STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about a GLP-1 side effect, U.K. clinical trial transparency, and more
Top of the morning to you and a fine one it is. Despite cloudy skies hovering over the Pharmalot campus, our spirits remain sunny. How so? We will trot out a bit of wisdom from the Morning Mayor, who taught us that “every new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift.” So while you tug on the ribbon, we will proceed by brewing another cup of stimulation. Today, our choice is glazed doughnut. Sweets for the sweet, as they say. Meanwhile, here is the latest menu of tidbits for you to peruse. We hope your day is meaningful and productive and you accomplish much. And as always, do keep in touch. Your tips and insights help make the world go round. …
Diabetes and obesity GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, which can delay stomach emptying, have introduced a predicament for patients undergoing surgeries and endoscopies — the patients in some cases may still have food in their stomach even if they fasted, raising concerns that they could accidentally breathe food into their lungs during the procedures, STAT says. These concerns have been based on anecdotes, and it is so far unclear how big an issue this is, but a new study published in Gastroenterology offers some early clues. It links GLP-1 drugs to a higher risk of aspiration pneumonia — lung infection caused by food breathed into the lungs — following endoscopies.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called on Novo Nordisk to slash prices for two of its drugs after a new study found the cost to manufacture the medications is low, The Hill writes. The research found that a weekly injection of semaglutide — which is the generic name for Ozempic — can be manufactured at a cost between $0.89 and $4.73 per month. The monthly price for Ozempic is $935, according to the Novo Nordisk website. Its weight loss drug, Wegovy, is also a semaglutide injection and its list price is about $1,349 per month. The website noted the list price is the cost before insurance, discounts, or rebates are applied.
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