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Brand–brand competition unlikely to lower list prices of brand-name drugs

Greater brand–brand competition alone will likely not lower list prices of brand-name drugs in the US, according to a study published July 30 in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine by Ameet Sarpatwari of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and colleagues.

From PLOS ONE 31 Jul 2019

Opioid use score does not predict adverse patient outcomes after spinal surgery

An opioid use score based on state prescription databases does not predict complications or other adverse outcomes in patients undergoing spinal surgery, reports a study in the journal Spine.

29 Jul 2019

Study analyzes the prevalence of antipsychotic use in youths with ADHD

Although fewer young people with ADHD are treated with antipsychotic drugs than suspected, many prescriptions for the drugs do not appear to be clinically warranted, according to a new study from psychiatry researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.

26 Jul 2019

GOP senators distance themselves from Grassley and Trump’s efforts to cut drug prices

The fight between policymakers intent on lowering prescription drug prices and the drugmakers who keep raising them intensified Thursday, as a slew of Republican senators threatened to side with manufacturers against legislation supported by their own committee chairman and president.

25 Jul 2019

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Cue the drug price debate

The Republican and Democratic leaders of the Senate Finance Committee this week unveiled a sweeping proposal that seeks to lower prescription drug prices for the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

25 Jul 2019

Adolescents using multiple sources for prescription drugs at high risk for substance use disorders

Roughly 11% of high school seniors reported prescription drug misuse during the past year, and of those, 44% used multiple supply sources, according to a pair of University of Michigan studies.

18 Jul 2019

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Could the ACA really go away?

The Affordable Care Act was back in court again this week — this time before a three-judge panel at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.

11 Jul 2019

How to get a cheaper prescription before leaving the doctor’s office

When Mary Kay Gilbert saw her doctor in May for a skin infection on her leg, she wasn't surprised to receive a prescription for an antibiotic cream.

10 Jul 2019

Role of hospital and health-system pharmacists in drug therapy monitoring

As hospitals look for ways to stem the opioid crisis, a survey of health-system pharmacy directors released today found that most large health systems have active stewardship programs to prevent the misuse of opioids -- with pharmacists playing a key role in detecting drug diversion and identifying strategies to encourage appropriate opioid prescribing.

4 Jul 2019

Many grandparents’ medications are not safely stored around grandchildren, poll finds

Whether it's a rare treat or a weekly routine, spending time with grandchildren brightens life for many older adults. But a new poll suggests many of them could do more to reduce the risk of their medications harming their grandchild.

1 Jul 2019

‘Medicare for All’ emerges as early divide in first democratic debate

During Wednesday night's Democratic presidential primary debate — the first in a two-night event viewed as the de facto launch of the primary season — health policies, ranging from "Medicare for All" to efforts to curb skyrocketing drug prices, were among the key issues the 10 hopeful candidates onstage used to help differentiate themselves from the pack.

27 Jun 2019

Researchers survey orthopedic providers to understand factors that drive opioid prescribing practices

Orthopedic surgeons are the third-highest physician prescribers of opioids, writing more than 6 million prescriptions a year.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 27 Jun 2019

Senate panel makes surprisingly fast work of ‘surprise medical bills’ package

It may seem as if the Senate, or at least certain key senators, have decided on a way forward to fix the nation's "surprise medical bill" problem. But make no mistake: The door is still open to try another solution.

26 Jun 2019

Unregulated pharmacy benefit manager practices may contribute to escalating expenses

Efforts to control health care costs in the United States often focus on the listed prescription drug prices, but a perspective published by the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that unregulated pharmacy benefit manager practices also may contribute to escalating expenses.

24 Jun 2019

Texas is latest state to attack surprise medical bills

Texas is now among more than a dozen states that have cracked down on the practice of surprise medical billing.

18 Jun 2019

Analysis: Why Alexa’s bedside manner is bad for health care

Amazon has opened a new health care frontier: Now Alexa can be used to transmit patient data. Using this new feature — which Amazon labeled as a "skill" — a company named Livongo will allow diabetes patients — which it calls "members" — to use the device to "query their last blood sugar reading, blood sugar measurement trends, and receive insights and Health Nudges that are personalized to them."

4 Jun 2019

Study links heartburn drugs to fatal cases of heart, kidney disease and gastrointestinal cancer

Extended use of popular drugs to treat heartburn, ulcers and acid reflux has been associated with an increased risk of premature death. However, little has been known about the specific causes of death attributed to the drugs.

30 May 2019

Sen. Alexander releases bipartisan plan to lower health costs, end surprise bills

In a year already marked by a wide variety of congressional health care legislation, Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), the chair and ranking Democrat of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, on Thursday released the details of a plan they hope can help bring down health costs and eliminate surprise medical bills for patients.

23 May 2019

Why Missouri’s the last holdout on a statewide Rx monitoring program

Missouri retained its lonely title as the only state without a statewide prescription drug monitoring program — for the seventh year in a row — after the legislative session ended Friday.

21 May 2019

New research highlights need to decrease amount of opioid medication available for misuse

As states crack down on doctor and pharmacy "shopping" by people who misuse opioids, a new study reveals how often those individuals may still be able to find opioids to misuse in their family medicine cabinets.

13 May 2019