Paxlovid Priced at $1,390! Snoozing the Alarm and Health; Medical Aid Heads to Gaza

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Pfizer is jacking up the list price of its COVID antiviral nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) to $1,390 when it moves to commercial sales. (Reuters)

Speaking of COVID, infection was tied to a sixfold increased risk for Guillain-Barré syndrome in a case-control study out of Israel, while mRNA vaccination showed no association. (Neurology)

Meanwhile, the slow rollout of this year’s COVID-19 vaccines may be related to the lack of a large public awareness campaign. (CNN)

Amazon is piloting a program of drone delivery of medications within an hour of order placement. (AP)

The European Medicines Agency said it is investigating counterfeit semaglutide (Ozempic) pens from Austria and Germany.

What’s next for Rite Aid? The drugstore chain is set to close 154 stores across 15 states. (Fox Business News)

Following an FDA advisory meeting in which panelists agreed there was not sufficient evidence of effectiveness, Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics pulled its biologics license application for its amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cell therapy; the company said it is working with the agency on a path forward.

The FDA approved a non-opioid intravenous analgesic combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen (Maxigesic IV; Combogesic IV) as an adjunct to opioids in adults, Hyloris Pharmaceuticals said.

Fentanyl test strip and naloxone giveaways are gaining traction on college campuses. (NPR)

Medicaid enrollees were more likely to stay on buprenorphine for opioid use disorder when treatment was initiated through telehealth rather than a traditional setting. (JAMA Network Open)

Researchers found no evidence that hitting the snooze button has negative effects on cortisol awakening response, mood, and cognitive function. (Journal of Sleep Research)

In Oregon, a male nurse at an all-women prison was sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting inmates needing medical treatment. (Miami Herald)

Hospitals in Washington state are suing over a requirement that they offer charity care to out-of-state patients. (Fierce Healthcare)

Israel is allowing an initial 20 trucks from Egypt to deliver food, water, and medicine to Gaza. (AP)

Hamilton Medical’s HAMILTON-C1, T1, and MR-1 ventilators are under a Class I recall due to a short-circuit risk related to leaky capacitators, the FDA announced.

The latest annual KFF survey of employer-sponsored coverage shows that insurance premiums rose 7% from 2022. (Axios)

A school-based cycling class produced mental health benefits for middle schoolers, a study showed. (NPR)

In contrast, gory slasher films may not be good for children’s mental health. (USA Today)

Anemic people with severe aortic stenosis often had gastrointestinal angiodysplasia, which was reduced after transcatheter aortic valve replacement in a prospective study. (New England Journal of Medicine)

An Arrayit executive was sentenced to 8 years in prison and ordered to pay $24 million in restitution for defrauding investors about his microarray technology and committing healthcare fraud with a COVID and allergy testing scheme, the Department of Justice said.

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