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NEW YORK, July 14 (Reuters) - Amazon shoppers snagged deals on food delivery, travel and healthcare during a two-day Prime Event that ended on Wednesday, highlighting the potential for growth in services at an e-retailing giant long focused on goods. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the shift to include services. Amazon offered a 28% discount for a one-year subscription to its One Medical service for U.S. Prime members who signed up before the Prime Day event ended. Experimenting with more Prime Day deals on services and discounted memberships could bolster Amazon's advertising services, Lipsman said. Investors expect ad revenue to reach $11.2 billion in the third quarter, which will include Prime Day data, according to Refinitiv data.

Persons: David Klink, we’re, Klink, Amazon's Grubhub, Grubhub, Andrew Lipsman, Lipsman, Arriana McLymore, Howard Goller Organizations: YORK, Adobe Analytics, Huntington National Bank, Walmart, Paramount, Priceline, Booking Holdings, Priceline's Hotel Express, Amazon, Intelligence, Merchants, Thomson

☆ Amazon lays off some employees in its Pharmacy unit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon has let go of some of the employees in its Pharmacy business, the company confirmed to CNBC. A "small number" of staffers in the Amazon Pharmacy division were informed Thursday they were being laid off, Amazon spokesperson Brad Glasser said in a statement. "As a result, we have made the decision to adjust resources and a small number of roles have been eliminated on the Amazon Pharmacy Services team." The company laid off 18,000 employees over several months last fall and earlier this year, then announced an additional 9,000 employees would be let go in March. Some employees in the company's pharmacy, digital health tools and Halo fitness band units were laid off, CNBC previously reported.

Persons: Brad Glasser, Glasser, Andy Jassy Organizations: CNBC, Amazon Pharmacy, Amazon, Amazon Pharmacy Services Locations: PillPack

☆ AI-Targeted Internet Advertisements Fueling Looming Addiction Crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Albert Fox Cahn | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

A new breed of direct-to-consumer services is aggressively using targeted ads to sell habit-forming medications. In short, AI and surveillance capitalism, which empower today's targeted ads, have joined forces with the deadly OxyContin playbook. As the Journal reported, after ADHD medications grew to 20% of the VC-funded company's business, driving a $4.8 billion valuation, things came crashing to earth. We as a society may have come to accept being stalked by targeted ads, but consequences are much graver when the product itself is a danger. But above all, we need rules that ban targeted ads for drugs that can get patients hooked.

Persons: Taylor Swift, they're, haven't, Van Zee, OxyContin, prescribers, Dr, David Sack, Anthony Yeung, recreationally, Yann Poncin, shih, Ryan Haight, Ryan Haight Act's, Albert Fox Cahn Organizations: Circle, Purdue, American, of Public Health, Sackler family's pharma, Physicians, Yale School of Medicine, Bloomberg, Drug Enforcement Agency, Department of Health, Human Services, Ryan, Twitter, FDA Locations: Canadian, California, United States, New Zealand, New York

☆ A pregnant woman traveled to Oregon get an abortion due to the Louisiana ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-09 | by ( Christina Zdanowicz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

And for women in Texas and Louisiana, average travel times to the nearest abortion facility were seven hours longer – almost a full workday in travel time to get an abortion. She researched the parameters for abortion in a state, how long she would have to take off work, travel options and how soon she could get an appointment. “The second I got the definitive pregnancy result, I was like, ‘OK, let’s book a flight to Oregon. Victoria took two medications as part of a medication abortion. She says she got an excellent standard of care around her surgeries, but it felt dissonant with her state’s laws around abortion.

Persons: ” Victoria, Roe, Wade, Victoria, ”, “, Austin Steele, “ Victoria, it’s, Emily, –, “ I’ve, you’re Organizations: CNN, New, Victoria, US, American Medical Association, Catholic, New England, of Medicine Locations: Victoria, New Orleans, Louisiana, Texas, Oregon, Florida, Portland , Oregon

A recent report in the Wall Street Journal that Elon Musk uses ketamine at parties could prompt an investigation into his security clearance, two attorneys who specialize in national security law told Insider. Drug use is typically grounds for the government to yank someone's security clearance, the two national security attorneys told Insider. Security clearance applicants are specifically required to disclose whether they have used ketamine on SF-86, the standard application form used to apply for a clearance. Edmunds, the security clearance attorney, said that in his experience, there is a "very prevalent" double standard for security clearance infractions, wherein defense contracting executives and higher-ranking government officials receive more permissive treatment than their subordinates. Musk boosts the benefits of drug useAfter the Rogan incident, Musk told "60 Minutes" that he didn't regularly smoke pot.

Persons: Elon, Joe Rogan's, Musk, yank, Dan Meyer, Tully, Alan Edmunds, Meyer, Doug Hurley, Bob Behnken, Joe Burbank, SpaceX's, Spirit AeroSystems, Leonardo, Edmunds, Mark Zaid, Marijuana, Rogan, It's, Tesla, Sam Altman Organizations: Street, NASA, Air Force, Elon, SpaceX, Tesla, The Defense Department, Bloomberg, CNBC, National Reconnaissance Office, Space Force, Kennedy Space Center, Orlando Sentinel, Tribune, Service, Getty, Defense Department, National Intelligence, Defense Counterintelligence, Security Agency, Spirit, Terran, FDA, Washington Post, Politico, New York Times, Twitter Locations: Florida, United States

☆ Amazon CEO explains how the company will compete against Microsoft, Google in AI race
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy doesn't believe the retail and cloud computing giant should be counted out of the artificial intelligence race just yet. Jassy has said Amazon intends to invest in AI across the company, and that AI programs have the potential to improve "virtually every customer experience." Earlier this year, AWS unveiled a generative AI service called Bedrock, where clients can use language models from Amazon and other startups to develop their own chatbots and image-generation services. AWS has also developed its own AI-specific chips, called Inferentia and Trainium, which aim to make it easier for developers to run large AI language models in the cloud. It's going up against Nvidia , whose powerful semiconductors have dominated the market for AI chips.

Persons: Andy Jassy doesn't, Jassy, ChatGPT, Jon Fortt Organizations: CNBC, Microsoft, Google, Web Services, AWS, Nvidia

☆ Goldman adds a utility stock to its list of elite picks for clients
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As the third quarter and second half open, Goldman Sachs is adding a key utility stock to its high-conviction stock list. These are some of the other names that made the cut: Goldman views the potential launch of an iPhone 15 come September as a big potential catalyst for shares of Apple. Like its peers, Apple shares have been on a tear in 2023, surging roughly 49% in the first half as Wall Street bet on artificial intelligence and returned to tech after a terrible 2022. WW International is positioned for the most upside potential among all the stocks on Goldman's list, with a $13 price target implying that shares can nearly double. Other key names highlighted in the list include Amazon , Warner Bros Discovery , Merck and JPMorgan Chase .

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Steven Kron, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Southern Company, Atlanta, Apple, Warner Bros Discovery, Merck, JPMorgan Chase

☆ A $7 billion startup wanted to build patient-friendly healthcare. Its bet on buzzy weight-loss drugs is testing that vision.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Blake Dodge | Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Patient complaints go beyond the Wegovy shortageKaitlyn's complaints echo an array of issues faced by other Ro patients seeking weight-loss drugs. The patients Insider interviewed asked to be identified by their first names to protect their privacy. In this chat log, a Ro weight-loss patient sends messages to the startup asking to cancel the program. Reitano told Insider that around 90% of Ro patients got a response within 24 hours. "Until these DTC companies generally start getting into the muck of healthcare, they're not going to have a material impact," Parker told Insider.

Persons: Ro, Zachariah Reitano, Reitano, Li Ran, Robyn Phelps, Kaitlyn, She'd, didn't, she's, couldn't, Max Kerwick, drugstores, Max, Ro's, aren't, hasn't, Florian Gaertner, it's, TJ Parker, they're, Parker Organizations: New York, Getty, Better Business Bureau, Nordisk, Better Business, CareMetx, Ro, TechCrunch Locations: Xinhua, New York, New York City

☆ The telehealth services we all relied on during COVID are fading away — but telemedicine may be entering a new era as providers look to bring the clinic home
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Natalie Rahhal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But it's exhausted the capabilities of asynchronous care, one healthcare expert told Insider. The answer may lie in in-home monitoring technology, healthcare experts told Insider, which could be the next phase of telemedicine. Another example of a telemedicine model that uses in-home monitoring to expand access to care is the startup Bicycle Health. But there are obstacles to getting this kind of care to patients, including doctors' resistance to telemedicine and federal and state regulation. "For one-quarter century, this has been the domain of states," Kyle Zebley, senior vice president of public policy at the American Telemedicine Association, told Insider.

Persons: it's, Alana Saltz, Saltz, Ateev, Mehrotra, Danny Nieves, Kim, Nieves, telehealth, —, Kyle Zebley, Zebley, that's Organizations: Healthcare, Morning, Harvard University, Technology, Health, Bicycle Health, American Telemedicine Association, McKinsey Locations: COVID, —

☆ Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, a DeSantis ally, wants to stop pot legalization from going before voters in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ron DeSantis, asked the state Supreme Court to nix a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize pot in the state. The Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Drug Free America Foundation were outside entities opposing the ballot measure in briefs they filed. In 2018, Florida voters overwhelmingly authorized medical marijuana usage through a similar ballot measure, and they tend to be similarly successful in other states. Despite DeSantis' definitive statement against cannabis legalization last week, his record on the issue has been mixed. As a US Congressman, DeSantis voted in favor of spending bill amendments to protect state cannabis programs from federal interference.

Persons: DeSantis, —, Ashley Moody, Ron DeSantis, nix, Moody, Truelieve Organizations: Florida's, Service, Republican Gov, GOP, Department of Health, Florida Chamber of Commerce, Drug Free America Foundation, Navy Locations: Florida, telehealth

☆ The future of sustainable healthcare is a custom experience driven by ethical technology, says the CEO of an online women's healthcare clinic
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Ashley Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Dr. Sophia Yen is the CEO and cofounder of Pandia Health, a birth-control-delivery service. Yen said she's optimistic about the potential for AI and machine learning to transform healthcare. Pandia Health is a women-founded and women-led birth-control prescription and delivery service, offering online doctor's visits to patients across the country. As healthcare continues to evolve in a post-pandemic world, Yen told Insider that she intends to continue evolving Pandia Health along with it. AI and machine learning could improve the reproductive-healthcare experience and cut costsYen told Insider the company is keeping an eye on the technological breakthroughs being spurred by generative AI and machine learning.

Persons: Sophia Yen, Yen, cofounders, Roe, Wade —, — Organizations: Pandia, Morning, Pandia Health, Health Locations: United States

☆ NY Gov. Hochul signs bill to protect abortion providers sending pills into states with bans
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Governor Kathy Hochul holds media availability press conference and makes an announcement on abortion rights at the office on 633 3rd Avenue. Kathy Hochul on Friday signed a bill that would legally protect doctors who prescribe and send abortion pills to patients living in other states where the procedure is outlawed. Under the measure, New York abortion providers can serve more out-of-state patients without fear of litigation. Similar telehealth abortion laws have been enacted in Massachusetts, Colorado, Vermont and Washington. The bill builds upon similar legislation passed last year, which aimed to protect New York abortion care providers from litigation, but did not specifically address telehealth.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Hochul, Wade, we're, Matthew Kacsmaryk Organizations: New York Gov, NBC, The, Food and Drug Administration, Northern District of, FDA Locations: New York, U.S, York, Massachusetts , Colorado , Vermont, Washington, Northern District, Northern District of Texas

☆ People on Drugs Like Ozempic Say Their ‘Food Noise’ Has Disappeared
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Dani Blum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Videos related to the subject “food noise explained” have been viewed 1.8 billion times on TikTok. When food noise fadesWendy Gantt, 56, said she first heard the term food noise on TikTok, where she had also learned about Mounjaro. Ozempic is more of a way to silence the food noise than anything else, she said. “It’s not like a magic drug that’s giving people an easy way out.”What causes food noise? There is no clinical definition for food noise, but the experts and patients interviewed for this article generally agreed it was shorthand for constant rumination about food.

Persons: Wendy Gantt, ”, “, Kelsey Ryan, hasn’t, It’s, Ryan, “ It’s, Robert Gabbay, Janice Jin Hwang Organizations: American Diabetes Association, University of North Carolina School of Medicine Locations: Ozempic, Canandaigua, N.Y

☆ Amazon will not host re:MARS robotics and AI conference this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Amazon doesn't plan to host its re:MARS conference on cutting-edge technologies like robotics and space this year, the company confirmed on Friday. It will incorporate the subjects into its existing lineup of Amazon Web Services events. The decision to cancel re:MARS was not made for budgetary reasons, Amazon said. Amazon used re:MARS to spotlight some of its futuristic innovations, such as delivery drones, warehouse robots, and its first home robot. At last year's conference, Amazon demonstrated a feature where its Alexa digital assistant impersonated a deceased relative.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Andy Jassy, Bezos Organizations: Amazon Web, Machine, Robotics, Amazon, Amazon Care, Amazon Web Services, CNBC

☆ The fertility business is booming as startups go after big profits in a $54 billion market, even as other healthcare companies slump
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Fertility companies are thriving as the rest of the healthcare industry stumbles. Many healthcare companies have seen their growth stunted by the market downturn, but fertility startups are defying the odds. Alessia Pierdomenico/Reuters Big returnsProgyny's success this year is boosting investor sentiment for private fertility companies, F-Prime Capital partner Carl Byers said. And some fertility companies are trying to stand out further by saying they can lower costs for employers. Experts predicted the fertility industry will see further consolidation this year, including more clinic acquisitions by private equity and by some fertility startups.

Persons: Kindbody, Scott Schoenhaus, Sarah James, Cantor Fitzgerald, PitchBook, Progyny, James, Alessia Pierdomenico, Carl Byers, Byers, Asima Ahmad, Carrot, Cantor Fitzgerald's James, Gina Bartasi, Peter Anevski, he's, Anevski, Rebecca Torrence Organizations: Morning, The Business Research Company, Investors, Reuters, Prime, Clinics, Maven, for Disease Control, Fertility

Amazon remains dominant in e-commerce and cloud computing with Amazon Web Services. "But what we've seen recently is a company simply pursuing too many ideas, with weaker ideas taking away the oxygen, capital, and most importantly focus from the truly disruptive initiatives that 'only Amazon can do.'" Amazon shares are up 50% year to date, but they've underperformed top peers by about 52% over a five-year period, he said. Amazon should "divest, seek outside funding, or trim spend" in health care and its nascent low Earth orbit satellite venture, called Project Kuiper, Shmulik wrote. He pointed to Amazon's multiyear effort to break into health care, before abandoning efforts like its Care telehealth service, Halo health and fitness band, and a joint health-care venture called Haven.

Persons: Bernstein, Andy Jassy, Mark Shmulik, —, Google —, Shmulik, Jeff Bezos, Jassy, Bezos, irrelevance Organizations: Amazon Web, Microsoft, Google, Amazon Locations: New York, Haven

☆ Using video games as medical treatments seemed promising, but a stunning failure raises questions about the future of digital therapeutics
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

With digital therapeutics' trailblazers in jeopardy, experts think more failures are on the horizon. Covering digital therapeutics hasn't been easyInsurers, the ultimate gatekeepers in healthcare, have been slow to warm to the idea of reimbursing prescription digital therapeutics. Plus, most digital therapeutics don't integrate with electronic-health-records systems, making it difficult for clinicians to track their patients' progress. Senators reintroduced a bill in March that would guarantee Medicare reimbursement for prescription digital therapeutics. Want to tell us about your experience with digital therapeutics?

Persons: Pear, It's, Akili, Jeffrey Abraham, Rick Bartels, Bartels, Corey McCann, Matt Stoudt, Stoudt, Matthew Stoudt, keener, we'll, that's, Abraham, Rebecca Torrence Organizations: Morning, Pear Therapeutics, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Digital Therapeutics, Pear, Centers, Medicare, Services, Senators, CMS

☆ Amazon's virtual clinic helps customers avoid crowded wait rooms and pharmacy visits. Here's how to get the care you need in a few clicks.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Amazon Clinic With Insider Studios | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

People can struggle to get on their primary healthcare providers' busy calendar or endure long wait times at walk-in clinics for common conditions like erectile dysfunction or a urinary tract infection. The pandemic accelerated the adoption and proliferation of telehealth, and today services like Amazon Clinic have changed how people can receive quality healthcare. Amazon Clinic is an accessible virtual health service that allows customers to choose from a group of licensed third-party telehealth providers. In a world that prioritizes convenience without sacrificing quality, Amazon Clinic brings a new level of accessible, patient-centric healthcare from a company that has already transformed the customer experience in countless ways. This post was created by Amazon Clinic with Insider Studios.

Organizations: Amazon Clinic, Insider Studios

☆ Transgender adults in Florida were 'blindsided' that the new law also limits their access to healthcare, and now have to decide whether to uproot their lives and leave
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Thalia Beaty | Brendan Farrington | Hannah Schoenbaum | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

An expert estimated 80% of trans adults in the state lost access to healthcare because of a new law. Ron DeSantis signed last month also made it difficult — even impossible — for many transgender adults to get treatment. AP Photo/Laura Bargfeld"For trans adults, it's devastating," said Kate Steinle, chief clinical officer at FOLX Health, which provides gender-affirming care to trans adults through telemedicine. Dunn estimates that 80% of trans adults in the state were getting their healthcare from a nurse practitioner and now have lost access. AP Photo/Laura BargfeldLucas, who transitioned eight years ago when he was 18, anticipates running out of hormone treatments in June.

Persons: —, Ron DeSantis, Eli, Lucas, Laura Bargfeld, I'm, Kate Steinle, Lana Dunn, SPEKTRUM, haven't, Dunn, Eli cuddles, That's, Laura Bargfeld Lucas, It's, ___ Beaty Organizations: Service, Republican, Gov, AP, Associated Press, Inc, Williams Institute, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law Locations: Florida, TALLAHASSEE, Fla, Casselberry , Florida, Orlando, telemedicine, Minnesota, New York City, Raleigh , North Carolina

☆ Around 400 patients were wrongly informed they might have cancer, biotech company says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A biotech company said 400 people had been mistakenly informed they might have cancer. Grail Inc said the error resulted from a software issue, which has been resolved. The incident was part of a trial of an early-detection blood test called Galleri. Grail Inc, an American biotechnology company, developed an early-detection blood test called Galleri, created to identify more than 50 types of cancer before symptoms appear, per Reuters. The company, owned by gene sequencing company Illumina, said it promptly contacted patients after the incident.

Persons: —, Grail, PWNHealth, MassMutual Organizations: Inc, Service, Financial Times, British Locations: American

☆ 4 ways to 'spring clean' your life in less than 15 minutes
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Kelly Hyman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

It's only after the first quarter that people begin to spring into action and tidy up areas of their life. Reviewing your calendar before embarking on the work week can save you a lot of time and frustration come Monday. Set an alarm for 15 minutes to look at your week ahead and make adjustments. Put your to-do list into actionA to-do list can easily become a place for procrastination if not edited and acted upon regularly. To clean up your to-do list, create tasks in the way you'll get them done.

☆ Walmart will offer pet telehealth in latest bid to compete with Amazon
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesWalmart is jumping into the burgeoning pet telehealth market. Unlimited access to veterinary telehealth via video or text will be available to Walmart+ subscribers beginning on Tuesday, when Walmart is expected to announce the partnership publicly. Walmart's expansion into pet telehealth signals the largest U.S. retailer is ready to grow its share of the market. Traditional pet-only retailers like Chewy and Petco have already been investing in pet health care to better compete with big-box stores. Others have argued pet telehealth helps bridge the access to care as pet owners contend with a nationwide veterinary shortage and swaths of pet health deserts across rural America.

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In the last two years, my credit cards have saved me over $4,500 on travel — and a lot of hassle. Travel insurance offers peace of mind, but what most people don't realize is that it doesn't have to come at a cost. Here's a detailed look at how my American Express credit cards' travel insurance came to the rescue on two different occasions. Whenever you file a claim, your credit card insurance company will ask for documentation to prove your travel was nonrefundable to approve your claim.

☆ Ozempic Is Hard to Find. Some Pharmacies Are Offering Unauthorized Alternatives.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Dani Blum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ms. Davis, 55, did not have diabetes, but had gained 50 pounds during menopause and developed hypothyroidism, she said, and was eager to lose weight. After seeing someone claiming to be a doctor on TikTok saying he could help patients obtain a generic version of the medication, she reached out. After a few days and a brief video consultation with someone who introduced herself as a nurse practitioner, Ms. Davis had a prescription in hand. “It was really fast,” Ms. Davis said. In the scramble to find Ozempic, patients are seeking out telehealth platforms, medical spas and compounding pharmacies for what some tout as “generic” versions of the drug.

☆ The top large-cap fund manager from the past 12 months shares the simple change he made that completely turned around his performance — and 13 stocks he loves now
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

That realization led portfolio manager David Miller to launch the Catalyst Insider Buying Fund (INSIX) nearly 12 years ago. While many funds factor in insider transactions when selecting stocks, few use it as their main prerequisite when screening investments. But in the last 12 months, it's the best-performing large-cap fund on the market through April 30, according to Kiplinger. All of these companies have benefitted from insider buying to some extent, but some have been lifted even more by company buybacks. "They've just been gobbling up their own stock," Miller said of O'Reilly Automotive.

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