Ongoing shortages of life-saving and essential drugs have largely been tied to the fragility of drug supply chain, but the flip side of the economic equation driving the scarcity — demand — is also a growing problem.
Why it matters: The U.S. has been experiencing its worst year for drug shortages in a decade, with Sanofi and AstraZeneca's new RSV shot for infants as the latest high-profile example.
A wave of medical services delivered via software has the potential to expand access to new therapies and help keep people out of the hospital — but the health system is still trying to figure out how to pay for it.
Why it matters: Experts advising Medicare are just beginning to wrestle with how the program — the largest payer of health care in the U.S. — should pay for software used as medical devices, which can range from video games prescribed for ADHD to technology that analyzes data from CT scans.
America will enter the 22nd century with a shrinking population unless immigration increases, according to new U.S. Census Bureau projections released Thursday.
Why it matters: Beyond changing what the country looks like, these demographic trends could profoundly reshape the economy and alter society.
The big picture: Ohio became the 24th state to allow adult cannabis use for nonmedical purposes with nearly 57% voting for the ballot initiative Tuesday, according to the state's unofficial election results.
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved using Eli Lilly's diabetes drug Mounjaro for weight loss, making it the second in a new class of drugs to receive the agency's OK as an obesity treatment.
The big picture: The drug will be marketed under the name Zepbound and have a list price of $1,060, which is about 20% less than Novo Nordisk's rival drug Wegovy, per Lilly.
The first pill approved to treat postpartum depression will be priced at $15,900 for a two-week treatment course, its manufacturer said.
Why it matters: The pricing decision had been a big question mark since the FDA in August approved Sage Therapeutics and Biogen's drug, Zurzuvae, for just postpartum depression and not major depressive disorder.
Amazon will begin offering memberships for its primary care chain One Medical to Amazon Prime members, the company announced Wednesday.
Why it matters: This is the first major move Amazon has made to integrate One Medical into its core offerings since acquiring it for $3.9 billion earlier this year.
Tuesday's off-year elections proved the recent staying power of abortion rights to bolster Democratic success, even in red states like Ohio and Kentucky.
Newly confirmed National Institutes of Health director Monica Bertagnolli is taking the helm of the biomedical research agency at a critical moment, with budgets tightening and lingering questions about its stewardship of high-risk virus research and role in keeping drugs affordable.
Driving the news: The cancer doctor was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday in a 62-36 vote, giving NIH its first full-time political leader in nearly two years.
