Shining Light on How Protagonist, Takeda Drug Brings Treatment of a Rare Blood Disease Out of the Dark Ages

Protagonist Therapeutics’ drug rusfertide reduced the need for phlebotomies as a way to treat the rare blood cancer polycythemia vera. Longer-term Phase 3 data for the Takeda Pharmaceutical-partnered peptide drug were presented during the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology. The post Shining Light on How Protagonist, Takeda Drug Brings Treatment of a…

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Boulder Care: Stephanie Strong & Marianna Zaslavsky

Stephanie Strong, CEO & Marianna Zaslavsky, the (relatively new) Head of Growth at Boulder Care came on THCB to tell Matthew Holt about their service which delivers medication assisted treatment for those suffering from substance used disorder, via telehealth. Stephanie has been one of the leading advocates for getting patients, especially those on Medicaid, access…

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Will HHS Enhance or Stall the Promise of Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare?

By STEVEN ZECOLA In its Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (V.3), the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) acknowledges that: “For too long, our Department has been bogged down by bureaucracy and busy work.” HHS promises that it will accelerate artificial intelligence (“AI”) innovation, including “accelerating drug and biologic approvals at the FDA.” History shows…

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Senators, Representatives Introduce Bill That Would Ban Joint Ownership of PBMs and Pharmacies

Senators Elizabeth Warren and Josh Hawley and Representatives Diana Harshbarger and Jake Auchincloss introduced the Patients Before Monopolies Act on Wednesday. It aims to prohibit the parent company of a PBM or insurer from owning a pharmacy business. The post Senators, Representatives Introduce Bill That Would Ban Joint Ownership of PBMs and Pharmacies appeared first…

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5 Key Facts about Medicaid Coverage for People with Disabilities

This brief considers options under consideration to cut Medicaid spending by $2.3 trillion over ten years and their potential impact on people with disabilities. Policy changes such as per capita caps, reduced federal funding for the ACA expansion, and Medicaid work requirements could require states to limit coverage, reduce benefits, or cut provider payments. Given…

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