Low-hanging vaccination fruit

Georgia, it seems, ranks pretty low when it comes to vaccinations — 48th out of 50 states* (plus D.C.). That means, as the flu season starts, you’ve got your work cut out for you. Let’s get that ranking up!

* The worst states are the usual suspects: Mississippi, Texas, and Florida

Don’t forget: Time to sign up for your region meeting

Hey, don’t forget to register for your upcoming region meeting (officially “Regional President’s Briefing”)! They’re a great way to network with local pharmacy folks, get an hour of CE, hear an update on GPhA’s advocacy plans, and eat an awesome meal for just $10 — thanks to our sponsors.

And a reminder: Region 5’s meeting is at the Maggiano’s in Buckhead, not Perimeter Mall!

Less reading, more signing up! Head over to GPhA.org/regions right now and sign up for yours!

J&J settles in opioid lawsuit

The company agreed to pay $20.4 million to settle its role in the Very Big Opioid Case in Ohio.

Here’s your six-bullet-point update on the whole case:

• While officially by two Ohio counties, the lawsuit is actually a consolidated one involving 2,300-someodd cities, counties, tribes, towns, villages, hamlets … you get the idea.
• J&J is the latest drug maker to settle. Allergan, Endo, and Mallinckrodt already have.
• Teva is the only drug maker left in the suit, but …
• Drug distributors AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal, and McKesson — and retail pharmacy chains including Walgreens — are still in the suit.
• Those remaining defendants “have shown little sign of being predisposed to settle. They are continuing to press their efforts to remove Judge Polster from the case, claiming that he has shown a bias against them by openly encouraging settlement talks.”
• July selection is set to begin October 16.

Mildly controversial pick for FDA commish

Longtime GOP donor and oncologist Stephen Hahn is going to be named as the next head of the FDA, despite calls (from “four former FDA commissioners and an array of advocacy organizations”) that Acting Commissioner Ned Sharpless get the job permanently*.

Although he has some controversies in his past, Hahn has a reputation for being “gregarious and hard-working” and quick to “accept responsibility for the actions of people under his supervision.”

* Not everyone loves Sharpless, though. There’s some frustration at his “lackluster response” to e-cigarette use.

Doomsday prep, vaper style

What happens when you’re addicted to nicotine, don’t want to smoke, and can see the writing on the wall? “Straight-up panic.”

Medical device hacker threat

Back in March 2019, a security vulnerability was found in an obscure but widespread operating system called “Wind River VxWorks.” Widespread meaning it’s in everything from printers, phones, industrial systems, routers, MRI machines, elevators, and even NASA’s InSight Mars lander.

Patches were issued in May, updates were had, but … well, that doesn’t always get to everyone. Today (well, yesterday) the FDA is warning that hospital networks and medical devices are at risk:

These cybersecurity vulnerabilities may allow a remote user to take control of a medical device and change its function, cause denial of service, or cause information leaks or logical flaws, which may prevent a device from functioning properly or at all.

“Patients,” says the agency, “should talk to their health care providers to determine if their medical device could be affected and to seek help right away if they notice the functionality of their device has changed.”

Deer fight back

“Deer infected with tuberculosis can pass disease to hunters, CDC warns”

The Long Read: Missed Opportunities Edition™

The Obama Administration had a chance to get flavored e-cigarettes off the shelves. Then the lobbyists came calling.

[O]ver the course of 46 days, a deluge of more than 100 tobacco industry lobbyists and small business advocates met with White House officials as they weighed whether to include the ban as part of a new tobacco control rule.

The end result: Senior Obama administration officials nixed the ban and much of the evidence supporting it, according to documents reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.