ALS drug will be pulled from US market after study showed patients didn’t benefit

WASHINGTON — The maker of a drug for Lou Gehrig’s disease that recently failed in a large study said Thursday it will pull the medicine from the market, acknowledging it didn’t help patients with the deadly neurological condition. Amylyx Pharmaceuticals announced it will voluntarily halt sales and marketing of the drug in the U.S. and … Read more

Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders join forces to promote lower health care costs, including for inhalers

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden teamed up with Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday to promote his administration’s efforts to lower the cost of inhalers and other health care needs, as the White House continues its effort to highlight Biden’s legislative achievements to voters ahead of the November elections. “Bernie, you and I have been fighting … Read more

Biden and Harris team up for health care event in North Carolina

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will promote their health care agenda on Tuesday in North Carolina, a battleground state that Democrats hope to flip in their favor after falling short to Donald Trump in the last two presidential elections. Fourteen years after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act … Read more

A new kind of hospital is coming to rural America. To qualify, facilities must close their beds

As rural hospitals continue to struggle financially, a new type of hospital is slowly taking root, especially in the Southeast. Rural emergency hospitals receive more than $3 million in federal funding a year and higher Medicare reimbursements in exchange for closing all inpatient beds and providing 24/7 emergency care. While that makes it easier for … Read more

Biden’s budget proposal for a second term offers tax breaks for families and lower health care costs

WASHINGTON — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday released a budget proposal aimed at getting voters’ attention: It would offer tax breaks for families, lower health care costs, smaller deficits and higher taxes on the wealthy and corporations. Unlikely to pass the House and the Senate to become law, the proposal for fiscal … Read more

First over-the-counter birth control pill in US begins shipping to stores

WASHINGTON — The first over-the-counter birth control pill will be available in U.S. stores later this month, allowing American women and teens to purchase contraceptive medication as easily as they buy aspirin. Manufacturer Perrigo said Monday it has begun shipping the medication, Opill, to major retailers and pharmacies. A one-month supply will cost about $20 … Read more

Pharmacy orders impacted by cyberattack

Orders at several pharmacies have been delayed after a cyberattack was detected at UnitedHealth’s technology unit, Change Healthcare. The company said issues began Wednesday afternoon and some applications were unavailable. In a post later on Wednesday, Change Healthcare said it was experiencing network interruptions related to cybersecurity issues. Security experts “took immediate action” once the … Read more

What to know about insurance coverage for weight loss drugs and costs

Many U.S. companies are grappling with health insurance coverage issues for workers when it comes to GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. Despite the hefty price tag — typically between $1,000 to $1,500 a month — consumers are clamoring for drugs like Novo Nordisk‘s Wegovy and Eli Lilly‘s Zepbound. This class of drugs, historically used to … Read more

EBay will pay $59 million settlement over pill presses sold online as US undergoes overdose epidemic

WASHINGTON — The e-commerce giant eBay will pay $59 million in a settlement with the Justice Department over thousands of pill press machines sold on the platform, the Justice Department said Wednesday. The machines can be used to manufacture counterfeit pills that look just like prescription pills but instead can be laced with substances like … Read more

Medicare drug price negotiations what’s ahead in 2024

Activists protest the price of prescription drug costs in front of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) building on October 06, 2022 in Washington, DC. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images U.S. patients and drugmakers will get a first glimpse of how much Medicare can negotiate down drug prices in 2024, setting the … Read more