About the public’s health
Trump throws Covid relief bill in doubt by asking Congress to amend it: After being absent in Congressional discussions over the past number of months, the President now says the relief bill should be amended to increase the amounts paid from $600 to $2000 per individual ($4000 per couple). He did not use the word “veto” in his statements, possibly because both houses of Congress have more than enough votes to override it. The Democrats had pushed for more relief while Republicans wanted a smaller amount. One problem is that Congress has adjourned for a winter break and would need to be recalled.
Pfizer and BioNTech to Supply the U.S. with 100 Million Additional Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine: “Consistent with the original agreement announced in July 2020, the U.S. government will pay $1.95 billion for the additional 100 million doses.“ In a related story: The inside story behind Pfizer and BioNTech's new vaccine brand name, Comirnaty: “The name is coined from Covid-19 immunity, and then embeds the mRNA in the middle, which is the platform technology, and as a whole the name is meant to evoke the word community…”
Here's Your COVID Vaccine Rumor Roundup: This article is an excellent explanation debunking the major myths about the COVID vaccines.
And in a related article: The Anti-Vaxx Playbook: “This report, The Anti-Vaxx Playbook, is based on in-depth analysis of speeches and presentations by leading digital anti-vaccine advocates at a meeting they recently held in private over three days; investigation of private anti-vaccine digital spaces; and other intelligence gathered by our researchers. It reveals how anti-vaccine networks are systematically planning to suppress uptake of the Coronavirus vaccine by exploiting digital platforms.
These malignant actors have developed their strategic understanding over years of advocacy and practice. Their strategy is simple. Exploit social media algorithms’ predilection for controversial and engaging content to hammer home three key messages - Covid isn’t dangerous; vaccines are dangerous; and mistrust of doctors, scientists and public health authorities. Despite the variety of styles, tones and themes employed by the anti-vaccine movement, every meme they share is in service to one of these three messages.”
You should read the Executive Summary on page 6.
CDC says new UK strain of coronavirus could 'already be in the United States': However, experts believe the current vaccines should be effective against the mutation.
Lyft, Anthem, JPMorgan Chase and United Way Launch Universal Vaccine Access Campaign: “Lyft, Inc… today announced the launch of a nationwide campaign to support universal access to the coronavirus vaccine. The goal of this effort is to provide 60 million rides to and from vaccination sites for low-income, uninsured, and at-risk communities, when the vaccine becomes available. Corporate partners JPMorgan Chase and Anthem Inc. and community partner United Way will be working alongside Lyft to lead the effort, with many other business, healthcare and technology partners preparing to join the campaign as vaccines become available in the coming weeks.”
About pharma
Takeda offloads heart and metabolism drugs to 3-month-old Chinese firm for $322M: “Takeda has already exceeded the product sell-off goal it set alongside its Shire merger, but the Japanese pharma shows no sign of slowing down.
After making several geography-specific divestitures in different regions of the world, Takeda has turned to China. The company said Monday it agreed to offload some cardiovascular and metabolic drugs in the Chinese mainland to local firm Hasten Biopharmaceutic for $322 million.
The deal covers five drugs, including hypertension med Ebrantil (urapidil); the whole portfolio generated $109.5 million in sales for the fiscal year ended in March.”
Report Shows Prescription Opioid Use in US Declined by 60% From 2011 Peak: “Decreases in prescription opioid volume over the past 9 years have been driven by changes in clinical use, regulatory, and reimbursement policies, and in progressively more restrictive legislation enacted since 2012, according to the report. Further, the declines have been greatest in the highest doses of prescription opioids, or 90 morphine milligrams equivalents per day, which present the highest risk of opioid use disorder.”
U.S. sues Walmart saying pharmacies fueled opioid crisis, retailer rejects allegations: “In a civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Delaware, the government said Walmart failed to take its gatekeeping duties as a pharmacy seriously, allegations the company rejected.”
Global investors inject momentum into Hong Kong’s biotech craze: “International investors including BlackRock and Fidelity are anchoring a boom in Hong Kong biotech listings, with Chinese healthcare companies raising a record $21.1bn from share offerings in the city this year. Hong Kong is seeking to supplant New York’s Nasdaq as the world’s largest biotech fundraising centre by 2025. The rush of interest from western investors follows reforms two years ago that allowed biotech groups with no revenue to go public in the Asia finance hub for the first time.”
About health insurance
H.R.1418 - Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2020: An Act: To restore the application of the Federal antitrust laws to the business of health insurance to protect competition and consumers.
Amendment To McCarran-Ferguson Act.—Section 3 of the Act of March 9, 1945 (15 U.S.C. 1013), commonly known as the McCarran-Ferguson Act…” The law awaits presidential signature.
The McCarran-Ferguson Act is one of the cornerstones of the insurance industry. It provides these companies with limited anti-trust protections and gives states the authority to regulate, tax and license them. With intense consolidation of many health insurance companies, this amendment restores federal ability to prosecute under antitrust provisions of the Sherman and Clayton Acts. The law was obviously opposed by health insurance trade group AHIP, but also by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
[For more details see pages 236 and 237 of the U.S. Healthcare System book.]
Congress extends Medicare coverage of immunosuppressive drugs for kidney transplant: “The US Senate passed the Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act as part of a broad year-end legislative package, extending Medicare coverage of life-saving immunosuppressive medications for the life of the kidney transplant.
An estimated 375 adult kidney transplant recipients lose their transplant every year due to a lack of coverage of immunosuppressive medications after the prior 36-month Medicare coverage period…
The legislation ensures that Medicare covers the cost of immunosuppressive drugs if no other coverage is available. A non-partisan Congressional Budget Office analysis estimated the legislation will save Medicare more than $400,000,000 over the course of 10 years by averting a return of transplant patients to hemodialysis.”