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, although we got something of a head start thanks to a holiday yesterday on this side of the pond. In any event, our agenda is rather modest. We expect to check in on the Pharmalot ancestor, hang with a short person, and promenade with the official mascots. And what about you? This is a lovely time to enjoy the great outdoors, but choose carefully if crowds are not your thing. If the heat is too much, you can, instead, curl up in front of the telly to binge-watch a series or two. Or maybe read a book. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon. …
A new observational study reported for the first time a potential link between Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 drugs Ozempic and Wegovy and an eye condition that can cause vision loss, STAT tells us. Among 710 patients with type 2 diabetes, there were 17 cases of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, or NAION, in those prescribed semaglutide (the ingredient in both drugs). This translated to a cumulative rate of 8.9% over three years. That compares with six cases in patients prescribed non-GLP-1 diabetes drugs, calculated as a cumulative rate of 1.8%. Through statistical analyses, the researchers estimate a 4.28 times greater risk of developing NAION in patients prescribed semaglutide.
A Connecticut federal judge sided with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in a challenge from Boehringer Ingelheim to Medicare’s drug price negotiation program, Pharmaphorum notes. U.S. District Court Judge Michael Shea denied all of Boehringer’s claims that the Medicare negotiation program, the key policy in President Biden’s flagship Inflation Reduction Act, is unconstitutional. In his order, Shea said that Boehringer’s participation in Medicare is voluntary, albeit with “considerable economic incentive,” adding that the federal government is entitled to place conditions on companies that benefit from its programs.
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