Almost daily, a new story emerges on the exorbitant prices families must pay to acquire vital drugs like insulin for Type-1 diabetes or Epi-Pens for those at risk of severe allergic reactions. Unsurprisingly, Americans view these high prescription costs unfavorably and have consistently demanded industry reforms. Now some companies are taking matters into their own […]
Health
Medium: California’s Proposition 31 will give rise to adverse public health and economic effects
As of December 21, 2022, Proposition 31 has taken effect in California. The new law will further exacerbate one of the biggest public health problems prevalent in the United States: tobacco use. Proposition 31 essentially upholds SB 793, a bill passed in August 2020 but never put in effect, which was designed to ban flavored […]
Coalition letter to Governor Hochul: S3081B is anti-taxpayer, anti-patient, and anti-free market
December 20, 2022 Dear Governor Hochul: As state and national organizations representing a wide range of U.S. taxpayers and consumers, we write today in opposition to S3081B, which seeks to impose penalties and pricing constraints for charging “an unconscionably excessive price” on any drug or medical product that the FDA has identified as being subject […]
New OHID report corrects common misconceptions about vaping
In a much-anticipated update from the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), the British health agency released its eighth and final independent report on the health risks and effects of vaping. A team of researchers at King’s College London produced the landmark report, which was first commissioned in 2015 by Public Health England (PHE) and now by OHID. What they […]
A flurry of new tobacco rules reveals an aggressive new chapter for the FDA
The last few months have seen a whirlwind of attacks on tobacco users. From an April proposal to ban the popular menthol cigarette flavor and prohibit all cigar flavors other than traditional tobacco to a plan to eliminate nearly all nicotine in conventional cigarettes sold in the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) has been busy making a flurry of announcements. However, it was the FDA’s […]
House Bill Expands Telehealth Access
More than a third of Americans live in an area with a shortage of healthcare professionals. For these 122 million people, that shortage can mean longer wait times and delayed access to essential care. For patients living in rural areas, attending in-person health appointments can also require them to pay steep travel costs while sacrificing […]
Real Clear Health: FTC May Finally Bring Down the Hammer on PBMs
Amidst rising prescription drug prices, consumers may finally be getting some much-needed relief if the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) follows through with a recent pledge to investigate Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) for anticompetitive practices. You can read this commentary in Real Clear Health.
In Banning Juul, FDA Fails to Follow the Science
Over the past year, the Food and Drug Administration has taken an increasingly aggressive and anti-scientific approach to regulating electronic cigarettes, despite empirical evidence showing they are far safer than traditional combustible products. The agency’s approach became very apparent when it ordered JUUL, a manufacturer of popular electronic cigarettes, to remove their products from the […]
Study Links PBMs to Medicine Overpayments
Much has been written about the role Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) play in driving up the cost of prescription brand named drugs. However, far less has been written about how PBMs current business practices lead U.S. consumers, employers, and the government to pay too much for what should be low-cost drugs. Now a new paper, […]
FDA’s Decision to Ban JUUL E-cigarettes Will Jeopardize American Lives
Today’s announcement by the FDA that JUUL’s vaping products will be ordered off the market is another stark reminder of the agency’s forgotten mission to protect the health of American consumers. The scientific evidence clearly shows that e-cigarettes and vaping products, while not totally safe, are 95% safer than combustible tobacco products and twice as […]