The Pentagon is turning to the independent testing lab Valisure to assess the quality and safety of generic drugs given to service members and veterans amid supply chain issues and shortages of certain treatments.
The big picture: The contract stems from a directive in the fiscal 2023 defense authorization act to size up risks to the military's drug supply chain.
The approval of the first-ever pill treating postpartum depression on Friday was hailed as a significant milestone, but it was quickly tempered by questions around how much the drug will cost.
Why it matters: The price of zuranolone will ultimately affect how widely it may be prescribed.
Hospitals charge commercial health plans two to three times more than what they charge the same insurer's Medicare Advantage plans for the same procedure, a new study in Health Affairs found.
Why it matters: While it's well established that private plans are typically charged more than Medicare, this study leverages the latest available pricing data to shed light on differing dynamics between the commercial and Medicare Advantage markets.
More gay and bisexual men will be able to donate blood beginning Monday as the Red Cross starts implementing a historic rule change approved by federal authorities earlier this year.
Why it matters: It helps close the chapter on the Food and Drug Administration's blood donor restrictions for men who have sex with men, which had been denounced as discriminatory by medical and LGBTQ organizations.
Hospitals and outpatient facilities in at least three states are still working to restore their computer systems after a cyberattack hit their parent company, forcing some locations to shut down for days.
Driving the news: Prospect Medical Holdings, a Los Angeles-based private equity company, which operates 16 hospitals and 165 outpatient facilities across California, Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania, announced it sustained an attack on Thursday evening, the Associated Press reported.
An effort to limit a likely carcinogenic chemical used for sterilizing medical devices is at the center of a dogfight in Washington, with potentially big tradeoffs for public health.
Why it matters: A chemical helping to keep Americans alive may also be making people who live near sterilization plants sick — but how quickly an acceptable alternative can take its place is sparkinga high-stakes debate between powerful regulatory agencies.
