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In the present day, we study the implications of President Trump’s “most-favored nation” drug-pricing decree, and the query of whether or not it might maintain up legally. Additionally, we see Lux Capital try to draw expertise with some America First-ism.
Trump to deploy ‘most-favored nation’ govt order
President Trump confirmed late yesterday that he would revive a “most-favored nation” drug pricing coverage, aiming to tie U.S. costs to these in different international locations.
As STAT’s John Wilkerson and Daniel Payne famous Friday — earlier than reviews of a coming govt order had been confirmed — the coverage could be an aggressive cost-cutting measure that would roil the pharmaceutical trade, and energize Trump’s base. Nevertheless it’s nonetheless unclear what mechanism the administration will use — and whether or not it might survive authorized scrutiny.
The manager order is predicted to be rolled out at the moment.
For background: The White Home had earlier requested Republicans in Congress to incorporate the most-favored nation coverage in a funds reconciliation invoice that they’re utilizing to attempt to cross Trump’s tax cuts. Home Republicans shot down the notion, although, and are as a substitute aiming to chop Medicaid funding to assist offset the elevated deficit spending from tax cuts.
Elsewhere in politics, the U.S. and China have agreed to considerably reduce tariffs for 90 days, providing a reprieve for drug firms and medical system producers that depend on uncooked components from China. Nonetheless, the drug trade is bracing for the potential for Trump to impose pharmaceutical tariffs.
Lux Capital’s $100M spin on luring U.S. scientists
Enterprise agency Lux Capital says it’s earmarked $100 million “to help American scientists going through funding cuts” with its new Lux Science Helpline — an extension of its Lux Labs initiative. Citing China’s burgeoning edge in bioscience, Lux is luring scientists burnt by “America’s self-sabotage plan” meant to “starve younger investigators of funding,” as they put it.
“We’re providing each counsel and capital to scientists at crossroads. Perhaps your grant acquired reduce, your visa didn’t renew, or your groundbreaking analysis is just too early for conventional funding,” they write on X.
The language is bathed in altruism, but it surely’s additionally a enterprise capital play — wherein Lux will get first dibs on profitable scientific IP.
China welcoming scientists alienated within the U.S.
Sweeping NIH cuts and resurgent anti-China rhetoric are prompting Chinese language and Chinese language-America researchers to query whether or not the U.S. stays a hospitable place to construct scientific careers. That, STAT contributor Brian Yang writes, might shift the stability in world scientific innovation, in addition to within the biopharma trade.
A Stanford College examine discovered that 61% of U.S.-based scientists of Chinese language descent have thought-about leaving the nation, whereas 45% mentioned they had been reluctant to use for federal grants.
“We have to ask ourselves, is the subsequent ‘golden period’ of biomedical analysis going to be within the U.S., or is it going to be in China, or Europe, or elsewhere?” mentioned Sudip Parikh, CEO of the American Affiliation for the Development of Science. “Who will make the discoveries and who will set the usual governing how science is performed?”
U.S. might shift Covid vaccinations suggestions
A CDC advisory panel is predicted to vote in June on scaling again the present steering, aligning U.S. coverage with international locations like that U.Ok. and Canada, STAT’s Helen Branswell writes.
“I believe [a universal recommendation] was a superb choice in 2021, 2022, however I believe the scenario has modified now,” mentioned Ben Cowling, chair of epidemiology at Hong Kong College. “There’s much more pure immunity about.”
Extra reads
- Elizabeth Holmes’s Associate Has a New Blood-Testing Begin-Up, New York Occasions
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Why sufferers are being pressured to change to a 2nd-choice weight problems drug, New York Occasions
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Persistent care startup Omada Well being recordsdata to go public, Endpoints
