And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda, so far, is exceedingly modest. We will attempt to employ a new device for moving leaves about the official grounds, catch up on our reading and perhaps hold another listening party. If we do, the rotation will likely include this, this, this, and this. And what about you? The air is getting a bit nippy and clocks will be turning (back, in case you forgot), but there is still time to enjoy the great outdoors. What can be prettier than catching a glimpse of many-colored trees? Not for you? Been there, done that? Well, you could get a jump on holiday shopping, binge watch in front of the telly or reach out to someone special. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon…
A key U.S. Senate panel announced it will consider more policies to regulate pharmacy benefit managers and ensure patients are not paying more than insurers do for medications, STAT reports. The package crafted by U.S. Senate Finance chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) is slated to be marked up on Nov. 8 and includes policy on a broad range of health care priorities, including substance abuse and mental health care, and extensions to provider pay. The pharmacy benefit manager regulations build on a separate package of PBM regulations that the panel passed in July.
Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk both expect juggernaut sales for their diabetes and weight-loss drugs to extend into coming years — limited only by their availability, Reuters writes. The companies have been the primary beneficiaries of the global boom in obesity drugs, ballooning their market values and reshaping expectations not just in the health care industry, but also for sellers of sugary snacks, nutritional aids and packaged foods. Sales of Wegovy and Ozempic for Novo and Lilly’s Mounjaro surpassed expectations in the most recent financial quarter reported on Thursday, and both companies flagged their inability to manufacture enough supply to keep up with skyrocketing demand.