STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a court win for Amgen, Novo seeking supplier discounts, and more
Why this matters: health reporting relevant to everyday decisions and well-being.
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 includes promenading with the official mascots, catching up on our napping, and looking in on the Pharmalot ancestor. We also expect to hold yet another listening party, where the rotation will likely include this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? Summertime is here and the live is supposed to be easy, so … why not head to a beach or lake or a mountain to enjoy some fresh air and scenery? If the weather fails to cooperate, though, you could also duck in to a cinema, library, or watering hole. Maybe this is a moment to read a good book or create the fabulous dish you always wanted to try. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon, given the long weekend due to a holiday on this side of the pond. … In a victory for the pharmaceutical industry, a U.S. judge blocked a Colorado state panel from placing a cap on the price of Amgen’s blockbuster drug Enbrel after deciding the company is “likely to be significantly harmed,” STAT writes. The ruling pauses a controversial, first-in-the-nation move by the Colorado Prescription Drug Affordability Board, which was created four years ago in response to the rising cost of prescription medicines and is permitted to set upper payment limits on what most state residents will pay for selected drugs. Millions more Americans will qualify for obesity medicines at just $50 a month under a new Medicare program, bringing the highly effective drugs to people aged 65 and older at an affordable price, Reuters explains. A U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 18-month ​trial program will offer for the first time Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly’s Foundayo and Zepbound as a weight-loss treatment alone. Eligible patients are estimated in the single-digit milli