Why it matters: The unique approval further expands the market for the blockbuster drug, part of a class of GLP-1 medications that have seen explosive growth as treatments for diabetes and obesity despite their high list prices.
Novo Nordisk shares, already soaring on the popularity of Ozempic and Wegovy, notched a record high Thursday after reporting positive early results for another weight-loss drug candidate.
The big picture: The drug giant's stock has increased more than 88% in price over the past year, and closed trading Thursday as the 12th largest company in the world by market value, surpassing Tesla.
The Food and Drug Administration is asking outside advisers to review the safety and efficacy of an experimental Alzheimer's drug from Eli Lilly that was expected to be approved in the first quarter of this year.
Why it matters: Donanemab was shown to be effective in slowing the disease's progression by about a third, and would be the second drug of its kind to receive full FDA approval and corresponding Medicare coverage.
Health care is uniquely vulnerable to worker shortages as the U.S. population ages over the next decade, according to a new Moody's analysis.
Why it matters: That means providers could face even higher costs in the coming years or, if positions go unfilled, some patients may go without the care they need.
Free COVID tests are over, for now. So are guidelines for infected people to isolate. Half of the country thinks the pandemic is finished.
But, in reality, COVID-19 is still with us. Though the official trappings of the crisis keep fading away and it's increasingly being treated like the flu, the virus remains an ever-present threat that's killing hundreds of Americans every week and consuming health care dollars and resources.
Why it matters: Cases have been falling as the respiratory virus season winds down. But hundreds of people are still dying from COVID-19 every week, according to CDC data.
Two Alabama IVF clinics say they are reopening after Gov. Kay Ivey late Wednesday signed legislation to insulate providers from legal claims in the wake of a court ruling on the status of frozen embryos.
Why it matters: The Alabama Supreme Court decision that embryos are children prompted a scramble for a legislative fix and put Republicans nationwide in the hot seat, facing charges they were interfering with reproductive rights.
The Food and Drug Administration is warning that select ground cinnamon products sold at some discount stores contain "elevated levels of lead."
Why it matters: The federal agency said in a safety alert Wednesday that consumers should throw away the affected spice products, which were sold at retailers such as Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and Save A Lot.
About 11,000 infants and young children landed in hospital emergency departments between 2019 and 2022 because they accidentally ingested melatonin, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported today.
Why it matters: More unsupervised pediatric exposure to the sleep aid coincides with a major uptick in adult use.
About 1 in 8 voters say abortion is the top factor influencing how they'll vote in the 2024 elections, with the issue resonating particularly with Black and Democratic women and those ages 18 to 49, a new KFF tracking poll finds.
Why it matters: It's further evidence of how the overturning of Roe v. Wade has fired up the reproductive health debate and left abortion foes struggling to respond.
President Biden will use Thursday night's State of the Union address to again claim credit for lowering Americans' drug costs — something the public just isn't willing to concede.
Why it matters: While policies around cheaper medicines poll extremely well with voters, Biden hasn't been able to squeeze political juice from Medicare price negotiations, out-of-pocket caps and other policies on his watch.
Hearing loss is more common in rural areas than urban ones, according to a recent study seeking to estimate the condition's prevalence down to the county level.
Why it matters: It's a surprising finding, given cities' reputations as awash in constant noise from cars, buses, firetrucks, etc. — and one with important public health implications.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed into law a bill designed to protect in vitro fertilization patients and doctors from prosecution on Wednesday, following a state Supreme Court ruling that said frozen embryos are considered unborn children.
/2024/03/04/1709575467827.gif?w=3840)