STAT+: Pharmalittle: Strange bedfellows lobby for Medicare coverage of obesity drugs; FDA working with WHO to probe cough syrups
Hello, everyone, and how are you this morning? We are doing just fine, thank you, as we muddle along, trying to organize our to-do list and set our priorities. There is an intensity to such mundane tasks, though, that calls for a cup of stimulation. So as we fire up the coffee kettle today, we are reaching for Vermont maple walnut. As always, you are invited to join us. Or grab a bottle of water if you prefer. Meanwhile, I have spent some time rummaging about for items of interest and collected the assortment below. We hope you find them useful and, more important, that you have a meaningful and productive day. Best of luck, and do keep in touch. …
It’s not every day that the pharmaceutical industry, the NAACP, a cancer center, and a nonpartisan think tank are all lobbying to achieve the same policy goal. But an effort to expand Medicare coverage for obesity drugs has managed to unite them all, and many more groups across the health care industry, too, STAT writes. These drugs could be life-changing for some of the estimated 42% of Americans over 60 who have obesity. But the treatments are also expensive — which is why advocates are gearing up for what is likely to be an uphill battle to ensure broader access through Medicare.
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