HHS Nominee Talks Tough Against Pharma’s Profit Tactics, But History At Drugmaker Tells Different Story
Health and Human Services nominee Alex Azar is set to testify before the Senate Finance Committee this week, where it's likely his close ties to the pharmaceutical industry will take center stage with his critics.
Politico:
How Trump’s HHS Nominee’s Drug Company ‘Gamed’ Patent
When Donald Trump’s nominee for HHS secretary was a top executive at Eli Lilly, the patent on its blockbuster Cialis was soon to expire. So Lilly tested it on kids. The drugmaker believed the erectile dysfunction drug might help a rare and deadly muscle-wasting disease that afflicts boys. The drug didn’t work — but under a law that promotes pediatric research, Lilly was able to extend the Cialis patent anyway for six months — and that’s worth a lot when a medication brings in over $2 billion a year. (Karlin-Smith, 1/8)
In other news from the administration —
The Associated Press Fact Check:
Trump Overstates Progress In Veterans' Care
In bountiful tweets and self-praise, President Donald Trump plays up "tremendous progress" in improving care for veterans in his first year. His claims fall short of reality. Trump's initiatives have yet to show meaningful impact, and his campaign promises of expanding access to doctors and adding mental health specialists are unfulfilled. (1/6)
The New York Times:
Nuclear War Would Be ‘Devastating,’ So The C.D.C. Wants To Get People Prepared
President Trump’s recent tweets about his big nuclear button may have been intended to deter a nuclear weapons exchange with North Korea, but the nation’s top public health agency is taking the prospect of a nuclear attack seriously. On Jan. 16, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will present a workshop titled “Public Health Response to a Nuclear Detonation,” for doctors, government officials, emergency responders and others whom, if they survived, would be responsible for overseeing the emergency response to a nuclear attack. (Kaplan, 1/5)