DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ 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

☆ Middle-Aged Adults Are Binge Drinking and Using Marijuana at Record Levels
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Matt Richtel | More About Matt Richtel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Different generations use different drugs and at different levels. The research has been supported since 1975 by the National Institutes of Drug Abuse, or NIDA, which is a part of the N.I.H. NIDA typically draws attention for its study of behavior and drug use patterns among young people in middle and high school. But the research also follows people throughout their lives, looking at the use of alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes and other substances. “It’s important to track this so that public health professionals and communities can be prepared to respond,” Dr. Patrick said.

Persons: ”, Megan Patrick, Dr, Patrick, “, Nora Volkow, Volkow Organizations: University of Michigan, National Institutes of Drug, NIDA

Blue Shield of California will no longer use CVS Health’s Caremark as its pharmacy benefit manager and instead will partner with several companies, including Amazon Pharmacy and Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company. They have come under fire from other players in the health care industry and from Congress because of their opaque practices. Most adults take at least one prescription drug annually, while more than a third take at least three, Blue Shield said, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. CVS Caremark will continue to work with Blue Shield, providing specialty pharmacy services for members with complex conditions. The company bought online pharmacy PillPack in 2018, launched its own Amazon Pharmacy in 2020 and last year created a virtual health care clinic.

Persons: ” Paul Markovich, Mark Organizations: New, New York CNN, CVS, Amazon Pharmacy, Cuban, Plus Drug Company, Pharmacy, Blue, for Disease Control, ”, Mark Cuban, Plus, CVS Health, Amazon Locations: New York, California

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Walmart, CVS Health, Wolfspeed and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Cisco Systems — Shares of the computer networking giant added 4% after reporting earnings postmarket Wednesday that beat Wall Street's expectations. Adjusted earnings per share for its fiscal fourth quarter came in at $1.14, topping the $1.06 expected from analysts polled by Refinitiv. Revenue was $15.2 billion, compared with the $15.05 billion expected. The company reported adjusted earnings of $1.84 a share, ahead of the $1.71 expected by analysts polled by Refinitiv. Wolfspeed — Shares of the semiconductor developer dropped 16% following the company's earnings report after the bell Wednesday.

Persons: Mark Cuban's, Rosenblatt, Ball, Adyen, Wolfspeed, América, MSCI rebalance, —, Jesse Pound, Tanaya Macheel, Alex Harring, Samantha Subin, Michelle Fox Theobald Organizations: Cisco Systems —, Refinitiv, Revenue, Walmart, Refinitiv . Revenue, Street Journal, CVS, Blue, California, CVS Caremark, Amazon Pharmacy, FactSet . Investment, BAE Systems, Nasdaq, VinFast, Citi

☆ Blue Shield California drops CVS; picks Amazon, others to lower drug price
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CVS Health logo is seen displayed in this illustration taken, May 3, 2022. Non-profit health plan provider Blue Shield, which has 4.8 million members, said it will work with partners including Amazon.com and Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Company to provide at-home delivery and access to low-cost medications. 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 Blue Shield marks 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, Cuban's, Privately, Manas Mishra, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Shweta Agarwal, Pooja Desai Organizations: CVS, REUTERS, Wall Street Journal, Cigna, UnitedHealth, Company, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Blue Shield of California taps Amazon, Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs for its pharmacy network
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Bertha Coombs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Blue Shield of California is teaming up with Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Company and Amazon Pharmacy — turning away from traditional drug store chains and ditching in part health giant CVS — in a move to save on drug costs for its 4.8 million members. "I expect we're going to — when this ramps up completely — we're going to be saving $500 million a year," said Paul Markovich, CEO of Blue Shield of California. For Cost Plus, which sells drugs at 15% above wholesale prices, California Blue Shield is only the second insurer to sign with the online pharmacy since it launched in January 2022. "I think all payers realize that now that Cost Plus has made the price of medications transparent. The health insurer expects to launch the program for its members in 2025.

Persons: Mark Cuban's, Paul Markovich, Markovich Organizations: Drug Company, Amazon Pharmacy, CVS, Blue, of, Cross Locations: of California, California, Harrisburg , Pennsylvania

☆ Stocks making the biggest premarket moves: Walmart, Adobe, Cisco, Hawaiian Electric and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Check out the companies making the biggest moves in premarket trading:Walmart — Shares added as much as 1% after the big-box retailer raised its full-year forecast and reported an earnings and revenue beat. Adobe — The software company added about 2% after Bank of America upgraded shares to buy from neutral. Hawaiian Electric — The utility company that oversees Maui Electric sank nearly 18% in premarket trading, continuing its slide over concerns of its potential liability in Maui's wildfires. On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported Hawaiian Electric is in talks with firms that specialize in restructuring. VinFast Auto — Shares of the electric vehicle start-up fell nearly 5% in premarket trading as VinFast's stock searches for its level after debuting earlier this week.

Persons: Adobe, Cuban's, Wolfspeed, —, Alex Harring, Jesse Pound, Michael Bloom Organizations: Walmart, Refinitv . Revenue, Cisco Systems, postmarket, Refinitiv, Revenue, Adobe, Bank of America, Maui Electric, Wall Street Journal, CVS, California, Drug Company, Amazon Pharmacy, BAE Systems Locations: Williston , Vermont, California

☆ CVS stock plunges after Blue Shield of California drops retailer's pharmacy services to save on drug costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of CVS Health plunged 9% on Thursday after Blue Shield of California said it will drop the company's pharmacy benefit management services and instead partner with Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Company and Amazon Pharmacy to save on drug costs for its nearly 5 million members. Blue Shield will now work with five different companies to provide "convenient, transparent access to medications while lowering costs." Blue Shield CEO Paul Markovich said the plan, which is scheduled to fully launch in 2025, could save the company up to $500 million annually. Cuban's Cost Plus Drug Company will provide access to low-cost medications through retail pharmacies. Blue Shield will retain CVS Caremark for its specialty pharmacy services, which provide specialized therapies and counseling to patients suffering from complex disorders.

Persons: Mark Cuban's, Caremark, Paul Markovich, Michael DeAngelis, Centene Organizations: CVS Health, Drug Company, Amazon Pharmacy, UnitedHealth, CVS, Abarca, Blue, CNBC Locations: New York, California

☆ Trump Indictment Presents New Obstacle in Spending Fight as Shutdown Looms
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Carl Hulse | More About Carl Hulse | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

House Democrats already uniformly oppose the emerging spending bills since they are below the spending levels agreed to by Mr. Biden and Mr. McCarthy in their deal to suspend the federal debt limit and contain numerous conservative policy riders they find objectionable. Should conservatives prevail in their insistence on even deeper cuts and other restrictions on federal law enforcement, it could drive off more mainstream Republican votes. is a stark break with the traditional Republican orthodoxy of strong support for law enforcement. It has little traction in the Senate, where Democrats and Republicans have been working in a bipartisan fashion to advance spending bills for consideration when the Senate returns next month. Most senators of both parties would be opposed to entertaining the sort of spending reductions for law enforcement sought by the House conservatives.

Persons: Biden, McCarthy, Greene, “, ”, Susan Collins of, Trump Organizations: Republican, Senate, Republicans, of Justice, Freedom Caucus Locations: Susan Collins of Maine, Russia, “

☆ Bishop Accused of Abuse Gets Married After Bid to Quit Church Is Denied
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Ed Shanahan | More About Ed Shanahan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As the leader of a diocese with its headquarters in New York’s capital, Bishop Hubbard was a political as well as a religious figure. In 2004, he was accused of having sexual relationships with several men and a street hustler decades earlier. An outside investigation he requested subsequently cleared him of sexual misconduct. He was informed in March that the Vatican had denied his request, he wrote on Tuesday. “I was encouraged to wait patiently and prayerfully and to continue to abstain from public ministry until seven civil lawsuits against me alleging sexual misconduct had been adjudicated,” he said.

Persons: Bishop Hubbard, “, ”, Vatican Locations: New York’s

☆ Jaden Smith says he took magic mushrooms as a young adult. Brain experts who study psychedelics warn that wasn't a good idea.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Adam Barnes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Jaden Smith said his mother, Jada Pinkett Smith, introduced him to magic mushrooms. Jaden Smith recently discussed his introduction to psychedelic mushrooms by his mother, Jada Pinkett Smith — who has credited mushrooms as helping her overcome crippling depression. (L-R) Jaden Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Will Smith. Trey Smith, Willow Smith, Jaden Smith, Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith at the premiere of Apple Original Films' "Emancipation" on November 30, 2022. There are too many unknowns and too much to lose with a developing brain," psychiatrist and neurobiologist Dr. David Feifel told Insider.

Persons: Jaden Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith —, Jaden, Smith, Dustin Hines, Rochelle Hines, Will Smith, Amy Sussman, WireImage, —, Trey Smith, Willow Smith, Hines, it's, psychedelics, Dr, David Feifel, Feifel, haven't Organizations: Service, psychedelics, University of Nevada Las, Hines, National Survey, FDA, Apple Locations: Wall, Silicon, Denver

Search resuls for: "US Drug"

25 mentions found