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In this episode of Tickers, Dr. Matthew Preston & Dr. Thaon Simms analyze Indies Pharma (INDIES) and its potential to reach $5 per share!
Pink Sheet Executive Editor Derrick Gingery, Senior Writer Sarah Karlin-Smith and Senior Editor Sue Sutter discuss the impact of the departures of several senior leaders in the US Food and Drug Administration's facility inspection group, Office of Generic Drugs and Office of Prescription Drug Promotion (:26). They also consider Commissioner Martin Makary's intent to combine the agency's many adverse event databases (14:52), his idea for a new approval pathway based on a “plausible mechanism” (26:25) and the seemingly increasing influence of politics at the agency despite his declarations that the FDA is apolitical (36:16). More On These Topics From The Pink Sheet US FDA Retirements Continue Unabated With Drug Inspectorate Leaders, Former Chief Counsel: https://insights.citeline.com/pink-sheet/compliance/manufacturing/us-fda-retirements-continue-unabated-with-drug-inspectorate-leaders-former-chief-counsel-JRKHCHZHMBC4RLRJRBDTSIP7E4/ FDA Leadership Shuffle Continues: Lowell Zeta Returns As OPDP, OGD Leaders Depart: https://insights.citeline.com/pink-sheet/agency-leadership/us-fda/fda-leadership-shuffle-continues-lowell-zeta-returns-as-opdp-ogd-leaders-depart-FONMRWR37VGAFL2JJ5S27QIU2E/ US FDA's Makary Floats Vague ‘Plausible Mechanism' Approval Pathway For Rare Diseases: https://insights.citeline.com/pink-sheet/pathways-and-standards/approval-standards/us-fdas-makary-floats-vague-plausible-mechanism-approval-pathway-for-rare-diseases-RJJJCPDUDFHINMPDE5VK4OFDVQ/ US FDA Commissioner Makary Wants To Combine Adverse Event Reporting Systems: https://insights.citeline.com/pink-sheet/agency-leadership/us-fda/us-fda-commissioner-makary-wants-to-combine-adverse-event-reporting-systems-UJ4QUEM72ZC25J7JHAC3LAKKKA/ Political Influence And The US FDA: A New Era?: https://insights.citeline.com/pink-sheet/agency-leadership/us-fda/political-influence-and-the-us-fda-a-new-era-SL6ZBNKHNVFEXCLQLCYTDJIETQ/
Ralph talks about his new book, “Civic Self Respect” which reminds us that our civic lives have different primary roles—not only voter, but also worker, taxpayer, consumer, sometimes soldier and sometimes parent—and how each one offers special opportunities for people to organize to make change. Plus, we welcome back former commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, John Koskinen, who tells us exactly how the Trump/Musk cabal is both gutting and weaponizing the IRS.John Koskinen served as the IRS Commissioner from 2013 to 2017.This is not a how-to book. It starts at a much more elementary level and therefore should interest a much greater number of people. Because, as I say, if you can expand your civic dimension as a part of your daily role without disrupting the rhythms of your daily life (in fact, actually making them more gratifying and more interesting, less boring), you're on your way.Ralph Nader author of Civic Self-RespectThe people who really fight for justice in this country have to fight for recognition, they have to fight for media, they have to fight an onslaught. And the people who lie and cheat and say the most terrible things and do the most terrible things are really the best-known people in the country. I mean, if you say who are the best-known people in Congress? They're the blowhards, the cruel and vicious people who've said things that are illegal, outrageous against innocent groups here and abroad.Ralph NaderI used to say to the Congress (trying to get appropriations) that the IRS is the only agency where if you give it money, it gives you more money back. Because the more you can actually audit people who aren't paying the proper amount or aren't filing at all, the better off you are. So no one has ever disagreed with that.John KoskinenGoing back a thousand years, tax collectors have never been particularly popular. And so when you talk about the IRS, people say, "Oh, the poor old IRS." In some ways, they don't understand just the points you're making about the impact on them, on the country, of an ineffective IRS going forward. And that's why my thought is this move toward using the IRS to attack people ought to be a way for everyone to say, "You know, I may not love paying taxes, but I certainly don't want the government and the president or the treasury secretary or somebody else ordering an audit of my taxes just because they don't like my political position or what I'm teaching in my course.”John KoskinenRalph Nader's new book Civic Self-respect is available now from Seven Stories Press.News 4/16/251. On Thursday April 17th, Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland departed for El Salvador in an effort to personally track down Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an immigrant who was arrested and deported to CECOT, the notorious Salvadoran prison camp, WUSA9 reports. Garcia was legally protected against deportation by a 2019 court order and a Trump administration official admitted in court that he “should never have been on that plane.” Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously ordered that he be returned to the U.S. Van Hollen is quoted saying “You go out, you get disappeared, they say they did it in error, but they're not helping bring you back…it's a very short road to tyranny.” Gracia has not been heard from since he was deported, raising concerns about his health and wellbeing. This comes after ICE Director Todd Lyons said he wanted to see a deportation process “like [Amazon] Prime, but with human beings,” per the Guardian. This episode is among the most chilling in American history and we are less than four months into a four-year term.2. Another gut-wrenching immigration story concerns Palestinian Columbia University student, Mohsen Mahdawi who was tricked, trapped, and abducted by ICE. The Intercept reports “Even before his friend and fellow Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by immigration authorities, Mahdawi asked university administrators to help him find a safe place to live so he would not be taken by ICE agents…The school did nothing.” Then, “After ICE abducted Khalil last month, Mahdawi sheltered in place for more than three weeks for fear of being picked up himself.” So, the immigration authorities apparently devised a scheme. “Instead of taking him off the street…immigration authorities scheduled the citizenship test at the Colchester USCIS office and took Mahdawi into custody when he arrived.” This action is clearly intended not only to capture Mahdawi but to frighten immigrants and discourage them from seeking citizenship through the legal immigration channels for fear of being deported. Not only that, Mahdawi will be sent back to Palestine, which continues to be the target of relentless Israeli bombing. Mahdawi is quoted saying, “It's kind of a death sentence…my people are being killed unjustly in an indiscriminate way.”3. In more international news, CNN reports China has “halted” its deliveries of Boeing planes. According to President Trump, will “‘not take possession' of fully committed to aircraft.” According to CNN, Boeing is particularly vulnerable in a trade war scenario because “Boeing builds all of its planes at US factories before sending nearly two-thirds of its commercial planes to customers outside the United States.” Boeing anticipated China purchasing 8,830 new planes over the next 20 years. The aircraft manufacturer's stock value fell in the wake of this announcement and is unlikely to fully recover unless some accommodation is reached with China.4. On the other side of the trade war, the Trump administration is preparing to roll out steep sectoral tariffs in addition to the country-specific tariffs already announced, per the Washington Post's Jeff Stein. Stein reports these will target imports of various "critical" products, including autos, steel and aluminum, copper, lumber and semiconductors. Yet, likely no sectoral tariff will bite American consumers more than the proposed tariff on pharmaceutical drugs. On April 8th, POLITICO reported that Trump told the RNC he is planning to impose “major” tariffs on pharmaceuticals. FIERCE, a healthcare news service, reports these could be as high as 25%. Coalition for a Prosperous America, an advocacy group opposed to free trade with China, reports that “Over 90% of all Generic Drugs [are] Dependent on Imports.”5. Turning to domestic matters, the Federal Trade Commission is proceeding with their anti-trust case against Facebook. According to the FTC, “The…Commission has sued Facebook, alleging that the company is illegally maintaining its personal social networking monopoly through a years-long course of anticompetitive conduct.” Further, “The complaint alleges that Facebook has engaged in a systematic strategy—including its 2012 acquisition of…Instagram, its 2014 acquisition…WhatsApp, and the imposition of anticompetitive conditions on software developers—to eliminate threats to its monopoly.” According to Ars Technica, “Daniel Matheson, the FTC's lead litigator, [started the trial with a bang] flagg[ing] a "smoking gun"—a 2012 email where Mark Zuckerberg suggested that Facebook could buy Instagram to ‘neutralize a potential competitor.'” It is hard to see how the company could argue this was not anticompetitive corporate misbehavior.6. A dubious tech industry scheme is also underway at the highest levels of the federal government. WIRED reports that the Social Security Administration is shifting their communications exclusively to Elon Musk's X app, formerly known as Twitter. Wired quotes SSA regional commissioner Linda Kerr-Davis, who said in a meeting with managers earlier this week, “We are no longer planning to issue press releases or…dear colleague letters to inform the media and public about programmatic and service changes…Instead, the agency will be using X to communicate to the press and the public … this will become our communication mechanism.” WIRED further reports that, “The regional [SSA] office workforce will soon be cut by roughly 87 percent,” going from an estimated 547 employees to 70. Musk has called Social Security “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time,” per the AP.7. Over at the National Labor Relations Board, a whistleblower claims Elon Musk and his cronies at DOGE may have extracted data including “sensitive information on unions, ongoing legal cases and corporate secrets,” per NPR. If that wasn't shady enough, “members of the DOGE team asked that their activities not be logged on the system and then appeared to try to cover their tracks…turning off monitoring tools and manually deleting records of their access.” This whistleblower took his concerns to Congress and the U.S. Office of Special Counsel – whistleblower activities that are protected by law – but faced retaliation in the form of someone, “'physically taping a threatening note' to his door that included sensitive personal information and overhead photos of him walking his dog that appeared to be taken with a drone,” clear attempts to intimidate and silence this employee. The Trump administrations have been rife with leaks at every level and instead of responding by addressing the issues raised, the administration has launched a permanent inquisition to plug the leaks by any means.8. In better news, the Independent reports that DOGE itself is finally being subjected to an audit. The audit is being undertaken by the Government Accountability Office at the urging of Congressional leaders after “'alarming' media reports of DOGE infiltrating federal systems,” according to a congressional aide. One DOGE worker has reportedly been identified by as “a 19-year-old high school graduate who was booted from an internship after leaking company information to a rival firm,” raising ever-deeper concerns about the purpose of the “fishing expeditions” DOGE is undergoing at every level of the federal government.9. Another uplifting story comes to us from New York City. In the latest round of public matching fund awards, Zohran Mamdani – the Democratic Socialist candidate surging from obscurity into second place in the polls – was granted nearly $4 million in public matching funds, “the largest single payment to any candidate in the 2025 Democratic mayoral primary race to date,” according to Gothamist. Meanwhile, former Governor Andrew Cuomo was awarded exactly $0. As Jeff Coltin of POLITICO New York explains, “Cuomo's campaign [was] scrambling to get the necessary info from donors to get matched…sending…dire warning to [his] entire email list, rather than…targeted outreach to donors.” If he had collected the necessary information, Cuomo would have been awarded $2.5 million in matching funds, Coltin reports. Cuomo still leads in the polls; as it becomes increasingly clear that Zohran is the only viable alternative, there will be increased pressure on other candidates to throw their support behind him.10. Finally, let's take a peek into the political climate's effect on Hollywood. New York Magazine, in an extensive profile of Warner Brothers-Discovery mogul David Zaslav, includes a piece about Zaslav seeking to ingratiate himself with Trump. According to this report, “a company representative recently reached out to the Trump0 orbit seeking advice about how the company might advantageously interact with the Whitte House.” Their answer: “look at the example of…Jeff Bezos paying Melania Trump $40 million to participate in a documentary about herself. Don Jr. might like a hunting and fishing show on the Discovery Channel, they were told.” Just like the Ivy League universities and the big law firms, if given an inch Trump will take a mile and use it for nothing short of extortion. Hollywood would be wise to steer clear. But wisdom has never been their strength.This has been Francesco DeSantis, with In Case You Haven't Heard. Get full access to Ralph Nader Radio Hour at www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/subscribe
The Hidden Costs of PBMs: How Aggregate Discount Guarantees Inflate Drug Prices. In episode 465 of Relentlessly Seeking Value, host Stacey Richter interviews Chris Crawford, CEO of RxSaveCard, about the inflated costs within the pharmacy benefits industry. The discussion centers around a lawsuit involving J&J, highlighting how large PBMs can significantly overcharge for drugs that are available much cheaper through cash-pay options like Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs. Crawford explains how Aggregate Discount Guarantees, a common contracting mechanism, often fail to control spread pricing effectively and instead may lead to higher costs for plan sponsors and employees. The episode also covers how RxSaveCard can help employers and employees access these lower cash prices, circumventing the inflated costs from traditional PBMs. === LINKS ===
On this episode of "Tales From the Heart" host Lisa Salberg is joined by Dr. Harry Lever and David Light to shed light on some generic drugs. This conversation was recorded Nov. 8, 2024.
A large portion of the prescription medication American's consume are generic. But with many of the active ingredients being sourced and manufactured in other countries, are our federal oversights enough protection? This week, our expert explains the systems in place – as well as their weaknesses and strengths. Learn More: https://radiohealthjournal.org/generic-drugs-the-industry-secrets-that-can-lead-to-drug-shortages Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
There's something strange going on in hospitals. Cheap, common drugs that nurses use every day seem to be constantly hit by shortages. These are often generic drugs that don't seem super complicated to make, things like dextrose and saline (aka sugar water and salt water).So what's going on? The answer, as with anything in healthcare, is complicated.On today's show: why hospitals keep running out of generic drugs. The story behind these shortages tells us a lot about how these drugs are made, bought and sold–and, it shows us how these markets can falter without the proper care.This episode was hosted by Sally Helm and Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi. It was produced by Willa Rubin, with help from James Sneed and Sam Yellowhorse Kesler. It was edited by Martina Castro. Fact-checking by Dania Suleman. Planet Money's executive producer is Alex Goldmark.Help support Planet Money and hear our bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Entrepreneur Mark Cuban joins Chuck Todd to talk about his new venture, the Cost Plus Drugs Company. He also shares his views on cryptocurrency, sports business, and why he got involved in the 2024 campaign.
In today's deep dive, we’ll learn more about the problems that threaten America’s generic drug industry.
Welcome to Tales from the Heart! This week host Lisa Salberg sits down with Dr. Harry Lever to discusses HCM, Septal Reduction September, and generic drugs. This conversation was recorded Sept. 20, 2024.
Are generic drugs as good as their name-brand counterparts? On Skeptical Sunday, Dave Farina compares their development, prices, and efficacy. Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by Is This Wi-Fi Organic?: A Guide to Spotting Misleading Science Online author and host of the Professor Dave Debates podcast, Dave Farina! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday: Generic drugs contain the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs, but are typically much cheaper due to not having to absorb research and development costs. Drug patents typically last around 20 years, giving companies a period of market exclusivity to recoup their investment before generics can be produced. While the active ingredients are identical, there can be minor differences in inactive ingredients (excipients) between brand-name and generic drugs that may slightly affect bioavailability. Regulatory bodies like the FDA play a crucial role in ensuring drug safety and efficacy, though rare oversights can still occur. Consumers can make informed decisions about medications by understanding the similarities between brand-name and generic drugs, consulting with healthcare providers, and staying aware of drug safety information from reliable sources. This knowledge empowers individuals to potentially save money on prescriptions while still receiving effective treatment. Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know! Connect with Dave Farina on YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram, and check out the Professor Dave Debates podcast here or wherever you enjoy listening to fine podcasts. Dave’s book, Is...
America pays less, on average, than any other major country for our generic drugs. But selling essential drugs at such low prices comes with hidden costs — from quality problems to frequent shortages.This is the second episode of Race to the Bottom, a three-part series by Tradeoffs on the problems plaguing the generic drugs we all rely on — and how we could fix them.Guests:Christine Baeder, MBA, President, Apotex USALaura Bray, MBA, Founder, Angels for ChangeCraig Burton, Senior Vice President of Policy and Strategic Alliances, Association for Accessible MedicinesIilun Murphy, MD, Director of the Office of Generic Drugs, FDALeslie Walker, Senior Reporter/Producer, TradeoffsMarta Wosińska, PhD, Senior Fellow, Brookings InstitutionLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In the high-stakes world of pharmaceuticals, generic drugs have become the unsung heroes of healthcare accessibility. These cost-effective alternatives to […] Source
Government-run Jan Aushadhi Kendras and chains like Generic Aadhaar offer medicines at a fraction of market prices, but pharma giants warn of quality risks. So, why is the All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN) advocating for the promotion of generic medicines despite quality concerns? How do pharmacy chains like Generic Aadhaar ensure the quality and affordability of their generic drugs? In the latest episode of The Morning Brief podcast, host Kiran Somvanshi delves into the heated debate over low-cost generic medicines with Dr. Gopal Dabade from the Drug Action Forum, Arjun Deshpande of Generic Aadhaar, and ET's pharma expert Vikas Dandekar to explore the pros and cons of this pivotal policy move. Tune in! Check out other interesting episodes like: Polls on My Pod: The Adversaries in Punjab and Bengal, Polls on My Pod: Kashmir Finally Speaks Up!, Polls on My Pod: Ground Check on Delhi, Haryana Elections, Polls on My Pod: The Jal, Jangal, Zameen Struggle, Polls on My Pod: The Rae Bareli Fight & Gujarat's Rajput Agitation, and more!You can follow our host Kiran Somvanshi on her social media: Twitter & LinkedinCatch the latest episode of ‘The Morning Brief' on ET Play, The Economic Times Online, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, JioSaavn, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Time now for our daily Tech and Business Report. Today, KCBS Radio's Holly Quan was joined by Bloomberg's Peter Robison. New analysis from Bloomberg shows that generic drugs made for and sold by CVS are twice as likely to be recalled than those sold by its biggest rival, Walgreens
In this episode, Max breaks down the biggest scandal in the healthcare industry (and that's saying a lot). We walk through how a bunch of pencil pushing pharmacy middlemen became so powerful they bought out the biggest health insurance companies and pharmacy chains, and did it through hiking up drug prices, kickbacks and taking advantage of government contracts. This is the story of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and how they became the American Drug Cartel. Chapters Intro: 00:00:36 Sponsors: 00:03:14 Chapter One: The Birth of the American Drug Mafia. 00:04:47 Chapter Two: Unraveling the Supply Chain. 00:16:15 Chapter Three: Is that all? Please tell me that's all. 00:28:09 Chapter Four: Bring it home, Max. 00:38:44 Post Show Musings: 00:45:24 Outro: 00:01:16 Resources NAIC: Pharmacy Benefit Managers Healthcare Dive: FTC launches investigation into PBMs; CVS, UnitedHealth, Cigna and more hit with requests for data FTC: FTC Launches Inquiry Into Prescription Drug Middlemen Industry Healthcare Dive: PBM practices are keeping consumers from generics savings, white paper finds Association for Accessible Medicines: US Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Savings Report 2021 Lever News: Who's Killing Your Independent Pharmacy? PSSNY: PBM Basics USC: PBMs Are Inflating the Cost of Generic Drugs. They Must Be Reined In Jama Network: Costco v Medicare study Frier Levitt: AUDITING PBMs 46Brooklyn National Bureau of Economic Research: CVS Response: A world without PBMs: Unpacking the data FTC: White House Roundtable PBMs Yahoo Finance: 30 Largest Companies by Revenue UNFTR Episode Resources Healthcare Series. -- If you like the pod version of #UNFTR, make sure to check out the video version on YouTube where Max shows his beautiful face! www.youtube.com/@UNFTR Please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join the Unf*cker-run Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/2051537518349565 Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee® at shop.unftr.com. Subscribe to Unf*cking The Republic® at unftr.com/blog to get the essays these episode are framed around sent to your inbox every week. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic® is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com) and Hold Fast (holdfastband.com). The show is written and hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic®."Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/unftrSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Generic drugs are a great way of making healthcare more affordable to those who really need it. They are becoming increasingly popular and seem to have strong government backing. However, doctors claim that they being arm-twisted into prescribing them even when there are questions about their quality endangering patient safety. Please listen to the latest episode of All Indians Matter.
A paper presented at the 2nd International Conference on Systems Medicine, AI, and Drug Repurposing proposes a novel approach to overcoming the financial barriers associated with repurposing generic drugs through… Source
Tales from the Heart host Lisa Salberg and guests Dr. Harry Lever catch up to discuss heart arrhythmias + HCM. This conversation was recorded March 15, 2024.
We explore the chemical similarities and key differences between brand-name and generic drugs. Learn about:Equivalence in active ingredients, as approved by the FDA.Exceptions: Narrow Therapeutic Index drugs and inactive ingredients.When to consult a doctor before switching brands.Listen to find out if you can save money without sacrificing quality!
On this episode, I was joined by Katherine Eban, the New York Times best-selling author of "Bottle of Lies". In this episode, Katherine dives deep into her decade-long investigation into the quality issues prevalent in generic drug manufacturing overseas. Eban highlights the need for improving transparency in the pharmaceutical industry. She shares some inspiring stories of dedicated professionals in the industry who strive to ensure patients receive quality. Eban also discusses her findings on fraudulent practices in manufacturing plants and the role of quality data in drug production. The episode sheds light on the importance of understanding the manufacturing process behind generic drugs and critical quality control issues needing urgent attention. Time-Stamps: 02:12 The Start of the Investigation into Generic Drug Quality 08:59 The Impact of Quality Issues on Global Health 12:54 Understanding the FDA's Role in Drug Quality Control 16:55 The Struggle to Maintain Quality in the Pharmaceutical Industry 18:39 The Ranbaxy Story 27:45 Peter Baker 30:19 Quality Stories 33:27 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Link to Katherine's Book: Bottle of Lies: The Inside Story of the Generic Drug Boom, is a New York Times bestseller and one of the New York Times' 100 Notable Books of 2019.
For a full transcript of this episode, click here. This show is a very natural follow-on to episode 418 with Mark Cuban and Ferrin Williams, PharmD, MBA. This show is the how, as in, “How did everything that we talked about in the earlier show wind up the way it did?” And it also proves it … with data. I gotta say I never quite understood the finer points of the rationale of a cash pay system for minor expenses—expenses like generic drugs. I always framed this whole thing in the context of a senior on a fixed income taking 10 drugs, as my grandma did. And even if each of those drugs was only $5 or $10 a month, that's enough beans a month that it was a big deal for her to swing. So, I have always had this thought that these drugs should be covered by her insurance so she and everybody else living on a fixed income trying to make ends meet could get them and take them and not die from complications of diabetes or high blood pressure. Now, the counterargument to the above, which I have certainly heard more than once, is to offer members/patients HSAs (health savings accounts) and have them buy stuff with their HSA. My knee jerk there is, yeah, but I can barely figure out the deal with HSAs. Most Americans don't even know what a deductible is let alone an HSA. This approach just feels like it demands a lot of health literacy. So, that's the place I was when I walked into this conversation in this episode with Ge Bai, PhD, CPA. Here's two facts that got me inching away from my original position: 1. Generic drugs are cheap. There is already competition in the manufacturing marketplace that holds these prices down. 2. PBMs (pharmacy benefit managers) and insurance are devices to pool risk. If you have a high expense, that expense gets spread out over the rest of the insured population (ie, the risk pool). This whole spreading out of the risk is arduous to pull off and requires a level of administrative costs. So, let's break this down: In terms of #1 fact, that generic drugs are cheap, let's think about the value prop of PBMs. It's to throw their market power around to lower drug prices. But, oh wait … the prices of cheap generics are already cheap. So, not much need for market power? Yeah, that's a fact. One of the studies that I talk about in this healthcare podcast with Ge Bai quantifies that. For patients in their deductible phase actually, 79% of the time paying cash is cheaper than if the patient had used their insurance and gotten the price “negotiated by their PBM.” So, yeah … anytime pretty much anybody can wander in and get a better price than a Fortune 15 PBM, it's pretty clear that market power is not overly required here. In fact, getting PBMs in the mix just seems to make the drug prices higher for patients. Alright now, moving on to my fact #2 I talked about earlier, which is, what is the point of insurance (and PBMs are a derivative of insurance)? The point with them is to pool risk, to spread out the cost of something over the entire risk pool. So, yeah … drug costs $3. What is the administrative burden that goes in to spreading $3 across a risk pool? Is it worth it? Or is the admin cost burden more burdensome than the actual cost burden of the cost of the drug, and all we're doing here is driving up the price of healthcare, which ultimately might throw more financial burden back on the patient through higher premiums or out-of-pockets? That's the second study that I talk about today with Ge Bai, and it quantifies exactly how much that administrative burden is when it comes to generic drugs. Because you know who makes the most money in a generic drug transaction? No, it's not the pharma manufacturer, if that's what you were thinking. It's not the pharmacy. It's not the wholesaler. Yeah, it's the PBM. The PBM, by a margin of 10 points, makes the most money. The administrative cost burden is actually the most expensive part of buying a generic drug using your insurance and going through that PBM. There's a bar chart that visualizes these proportions. But while I'm on a roll here, here's a #3 fact that speaks to my concerns about HSAs that I raised at the beginning and the financial literacy required to use them: Health insurance is already super complicated, and no one can understand it. And here's a #4 let's-talk-about-the-real-world fact: Health insurance and paying for drugs is already pretty unaffordable for lots of people. So, I guess in theory it would be amazing if we could have our drugs paid for so they could be affordable. And if that were true and things were a little complicated … okay, trade-offs and all that. But right now, the situation is that drugs can be pretty unaffordable, including “cheap” generics; AND getting them covered is complicated. So, bar is pretty low to do better by patients is my point. And this is what I talk about with, as aforementioned, my guest today, Ge Bai. Ge Bai probably needs no introduction. She is a professor of accounting at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and also a professor of health policy and management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. As she says, she studies nothing but healthcare dollars. Also mentioned in this episode is the show with Steven Quimby, MD (EP344) going deep on the generic drug market. Additional links for this episode: Links for second study: JAMA Health Forum, coauthored with Joey Mattingly, Kenechukwu Ben-Umeh, Gerard Anderson; The Johns Hopkins University - Carey Business School; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; University of Utah College of Pharmacy Bar chart/article: by Jason Shafrin You can learn more about Ge's research on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter). Ge Bai, PhD, CPA, is a professor of accounting at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and professor of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. An expert on healthcare accounting, finance, and policy, she has testified in Congress, written for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, and published her studies in leading academic journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Health Affairs. Her work has been widely featured in the media and cited in regulations and congressional testimonies. She was a visiting scholar at the Health Analysis Division of the Congressional Budget Office from 2022 to 2023. She teaches graduate courses and has received the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association's Excellence in Teaching Award. 06:13 What is the background on generic drugs that is need-to-know? 06:39 EP344 with Steven Quimby, MD. 07:04 Do we have affordability for generic drugs? 15:40 What's the policy failure around generic drugs? 18:34 Why is there a huge health equity issue? 20:13 How do PBMs have both a monopoly and a monopsony? 21:59 What should be the goal for cheap generics? 23:36 “Whenever we have no competition, we'll see high price.” 26:00 What's the best approach to addressing operational challenges behind generic drug costs? 28:42 How do we solve generic drug costs on the back end? 31:15 “Healthcare insurance is not the same as health.” 36:07 “It's time for us to reflect and think whether there is a better way to try.” You can learn more about Ge's research on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter). @GeBaiDC discusses paying cash for #genericdrugs in our #healthcarepodcast. #healthcare #podcast #digitalhealth Recent past interviews: Click a guest's name for their latest RHV episode! Andreas Mang, Karen Root (Encore! EP381), Mark Cuban and Ferrin Williams, Dan Mendelson (Encore! EP385), Josh Berlin, Dr Adam Brown, Rob Andrews, Justina Lehman, Dr Will Shrank, Dr Carly Eckert (Encore! EP361)
We examine the effectiveness of generic drugs and over-the-counter decongestions, and how COVID anxiety is still in the minds of many Americans to this day. Also, would passing marijuana legislation be useful to President Biden's re-election campaign? Bloomberg Opinion's Jonathan Bernstein thinks so. He joins us, along with columnists Rachel Rosenthal, FD Flam, and Lisa Jarvis. Amy Morris hosts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The rates of alcohol use disorder increased significantly since the onset of COVID-19, making this a major public health issue, though it's not discussed as frequently as opioid overdoses. Over 140,000 Americans die from the effects of alcohol in an average year (more than from drug overdoses). Ten percent of Americans over the age of 12 have Alcohol Use Disorder. And according to the 2023 Alcohol Abuse Statistics, 60% of Americans increased their alcohol consumption during COVID-19 lockdowns. In this podcast, we are joined by Dr. Iilun Murphy, Director of the Office of Generic Drugs in FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), and returning is Dr. Marta Sokolowska, CDER's Deputy Center Director for Substance Use and Behavioral Health to discuss the recent first generic approval to Vivitrol, a one-month extended-release injectable naltrexone that is used to help people recovering from opioid or alcohol dependence.
On this episode, I was joined by Martin Van Trieste, Author of Protecting the Patient at All Costs: The Drug Watch Dogs and is the Former Chief Quality Officer at Amgen and Former CEO at Civica Rx. Martin and I discuss: - Protecting the Patient at All Costs - Quality Leadership and being a Chief Quality Officer in Big Pharma - Supply Chain Security - Generic Drugs and Shortages Martin Van Trieste is an accomplished entrepreneur, board governance expert, executive coach and biopharmaceutical executive. Martin Van Trieste is the Former President and CEO of Civica Rx. Prior to joining Civica Rx, he worked with Amgen, a leading biotechnology company and also previously served as vice president of worldwide quality for Bayer Healthcare's Biological Products Division and vice president of quality assurance for the Hospital Products Division for Abbott Laboratories. Van Trieste has also taken on ventures of his own. He's the founder of Rx-360, an international nonprofit organization that enhances patient safety by increasing security and quality in the biopharmaceutical supply chain. He has also served as the chairman of the Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) Board of Directors and was honored with the 2020 Joseph B. Sprowls Lecturer award.
Roy has been developing websites and software for over 20 years and has taught and training on web development, graphic design, DevOps Methodologies and Software Implementation and strategies to High School Students, Enterprise Organizations and the Federal Government. He currently holds AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification, 4 AWS Accreditations, 4 Microsoft certifications in Azure and is a Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 and SharePoint SME (Subject Matter Expert). He has been awarded the 2016 iCARE award from Veteran Affairs in the Federal Government for Outstanding SharePoint Support, as well as received Special Citations from members of the Office of Generic Drugs in the Food and Drug Administration.Website: https://www.capitolpresence.com/Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Zgc1tDRFVXO7NDCHvo9qd?si=16458007e9814e48Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapitolPresence/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/capitolpresence/https://www.instagram.com/roygedwards/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/capitolpresenceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/capitol-presence-consulting-group/Connect and tag me at:https://www.instagram.com/realangelabradford/You can subscribe to my YouTube Channel herehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDU9L55higX03TQgq1IT_qQFeel free to leave a review on all major platforms to help get the word out and change more lives!
Generic Drugs at Cost with ZERO Markup - ScriptCo In this episode of our podcast, host Spencer Smith welcomes Zach Zeller, the founders of Scriptco. They are on a mission to disrupt the traditional healthcare system by offering transparent medication pricing and emphasizing the importance of affordable generics. Join us as we explore their journey, the benefits of Scriptco, and the potential for change in the healthcare industry. Unveiling the Dark Underbelly of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs): Zach Zeller discovered a startling truth about pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their impact on consumers and pharmacies. He realized that copays were significantly higher than the actual cost of drugs, leading he and his co-founder to believe there was an opportunity to disrupt the marketplace. With this newfound knowledge, they spun off their three pharmacies and founded Scriptco in September 2019. Scriptco's Unique Business Model: Unlike traditional pharmacy services, Scriptco's business model focuses on monetizing the service, not the medication itself. Consumers can become members of Scriptco for $140 a year and quote their medications to see potential savings. On the business-to-business side, Scriptco charges $3 per member per month or $10 per utilizing member per month. Transparency and Seamless User Experience: Scriptco aims to provide transparency by disclosing the actual cost of drugs, determined by what they bought it for. They work with one manufacturer and 30 wholesalers, ensuring their inventory updates the quote tool in real time. This means that Scriptco's pricing is reflected in real time for partners utilizing their data, such as EMR companies and other platforms. By handling all fulfillment under one roof, Scriptco ensures a seamless user experience. The Power of Generics and Cost Savings: Scriptco differentiates itself from traditional PBMs by focusing solely on the fulfillment side of the pharmacy business. By utilizing Scriptco alongside generic medications, total spend on generics can be reduced by 25% to 30%. This is a significant cost-saving potential, especially considering that generics make up 92% of the market. Many low-cost medications have hidden costs built into their pricing due to PBM contracts, copay requirements, and retail pharmacy margins. Scriptco aims to eliminate these hidden costs and provide affordable options. The Ethical Obligation and Potential for Change: Spencer Smith and Zach Zeller feel an ethical obligation to shed light on Scriptco and its cost-saving potential. They believe that more people should be aware of the pricing issues in the healthcare system. With Scriptco, they have already saved one CEO $417 per life per year after all expenses. The potential for significant cost savings and a more transparent healthcare system is within reach. Conclusion: In this podcast episode, we explored the challenges and opportunities within the healthcare and pharmacy industry with Spencer Smith and Zach Zeller, the founders of Scriptco. Their mission to disrupt the traditional healthcare system by offering transparent medication pricing and focusing on affordable generics is commendable. Scriptco's unique business model, emphasis on transparency, and seamless user experience set them apart from traditional PBMs. By utilizing Scriptco alongside generic medications, significant cost savings are possible. It's time to bring transparency and affordability to the forefront of the healthcare system, and Scriptco is leading the way. Chapters: 00:00:00 Zach Zeller: From Track Star to Medical Sales 00:05:24 Transitioning into Retail Pharmacy 00:11:25 Scriptco: Transparent Medication Pricing 00:17:09 The Untapped Potential of Generic Medications 00:22:55 Challenges of Robotic Drug Fulfillment 00:28:53 Scriptco: Member Experience 00:34:26 Scriptco: Direct-to-Consumer Pharmacy Model 00:40:24 Challenges in Working with PBMs 00:46:18 The future of healthcare --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support
Generic Drugs at Cost with ZERO Markup - ScriptCo In this episode of our podcast, host Spencer Smith welcomes Zach Zeller, the founders of Scriptco. They are on a mission to disrupt the traditional healthcare system by offering transparent medication pricing and emphasizing the importance of affordable generics. Join us as we explore their journey, the benefits of Scriptco, and the potential for change in the healthcare industry. Unveiling the Dark Underbelly of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs): Zach Zeller discovered a startling truth about pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their impact on consumers and pharmacies. He realized that copays were significantly higher than the actual cost of drugs, leading he and his co-founder to believe there was an opportunity to disrupt the marketplace. With this newfound knowledge, they spun off their three pharmacies and founded Scriptco in September 2019. Scriptco's Unique Business Model: Unlike traditional pharmacy services, Scriptco's business model focuses on monetizing the service, not the medication itself. Consumers can become members of Scriptco for $140 a year and quote their medications to see potential savings. On the business-to-business side, Scriptco charges $3 per member per month or $10 per utilizing member per month. Transparency and Seamless User Experience: Scriptco aims to provide transparency by disclosing the actual cost of drugs, determined by what they bought it for. They work with one manufacturer and 30 wholesalers, ensuring their inventory updates the quote tool in real time. This means that Scriptco's pricing is reflected in real time for partners utilizing their data, such as EMR companies and other platforms. By handling all fulfillment under one roof, Scriptco ensures a seamless user experience. The Power of Generics and Cost Savings: Scriptco differentiates itself from traditional PBMs by focusing solely on the fulfillment side of the pharmacy business. By utilizing Scriptco alongside generic medications, total spend on generics can be reduced by 25% to 30%. This is a significant cost-saving potential, especially considering that generics make up 92% of the market. Many low-cost medications have hidden costs built into their pricing due to PBM contracts, copay requirements, and retail pharmacy margins. Scriptco aims to eliminate these hidden costs and provide affordable options. The Ethical Obligation and Potential for Change: Spencer Smith and Zach Zeller feel an ethical obligation to shed light on Scriptco and its cost-saving potential. They believe that more people should be aware of the pricing issues in the healthcare system. With Scriptco, they have already saved one CEO $417 per life per year after all expenses. The potential for significant cost savings and a more transparent healthcare system is within reach. Conclusion: In this podcast episode, we explored the challenges and opportunities within the healthcare and pharmacy industry with Spencer Smith and Zach Zeller, the founders of Scriptco. Their mission to disrupt the traditional healthcare system by offering transparent medication pricing and focusing on affordable generics is commendable. Scriptco's unique business model, emphasis on transparency, and seamless user experience set them apart from traditional PBMs. By utilizing Scriptco alongside generic medications, significant cost savings are possible. It's time to bring transparency and affordability to the forefront of the healthcare system, and Scriptco is leading the way. Chapters: 00:00:00 Zach Zeller: From Track Star to Medical Sales 00:05:24 Transitioning into Retail Pharmacy 00:11:25 Scriptco: Transparent Medication Pricing 00:17:09 The Untapped Potential of Generic Medications 00:22:55 Challenges of Robotic Drug Fulfillment 00:28:53 Scriptco: Member Experience 00:34:26 Scriptco: Direct-to-Consumer Pharmacy Model 00:40:24 Challenges in Working with PBMs 00:46:18 The future of healthcare --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/spencer-harlan-smith/support
Chuck Zodda and Mike Armstrong discuss generic drugs should be cheap, but insurers are charging thousands of dollars for them. As smartphone industry sputters, the iPhone expands its dominance. How to have fun with ChatGPT. China may ban clothes that hurt peoples feelings. Corey Adams, Robert Half, joins the show to chat about what parents are looking for in a new job.
Medical patients who receive bad news often spend more money on brand name drugs rather than their much cheaper generic counterparts. Read an in-depth recap of this research here: https://www.ama.org/2023/04/18/bad-medical-news-causes-patients-to-choose-brand-name-drugs-over-generics-costing-billions/ Read the full Journal of Marketing article here: https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231158360 Reference: Manuel Hermosilla and Andrew T. Ching, “Does Bad Medical News Reduce Preferences for Generic Drugs?” Journal of Marketing. Narrator: Saira Salyani Acknowledgments: Aman Soni Topics: health care, public policy, behavioral marketing, generic drugs, brand name drugs
AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports on Supreme Court Whistleblowers Generics.
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Farmacias Similares is the largest privately owned chain of pharmacies in Mexico, and has a cute mascot — Dr. Simi — who is beloved across the country. What could possibly be wrong about this scenario? Many things.Today, we talk about what the rise of Dr. Simi says about Mexico's broken healthcare system. Read the full transcript here.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times foreign correspondent Leila MillerMore reading:Mexico promised healthcare for all. Its failure to deliver made this smiling mascot famousEl Dr. Simi es una estrella de TikTok. También es una muestra de la crisis del sistema de salud de México
Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Mariana Socal from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health on a recently-published paper examining sources of production and levels of competition in the global supply chain for generic drugs sold in the United States.Order the March 2023 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcasts free for everyone.Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts
Google faces new antitrust battles in the US, Chinese users lose World of Warcraft access, Microsoft tests a split-screen feature in Edge. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE. You can get an ad-free feed of Daily Tech Headlines for $3 a month here. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.Continue reading "Amazon Launches RxPass For Generic Drugs – DTH"
Celebrity entrepreneur Mark Cuban wants to make buying drugs less complicated and more affordable, and an online pharmacy he recently invested in aims to do just that. So how does this work, and is it enough to solve the drug pricing problem in America? Host Rachel (Rae) Woods talks with pharmacy experts Gina Lohr and Chloe Bakst about this business model and drug pricing reforms in the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act. Links: Can Mark Cuban lower Medicare drug costs? A deeper dive into the headlines Could cost plus drug pricing save Medicare billions? Ep. 131: Health care disruptors: Why Walgreens wants to partner—not compete
According to Georgetown University's Health Policy Institute, 66% of all U.S. adults use prescription drugs – and a majority of those are generic. So why don't we know where these products are made? Dr. Rena Conti shares non-public data to show where much of the medication Americans ingest every day are manufactured. Learn more: https://radiohealthjournal.org/offshoring-medication-where-are-your-generic-drugs-being-made/
Hubwonk host Joe Selvaggi talks with Dr. Hussain Lalani about his recently published research on the potential for more than $3 billion in savings were Medicare to use Mark Cuban's new direct-to-consumer drug company to purchase generics. Guest: Dr. Hussain Lalani is a Primary Care Physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Fellow at Harvard Medical School […]
This week's episode focuses on the cost of drugs covered by Medicare/Medicaid and Mark Cuban's focus on generic drugs costs at high savings to the insurance program. Additionally, we discuss the hospital costs to patients and hospitals that are supposed to post on their websites costs of procedures so patients can compare costs.
Specialty drugs are playing a significant role in the increasing healthcare costs in the commercial market. In this third episode of a mini-series based on the 2022 Employee Health Trends report, Janet Young, M.D., Lead Clinical Scientist at Springbuk and co-author of the report, talks about which specialty drugs are driving the most cost and alternatives that benefits leaders can explore.Discover why one condition has a relatively small percentage of people receiving a specialty drug, but that is still drive a large dollar value of spending, and hear which conditions our data scientists expect to drive growth of specialty drug use over the next couple of years.Get tips for how employers can reduce costs on specialty drugs without reducing efficacy, including looking at where the drugs are administered. And learn the steps employers can take now to increase adoption of lower-cost alternative drugs and to ensure they are able to reap cost savings as new biosimilars come into the market over the next two to three years.Listen as Janet provides recommendations for both employers and their employees.Connect with Janet on LinkedInGet the complete 2022 Employee Health Trends reportConnect with our co-hosts Jennifer Jones and Mike Pattengale Subscribe so you don't miss an episode: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcast playersHave feedback, questions, or suggestions for show ideas? Send them to us at podcast@springbuk.com.Please rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, and share it with your friends and colleagues. We appreciate you and thank you for listening!Produced by David PittmanTheme music: "Overboard" by Stay Outside