Kemp signs cannabis-cultivation law

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Six grow licenses to be issued

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Bill closes loophole for those eligible to possess

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Georgia closed an odd loophole in its existing medical marijuana oil law, as Governor Brian Kemp signed a bill that would allow limited cultivation of marijuana within the state to create the medicinal oil.

Or, as less-nuanced headlines would have it, “GEORGIA LEGALIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA!!!”

Reality: Georgia already allowed people with certain conditions to obtain a license to possess and use low-THC cannabis oil — but there was no legal way for them to actually acquire it. The new law fixes that.

The measure will create a state commission to oversee medical cannabis production and distribution. It will issue up to six licenses to companies to grow marijuana in indoor facilities and turn it into low-THC oil.

The law will also allow the University of Georgia and Fort Valley State University to conduct research on the therapeutic uses of the drug.

The details of pharmacists’ involvement will still need to be worked out, and you can bet we’re keeping a sharp eye on that.

GPhA’s policy has remained consistent: Whatever process is being contemplated related to dispensing
medical marijuana, a licensed pharmacist should be required to be part of that process.

Note: The linked article incorrectly states that “34 states […] have medical marijuana programs.” In fact (plus or minus one or two*)…

• 10 states plus D.C. allow marijuana for recreational use
• 22 states allow marijuana only for medicinal purposes
• 14 states, including Georgia, only allow some form of cannabinoid oil to be used legally

And we’re not going to get into the states that have decriminalized it (i.e., you get a ticket for possession, not an arrest).

* Yes, it’s tough to keep up with the laws, and searching for this info is bound to put us on some sort of government watch list.

A clarification of our statin story

A student pharmacist wrote to us about a piece we published the other day, “Statins don’t help lower cholesterol.” The story was based on a study published in the British Medical Journal, and as this student pointed out, the guidelines there are somewhat different:

NICE guidelines are not practiced in the U.S. –> we use ACC/AHA guidelines and this difference means a lot. In the U.S. we choose statins based on intensities and comorbidities (high, moderate, and low).

High intensity is what would reduce LDL to 50% or more. The NICE guidelines commonly use Atorvastatin 20mg as initial statin treatment for primary prevention and it is considered high intensity for them. This is inaccurate for Americans as our ACC/AHA guidelines state high intensity drugs are Atorvastatin 40-80mg and Rosuvastatin 20-40mg.

Atorvastatin 20mg belongs to moderate intensity group based on ACC/AHA guidelines and knowing this, we wouldn’t expect it to lower LDL by 40% for most patients on it. Moderate intensity statins are expected to lower LDL by 30-49%. Note that the 40% mark being roughly half of what is expected. Exactly as what the article is trying to claim under high intensity when in fact it is not.

Color us impressed — a Georgia student pharmacist (who asked not to be named, in case you’re wondering) pointed out a critical oversight in our reporting.

Elsewhere: Big opioid bust

1. See story, “60 doctors, pharmacists charged in largest US opioid prescription bust.”
2. Click link.
3. Hit Ctrl-F, search for “Georgia.”
4. “Not found.”
5. (whew)

The long read: Oncology and PBMs

The Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology was our good friend as we worked to pass HB233 and HB323 this year. But why, of all specialties, are oncologists working so hard to fight PBM abuses?

“PBM Delays for Cancer Drugs May Risk Lives, Warn Oncologists,” has your answer.

Meanwhile, in Albany

Fantastic evening in Albany on Tuesday!

“After so many years of feeling like the deck was stacked against us, the work done at the state capitol this year really shows great promise.” That’s what one member said after hearing about what GPhA accomplished this year. Attendance was incredible and actually had to flow into an adjacent room. Here’s a pic from the event:

These folks are getting the latest information on what occurred during this year’s legislative assembly and eating a great meal, too.

In the Dublin area? Join GPhA CEO Bob Coleman tonight (Thursday) at Deano’s Italian Grill for your region meeting and update. Register at GPhA.org/regions — the dinner, update, CPE, and schmoozing time are only $10 thanks to our sponsors.

Not in Dublin? Then meet up with Greg Reybold in Athens. Check out GPhA.org/regions for other dates and times of Region Briefings, then sign up!

A special thanks to representatives Clay Pirkle, Noel Williams, and John LaHood for attending in Albany, and to AbbVie (Katharine Flory and Dr. Toledo), GeriMed, McKesson, and Smith drugs for their sponsorship of the event, too! And, of course, always great to see former Representative Buddy Harden and his wife Linda!

Atlanta going smoke-free?

The city could be joining most other major metropolises by banning smoking in public places (not just restaurants).

Stop and smell the roses

Want to quit smoking? Half those who try, relapse. You know what might help? Pleasant odors, at least according to a small study.

In a series of experiments, the researchers found that the smokers’ cigarette cravings declined after they smelled pleasant aromas, such as chocolate, apple, peppermint, lemon or vanilla.

Fishy solution

Do you wake up thinking, “How can I reduce my risk of developing age-related macular degeneration?” Of course you do. One possible answer: Eat more fish.

The long read: Tower of Babel edition

Drug makers will soon have to include prices in their advertising, but as we pointed out before, that’s not so simple. What is the “price”? List price? Typical patient out-of-pocket? (And what’s a typical patient?) Medicare co-pay (which varies)?

As Stat News reports, companies that have started including figures have found some interesting twists to how to present costs. Check out “Most people pay less than $5 per month for the drug. But some pay $11,002.”

It’s Zyrtec time!

Atlanta recently had the highest pollen count in six years, and further south the earlier springs (thanks, climate change) mean more pollen coming sooner. And it’s not going away — although rain will provide some temporary relief.

About last night…

Check out this shot of the GPhA Region Meeting in Acworth on Tuesday:

These pharmacy folks are enjoying an excellent meal — more importantly, GPhA’s Greg Reybold is explaining the big changes that passed the legislature this year.

There are more region meetings coming up fast. Check out GPhA.org/regions and scroll down to find yours. For $10 you not only get a full meal, you get that critical legislative update, an hour of CPE, and a chance to connect with friends and colleagues. Don’t miss yours!

Think of the children

No, seriously, think of the children. The good news is that seven states are worse for kids’ healthcare than Georgia. The bad news (if you don’t want to do the math) is that 42 states have better healthcare for children.

Where we’re hit hard: Uninsured kids, infant-death rate, and obese kids.

Statins don’t help lower cholesterol

A study of more than 165,000 patients in the UK found that even after two years, taking statins didn’t lower the LDL cholesterol of more than half of those patients, “and these patients will experience significantly increased risk of future CVD.”

Insert cheesy headline here*

If you’re a rat with prediabetes, eating more cheese may help increase your insulin sensitivity … at least according to a study paid for by the Dairy Farmers of Canada.

* As cheese puns are way too easy, we’re not going to bother annoying you with them. You can come up with your own.

Ask me if I care

Taking acetaminophen might reduce your capacity for empathy.

When reading scenarios about various protagonists having pleasurable experiences, participants under the influence of acetaminophen experienced less empathic affect compared to participants who had consumed a psychologically inert placebo.”

Don’t deny opioids to people who legitimately need them: CDC

CDC clarifies its guideline for chronic opioid prescriptions: It’s a guideline, not a rule. Some payers have balked at paying for opioid treatment, citing the agency’s March 2016 “Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain.”

No, says the CDC. The guideline is “not intended to deny clinically-appropriate opioid therapy to any patients who suffer acute or chronic pain from conditions such as cancer and sickle cell disease, but rather to ensure that physicians and patients consider all safe and effective treatment options for pain management.”

Want to save a lot of healthcare dollars?

Add labels to food showing added sugar. Simple as that … at least according to a study published in the journal Circulation.

Between 2018 and 2037, the sugar label would prevent 354,400 cardiovascular disease and 599,300 diabetes mellitus cases, gain 727,000 quality-adjusted life years, and save $31 billion in net healthcare costs.

Cancer patients self-medicate … and don’t always admit it

A third of people diagnosed with cancer report using alternative “medicine” to help treat it.

Herbal supplements were the most common alternative medicine and chiropractic, or osteopathic manipulation, was the second most common, according to Dr. Sanford’s analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey.

Flu watch

The CDC says at least 32,900 Americans have died from the flu this season (possibly as many as 54,800), including at least 86 children.

Perspective: That is about as many American servicemen and women died during the entire Korean War.

Shoulda seen that one coming

Pro tip: If you’re going to market an herbal product called “Aphrodisiac,” you can pretty much bet the FDA is gonna check it out for unauthorized ingredients. (And Buzz readers will know the agency will find them … and issue a recall notice.)

Oh, gut biome, is there anything you can’t do?

Researchers have found that the right fecal transplant can reduce autism symptoms by half.

Prior to the study, 83 percent of participants had “severe” autism. Now, only 17 percent are rated as severe, 39 percent as mild or moderate, and incredibly, 44 percent are below the cut-off for mild ASD [autism spectrum disorder].

Thanks to anti-vaxxers, measles outbreak about to set record

More measles cases are being reported to the CDC, making this current series of outbreaks the largest in the past five years … and on track to be the largest since we “eliminated” the disease almost 20 years ago.

Elsewhere: Ebola edition

Merck’s Ebola vaccine appears to be 97.5 percent effective against the disease.

The long read: Diabetes in Georgia’s prisons

“For some in Ga. prisons and jails, diabetes has meant a death sentence”

A first-of-its-kind investigation by the AJC shows how at least a dozen inmates have died — and died horribly — because they didn’t get the medication or help they needed.

You just can’t win

It’s possible that women with too low an LDL cholesterol level could be at higher risk for stroke.

After tracking nearly 28,000 women aged 45 and up for two decades, investigators determined that women with LDL levels of 70 mg/dL or lower were more than twice as likely to experience a bleeding (“hemorrhagic”) stroke than those with LDL levels in the range of 100 to 130 mg/dL.

Tobacco stays, e-cigs out, and CBD in at Rite-Aid

The company will stop selling cigarettes and e-cigs in all its locations (but will continue to sell regular cigarettes), and will begin offering CBD-based products in it’s Oregon and Washington State stores.

Kratom: Danger or hype?

A new report from the CDC is making headlines that kratom is responsible for a lot of deaths. But it’s really not that simple.

“Herbal drug kratom linked to almost 100 overdose deaths” reads USA Today’s headline (leaving out the time period — it’s 91 deaths over 18 months.) But the key word is linked.

Over the 18 months (per that CDC report)…

• 27,338 people died of overdoses.
• 152 of them tested positive for kratom.
• In 91 of those cases the ME/coroner blamed kratom as a cause of death (not necessarily the cause of death). And the CDC notes that “Postmortem toxicology testing protocols were not documented and varied among and within states.”
• In only 7 of those cases was kratom definitively the cause of death.

So draw your own conclusions: Dangerous drug gaining popularity? Hyperbolic headlines over a minor issue? Somewhere in between?

FDA: Opioid cold turkey is a bad idea

In case Captain Obvious isn’t around to remind you, the FDA has put out a statement pointing out that “sudden discontinuation of opioid pain medicines” can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms.

A new class of osteoporosis drug appears

A new osteoporosis drug has a new effect: romosozumab (its friends call it “Evenity”) is able to restore lost bone — something other treatments can’t do. The FDA has just approved it.

Patients taking the drug saw increases in bone density in their spines on the order of 15 percent — a huge figure, similar to the amount of bone made in early adolescence.

Hep A continues to spread

Georgia is being hit hard by a rash of hepatitis A infections.

Since June of last year, 214 cases have been reported in the state, including 64 last month alone, said Cherie Drenzek, the state epidemiologist, at a Tuesday board meeting of the Georgia Department of Public Health.

… and E. coli, too

The CDC still doesn’t know where the E. coli outbreak is coming from, but it’s in Georgia and it’s getting larger.

Hand sanitizer ruling

The FDA’s got a final rule on hand sanitizers: They can only contain three active ingredients: benzalkonium chloride, ethyl alcohol, and/or isopropyl alcohol.

Apparently there are other products (about 3 percent of the market, says the agency) that contain other active ingredients. Those will have to be approved as new drugs before they can be sold.

Our biggest takeaway, though, is that the FDA is finally referring to these as “hand sanitizers” like everyone else, instead of “nonprescription consumer antiseptic rub products.”

“I don’t know how you people sleep at night”

Parents of more than one kid will appreciate this: When each one blames the other, you get fed up with both of them. And that’s what’s happening in Congress as drugmakers and PBMs each blame the other for high drug prices.

“If you think you can out-talk us without any transparency, without any accountability, I just want you to know your days are numbered,” said Rep. Jan Schakowsky.

When Eli Lilly Senior Vice President Mike Mason tried to point to the fact that his company had launched a half-priced authorized generic version of its insulin Humalog, Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) retorted: “So it took 15 years and global outcry on this to do it?”

Meanwhile our own pharmacist rep, Buddy Carter, offered his thanks to the PBM execs:

“I want to congratulate all of you because you have done something here today that we have been trying to do in Congress, and that is to create bipartisanship.”

Are you a woman? Are you in pharmacy?

If so, you should check out “Women in Pharmacy: What’s Next?” — an “intimate dinner setting with no more than 20 attendees” on May 1 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Integrity Compounding Pharmacy in Sandy Springs. It’s only $59 if you register by April 15, and that includes dinner, the workshop, and all materials — not to mention the great networking opportunity.

The purpose of the evening is to empower women pharmacists to think outside the box and discuss ways to create a career they love using their expertise and knowledge. What’s your vision? Dream. Plan. Thrive.

Obviously space is limited, so click here to register while you can!

Antidepressant boost

Anti-inflammatory drugs, particularly NSAIDs and cytokine inhibitors, appear to help alleviate some depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder. As the researcher put it…

Meta-analysis revealed that anti-inflammatory agents outperformed placebo in improving depressive symptoms as an add-on treatment in patients with major depression.

Leave it to the professionals

The FDA is reminding people not to try to diagnose a head injury unless they’re using an FDA-approved device.

“The FDA has identified several manufacturers that were marketing medical devices for concussion diagnosis, treatment, or management without the FDA’s approval or clearance,” the agency said. “An incorrect diagnosis of ‘no head injury’ after an injury, for example, could lead a person with a serious head injury to return to their normal activities instead of getting medical care.

Elsewhere: Heather Has Two Mommies … and a Daddy

A Greek woman is the first to give birth via a new fertilization technique that gives her baby the genes of three parents. Typical human children only have two. In case you didn’t know.

GPhA members attend NCPA fly in!

GPhA members are in Washington, D.C., continuing the fight with NCPA to end retroactive direct and indirect renumeration fees and increase PBM transparency. GPhA members are calling on Georgia’s congressmen and senators to explain the nature of these abusive practices and ask for support of NCPA’s initiatives.

Members began the morning listening to HHS Secretary Alex Azar as he pulled no punches about how he felt about “kick-backs” to PBMs and his strong support of community pharmacy. Look for more to come as members continue meetings today.

Hemp and low-THC oil in Georgia: What’s up?

Greg Reybold has a special legislative update on two bills that could affect pharmacists. One would allow hemp farming, one would allow the production of low-THC oil.

Click here to read his special legislative update explaining what’s what … and how it might affect you.

Finger pointing, PBM-style

On Capitol Hill, PBMs said the secret rebates they received from drug makers were not secret, and that the deals they made with manufacturers weren’t the reason for high medication costs — it’s the drug companies themselves to blame.

“A major factor contributing to the increase in drug spending is the list price of prescription drugs. Drug manufacturers alone set the list price of prescription drugs,” said William Fleming, president of health-care services at Humana.

That said, to quote Stat News, “the powerful bipartisan duo behind the hearing now appears intent on legislating, and it looks like increasing transparency will be their primary goal.”

$99 insulin subscriptions

That’s what Sanofi is unveiling, calling it the “Insulin Valyou* Savings Program.” For that $99, patients will get up to 10 boxes of insulin pens and the accompanying 10 mL vials of the drug each month regardless of income.

The new [pricing] structure can cover the full cost of patients’ needs and allow patients to mix and match vials and packs, plus insulin types.

* It must be French for “value” because the idea that the company is trying to combine “value” and “you” is silly, right?

Knock knock. Who’s there? Um … Candygram.

Researchers have a new way to target HIV: Lure the virus out of its hiding place, then destroy it. Or, as the study’s senior author explained:

“A lot of scientists are trying to develop a cure for HIV, and it’s usually built around the ‘kick and kill’ concept — kick the virus out of hiding and then kill it. There are some promising therapies being developed for the kill, but the holy grail is figuring out which cells are harboring HIV so we know what to kick.”

Why do more women get migraines?

The villain appears to be calcitonin gene-related peptide, or CGRP. When injected into the brains of male rats (the dura mater, to be specific), it did nothing. But the female rats got headaches. What will come of this information we don’t know, but unmasking the bad guy is always satisfying.

Seeing is believing

Coffee is so powerful… (How … powerful … is it?)

It’s so powerful that even being reminded of it can make you more alert and attentive.

Living near a highway is not good for kids.

Living near one — because of exposure to car pollution — can cause delayed neurological development. Or for folks who prefer the more science-y text*, “proximity to major roadway and prenatal/early-life exposures to PM2.5 and O3 were associated with developmental delays.”

* You know who you are.

Not sure Visine would do the trick

“Doctors Find Four Bees Living in Woman’s Eye, Feeding on Her Tears”

The long read: “All engine and no brake”

“Why Does Medicine Cost So Much? Here’s How Drug Prices Are Set“

Georgia in Bloomberg

Georgia pharmacy got coverage by Bloomberg yesterday in “Drug Middlemen Face State Probes Over Complex Pricing System,” a piece on how PBMs are getting more state scrutiny. That comes as PBMs are testifying on Capitol Hill about drug pricing, and it makes sense for Georgia to get some attention.

Georgia is one of only a few states that have gotten to see behind the veil of spread pricing, thanks to legislators like pharmacy champ Representative David Knight, who Bloomberg quoted about the big issue:

“There is a total lack of transparency in the whole system,” says David Knight, a Georgia state representative. “It begs the question as to whom and where is the money going.”

We’re getting more transparent, though. Last year language was added to the state budget (thanks in part to GPhA advocacy) that including a reporting requirement — it helps legislators get a handle on how much money PBMs are making from their contacts with Georgia Medicaid (via the state’s four managed care organizations).

Of course, we also received a commitment from those four MCOs to move away from spread pricing in their next PBM contracts, which is good news for Georgia taxpayers. The work continues, though — GPhA has done well and done good the past few years in the legislature, but there is more work ahead.

Legislative recap

Speaking of PBMs and the law, don’t miss Greg Reybold’s final legislative update of the year — the big week 12 recap! Our priority bills have passed the Assembly (designed to rein in those PBM abuses), and now we await the governor’s signature. And there are a bunch of other healthcare bills you might want to be aware of.

Of course, the best way to get updated on the new laws is to attend your neighborhood Region President’s Legislative Briefing (and have a great dinner at the same time). Visit GPhA.org/regions to find the one nearest you!

Needle exchange

Governor Kemp has signed a bill allowing needle-exchange programs in Georgia. Of course it’s not quite that simple; the details will be worked out. Of note, the law isn’t a change for pharmacists — it’s geared toward ‘syringe service programs.’

Drugmakers on the Hill: Could this get any weirder?

Now House Republicans are telling drugmakers not to cooperate with the House investigation of drug prices because they believe the investigation will — according to the letter they sent to Novo Nordisk — “harm the competitiveness of your company.”

See, House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings had commented that, by hurting their stock prices, the House investigation into drug pricing was putting pressure on drug companies.

Know a recovering pharmacist?

Students and faculty at the University of Findlay College of Pharmacy in Ohio have embarked on an effort to gather data from recovering pharmacists throughout the country.

If you or someone you know is a recovering pharmacist, will you consider participating in their research project? Please CLICK HERE for a simple and straightforward survey. It will only take a minute to complete, your responses will be anonymous, and data is strictly confidential.

And if you’re dealing with addiction, remember that you can contact PharmAssist, offered through to the Georgia Pharmacy Foundation, at (404) 558-1983.

Vision quest

What, you thought contacts were only for better vision? Behold, the antihistamine-delivery system in a contact lens.

Telemedicine means more antibiotics

Telemedicine might be a boon for rural areas, but a new study finds that kids who visit a tele-physician are more likely to come away with an antibiotic prescription than those who see a doctor in person.

The study from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found kids during telemedicine visits […] received antibiotics for ailments such as ear infections or viral colds 52% of the time. By comparison, 42% of urgent care visits resulted in an antibiotic prescription, and in 31% of visit to primary care providers.

Drug prices are going down: AARP

The AARP published a report about drug pricing — retail drug pricing. This is going to mess with the narrative:

Between 2016 and 2017, retail prices for 390 generic prescription drugs widely used by older Americans, including Medicare beneficiaries, fell by an average of 9.3 percent. This followed two consecutive years (2015 and 2016) of substantial generic drug price decreases.

A billion here, a billion there…

Medicare — aka you, me, and other taxpayers — spent $13.3 billion in 2017 on insulin. That’s an eye-popping 840% increase since just 2007 for a century-old medication*.

No matter what side of the aisle you’re on (or even if you’re on the balcony), you can probably think of some better uses for that money … which is why Congress is taking a good hard look at the issue.

* Yes, we know it’s technically a hormone, and that today’s insulins are usually analogs rather than actual human insulin, but honestly, does that really change the point?

PBMs, DIR fees in the hot seat

PBM execs are strapping on their halos and practicing their smiles as they prepare to testify before Congress this week to explain how they help keep drug prices down, and it’s everyone else’s fault that prices are going so high.

Meanwhile, we’re all waiting to see if HHS will issue a new drug-pricing rule that would “move pharmacy price concessions to point-of-sale, eliminating the retroactive nature of pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration, or DIR, fees,” according to the NCPA.

E. Coli outbreak

Several states, including Georgia, are experiencing an E. Coli outbreak according to the CDC … which doesn’t have a lot more info. That means it can’t tell you what foods to avoid. So just, you know, wash and cook your food.

It’s not done yet

“Health care is a very high priority for tens of millions of people,” said federal Judge Richard Leon. So he’s set a week in May to hear from groups, including pharmacists, who are opposed to the yet-to-be-approved CVS/Aetna merger.

Bless you

If you’ve been sneezing a lot lately, there’s good reason for that.

Buzz is on semi-hiatus this week, so we’ll have fewer stories than usual….

Great news: Our bills officially pass the legislature!

Both our bills — HB233 and HB323 — received final approval from the House. (It had to vote on them a second time to approve some minor changes made in the Senate.) That means it’s on to the final step: the governor’s signature.

Considering the unanimous votes, we can safely say you should thank your senators and representatives for supporting these bills! Drop a note, make a call, even send a fax — let them know you appreciate the vote.

And remember, sign up for a Region Meeting in your area to get the details about what these bills means as well as other legislation this year (e.g., marijuana).

http://www.gpha.org/2019bills/

Here’s a quick summary of our two big bills of the 2019 legislative session.

HB 233 is a first of its kind patient-focused bill that will help to preserve patient choice and restrict pharmacies owned by pharmacy benefit managers and insurers from benefitting from widespread steering by their affiliates. This bill:

• Prohibits pharmacies owned by PBM and insurance affiliates from transferring or sharing records for commercial (i.e., non-patient care) purposes;
• Prohibit pharmacies from receiving self-dealing referrals from their affiliates and billing for them (referral includes ordering of patients to affiliate pharmacies; designing and implementing plan designs that require patient to use affiliate owned pharmacies; and patient-specific marketing by affiliates);
• Requires pharmacies to disclose affiliates to the Board of Pharmacy; and
• Gives the Board of Pharmacy oversight for this law, as the Board of Pharmacy already has existing oversight of licensed Georgia pharmacies (and pharmacies mailing into the state who must hold a non-resident pharmacy permit).

HB 323 is an update to the Pharmacy Patient Protection Act of 2017. This bill regulates PBMs and does the following:

• Strengthens existing mandatory mail order provisions;
• Adds PBM transparency provisions in connection with rebates by requiring annual reporting of rebate information to payors/clients;
• Prohibits PBMs from steering patients to affiliate pharmacies;
• Prohibits sharing patient info with affiliate pharmacies for commercial purposes;
• Prohibits knowingly making misrepresentations to patients or providers;
• Restricts PBMs from charging fees or penalties in connection with audits;
• Applies existing law restricting onerous accreditation standards to PBMs; and
• Applies protections of this act to other dispensers such as oncologists and their patients.

Please note that neither bill restricts PBM-owned pharmacies from being included in networks, and contain exceptions for limited-distribution drugs not commonly carried by retail pharmacies and oncology clinics.

Affordable insulin

Cigna/Express Scripts says patients on commercial insurance taking insulin will not pay more than $25 for a 30-day supply (even before meeting their deductibles) starting this year from some customers. This comes after Congress began turning up the heat big-time as insulin prices skyrocketed. Interestingly, the company claims the change had absolutely nothing to do with pressure from Congress.

About time

The National Institutes of Health said it’s beginning human trials of the first universal flu vaccine candidate.

Were they being done wrong?

Found this ad on the Washington Post site. (Please don’t click on it. The PBMs have to pay each time you do.)

Healthcare stories for both sides of the aisle to roll their eyes at

Donald Trump said he had a secret plan for a replacement for the Affordable Care Act, then backtracked after members of both parties … well, let’s say they were all over that announcement but in different ways.

And Bernie Sanders apparently has a magic wand — a wand he says he will use to cut prescription drug costs in half if elected president in 2020.

There you go. Talk amongst yourselves.