Hello, everyone, and how are you today? We are doing just fine, thank you, especially since the middle of the week is upon us. After all, we have made it this far, so we are determined to hang on for another couple of days. And why not? The alternatives — at least those we can identify — are not so appetizing. And what better way to make the time fly than to keep busy. So grab that cup of stimulation and get started. Our flavor today is mocha hazelnut, for those tracking our habits. Now, though, the time has come to get busy. So please grab your own cup and dig in to the items of interest assembled below. We hope you have a wonderful day, and please do keep in touch. …
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission expanded its campaign against pharmaceutical companies for filing what it calls “junk” patent listings pertaining to 20 different brand-name treatments for asthma, COPD, diabetes, and weight loss, including the blockbuster Ozempic diabetes medicine sold by Novo Nordisk, STAT writes. The move is part of an effort by the Biden administration to curb alleged patent abuses by the pharmaceutical industry. Drug companies have been accused of filing improper or inaccurate patents to make it harder for generic rivals to sell lower-cost alternatives to Americans. The tactics have also been blamed by congressional lawmakers for keeping prices high.
Pfizer is developing an online platform for patients to order medicine, including its Paxlovid treatment for Covid-19, in the latest push by drugmakers to cut out industry middlemen and sell straight to consumers, The Financial Times reports. The website, which is expected to launch later this year, would connect customers in the U.S. with independent telehealth consultants to prescribe the medications, while a drug-dispensing partner would fill and ship the prescription. The recently approved migraine nasal spray Zavzpret will be available, as will several other migraine medications to help ease pressure on prescribers amid a shortage of neurologists in the U.S.
