criminal division is looking into UnitedHealth Group’s prescription management services, as well as how it reimburses its own doctors under an ongoing probe into the firm’s operations. (Bloomberg)
Eli Lilly said a late-stage study of its experimental anti-obesity pill hit its key goals, paving the way for the drugmaker to begin regulatory submissions. (WSJ)
The gutting of USAID has left the U.S. government holding a massive fire sale for mosquito nets, generators, defibrillators, mobile health clinics and more. (The Atlantic)
Tariffs, federal funding cuts and other barriers may shrink Massachusetts’ biotech clout and its ability to outpace Chinese competitors. (Axios)
| CDC pares back food surveillance |
| By Tina Reed |
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| Photo: Ben Hendren/Bloomberg via Getty Images |
| A CDC food inspection program was pared back in July to monitor two pathogens — salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli — instead of the customary eight, NBC News reported.
Why it matters: Food safety authorities told the outlet the change to the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network, or FoodNet, could make it harder to notice rising cases. The effort gathers surveillance data from 10 state health departments.
“Although FoodNet will narrow its focus to Salmonella and STEC, it will maintain both its infrastructure and the quality it has come to represent,” a CDC spokesperson told NBC, pointing to states and other bodies that monitor for those pathogens and can report to the feds. from STAT: |
oncologySummit, Akeso therapy improved patient survivalIvonescimab, the cancer treatment developed by Chinese biotech Akeso and its partner Summit Therapeutics, has been shown for the first time to improve patient survival. In a Phase 3 trial conducted in China called HARMONi-A, ivonescimab demonstrated a statistically significant survival benefit as a second-line treatment when combined with chemotherapy to treat non-small cell lung cancers. An analyst said this bodes well for a global Phase 3 study called HARMONi. An interim analysis of the trial announced earlier this year showed that the drug combined with chemo delayed tumor progression as a second-line treatment, but did not lead to a statistically significant reduction in the risk of death. Read more from STAT’s Jonathan Wosen. |
