarwal, Pooja Desai, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Frances Kerry Organizations: CVS, REUTERS, Amazon, Cigna, UnitedHealth, Evercore ISI, Mark Cuban, Plus, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Blue Shield of California drops CVS, taps Amazon and others to lower drug costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CVS Health logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. Blue Shield, whose health plans cover 4.8 million members, said it will now work with five different companies, including Mark Cuban's drug company, to provide "convenient, transparent access to medications while lowering costs." Privately held Abarca will pay prescription drug claims, while Prime Therapeutics will work with Blue Shield to negotiate savings with drugmakers, the company said. Blue Shield will also work with CVS Caremark for specialty pharmacy services. The loss of the Blue Shield pharmacy benefit management contract is another blow to Caremark, which is also set to lose the contract to manage Centene's (CNC.N) $40 billion annual pharmacy needs from next year.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, UnitedHealth, Mark Cuban's, Paul Markovich, Mark, Manas Mishra, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Shweta Agarwal, Pooja Desai Organizations: CVS, REUTERS, Blue, Cigna, UnitedHealth, Pharmacy, Wall Street, Mark Cuban, Plus, Thomson Locations: Blue, Bengaluru

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