Pharmaceutical giants including Amgen, Merck and Gilead formed a coalition Wednesday to push back against a proposed overhaul of federal antitrust guidelines.
Why it matters: In health care, much of the discussion around the tougher merger rules so far has focused on how they might slow down a wave of provider consolidation. But the new coalition, the Partnership for the U.S. Life Science Ecosystem, argues the antitrust proposal would choke off a key source of innovation, sincemergers and acquisitions are often the only way for biopharma startups to advance their treatments.
The nationwide birth rate fell significantly between 2007 and 2022, dropping from 14.3 births per 1,000 people to 11.1, or nearly 23%, per new CDC data.
Driving the news: It declined particularly dramatically in parts of the West and Southwest, with the greatest drop-offs in Utah (-36.2%), Arizona (-36.1%) and Nevada (-34.0%).
Kaiser Permanente's integrated care model and unique partnership with unions fueled years of labor peace — but that wasn't enough to shield the health system giant from the labor disputes rippling across the industry.
Driving the news: More than 75,000 Kaiser workers across six states and Washington, D.C., are set to begin a three-day walkout Wednesday that union officials say is the largest health care strike in U.S. history.
The COVID vaccine rollout will soon include a third option, after the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized an updated Novavax shot for emergency use in people age 12 and older.
Why it matters: Novavax's product will be the only non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine available in the U.S. and could ease logistical issues that have disrupted the rollout amid a surge in new cases.
The World Health Organization on Mondayrecommended a second, cheaper vaccine to help prevent kids from contracting malaria, boosting much-needed supply in the fight against a leading killer of children.
Why it matters: The UN health agency's endorsement of the vaccine, known as R21/Matrix-M, comes almost two years after it recommended the world's first malaria vaccine, RTS,S.
Rising revenue helped hospitals balance out higher supply and drug costs in August, stabilizing the sector's financial performance and keeping operating margins in positive territory, a new Kaufman Hall report finds.
The big picture: The industry's post-pandemic fortunes continue to improve as patients return to more normal patterns of care. But the positive trend line comes as Congress weighs Medicare changes that could reduce payments to health systems.
Early hiccups that have complicated the rollout of updated COVID-19 vaccines should be resolved in the next couple of weeks, experts and pharmacy groups told Axios.
Driving the news: There have been widespread reports of dropped or limited vaccine appointments, making it difficult for some to get the shot almost three weeks after federal officials cleared it and encouraged people to protect themselves as cases were rising.
The way we're wired has a lot to do with whether we'll live to 100, but it's not the only factor — good news for those of us with ill-fitting genes.
Zoom out: As the oldest and fittest of the baby boomers age into triple digits over the next 25 years, and medicine finds new ways to treat and cure heart disease and cancer, more of us than ever before will see 100.
California launched a new civil court process in several counties this week that is aimed at helping people with schizophrenia and other psychological disorders into treatment plans.
The big picture: Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's championedCARE court allows first responders, family members, behavioral health providers and others to directly petition the court for behavioral health services.
