Thursday, November 18, 2021 | Kaiser Health News

The New York Instances:
Biogen’s Alzheimer’s Drug Is Not likely To Acquire E.U. Approval

The drug maker Biogen explained on Wednesday that a panel of drug reviewers in the European Union experienced indicated that its new Alzheimer’s drug was unlikely to be permitted there, the hottest setback for a medication that has been mired in controversy due to the fact it was permitted in the United States in June. Biogen said a committee of authorities that advises the European Medicines Agency had issued a “negative development vote” — a preliminary sign that typically precedes a suggestion that the drug not be permitted — on the company’s application for the drug, Aduhelm, this month. The panel will formalize its suggestion at a conference next month. (Robbins, 11/17)

Stat:
What A European Rejection Of An Alzheimer’s Drug Would Indicate For Biogen

In a potentially large setback for Biogen (BIIB), a European regulatory panel signaled that it is not likely to endorse the company’s controversial Alzheimer’s procedure ought to be accredited. And when a closing selection by the European Medicines Company will not be regarded right up until following thirty day period, Wall Avenue is swiftly discounting the risk the treatment will create revenues from the extensive European market place. (Silverman, 11/17)

In wellness business staffing information —

The Wall Street Journal:
Pfizer Queries For New CFO As Frank D’Amelio Retires

Pfizer Inc. is seeking for a new main fiscal officer adhering to the retirement of its longtime CFO, Frank D’Amelio. The New York-based drugmaker explained Wednesday that it is conducting an exterior search for Mr. D’Amelio’s successor. Mr. D’Amelio has served as CFO since becoming a member of the enterprise in 2007 from telecommunications large Alcatel-Lucent. He plans to remain with Pfizer right until a successor is identified. (Broughton, 11/17)

Stat:
Alnylam’s Maraganore Reflects On His Successor And His Following Actions

John Maraganore’s determination to step down as Alnylam Pharmaceuticals’ CEO just after virtually 20 many years came as a shock to people outside of the enterprise — adequate to send the company’s stock tumbling by extra than 16{a78e43caf781a4748142ac77894e52b42fd2247cba0219deedaee5032d61bfc9} that working day. But it was a shock, way too, to people within just Alnylam, Maraganore recalled at the 2021 STAT Summit in Boston on Tuesday. Which includes, even, his successor as CEO, Yvonne Greenstreet. (Sheridan, 11/17)

The Wall Street Journal:
Nurse Salaries Rise As Demand from customers For Their Companies Soars In the course of Covid-19 Pandemic

Nurses are winning raises really worth 1000’s of pounds a year from hospitals, the latest employer reckoning with a restricted labor market. HCA Healthcare Inc., HCA .89{a78e43caf781a4748142ac77894e52b42fd2247cba0219deedaee5032d61bfc9} 1 of the nation’s greatest medical center chains, elevated nurse fork out this 12 months to deal with significant Covid-19 pandemic circumstance loads and preserve tempo with rivals that are also seeking to fill vacancies and keep on to current staff, the company’s human sources chief mentioned. Raises diverse by industry an HCA spokesman declined to say by what amounts. (Evans, 11/17)

Also —

The Wall Road Journal:
Previous Pittsburgh Metal Mill To Come to be Biomedical-Production Plant With Mellon Grant 

The Richard King Mellon Foundation introduced a $100 million grant to fund a center for biomedical production, the newest piece in a program to redevelop a stretch of riverfront outside Pittsburgh nearly 50 percent the size of the city’s downtown. The 178-acre residence recognized as Hazelwood Inexperienced is the web-site of a former LTV Steel mill that shut in the 1990s. The $100 million grant will fund a bio-manufacturing facility identified as the Pitt BioForge to be operate by the College of Pittsburgh, with the goal of attracting businesses that produce cell and gene therapies to handle most cancers and other health problems. (Maher, 11/17)

Los Angeles Instances:
Whistleblower Or Flamethrower? California Health-related Board Member Phone calls Out His Colleagues

The pleas for enable come across him. They arrive by email or seep into his social media account. 1 confirmed up in a tightly sealed letter to his residence. Right after yrs of experience dismissed by the Health-related Board of California, the writers hope he’ll last but not least be the a person who hears them. Eserick “TJ” Watkins can guess the sorts of allegations that could be waiting around inside of: the tales of a doctor’s misconduct that left an in excess of-approved teen addicted, a father lacking a limb, a daughter lifeless. He has heard hundreds of these cases as a member of the healthcare board, which oversees the self-discipline of doctors in the point out. (Gutierrez, 11/17)

Stat:
Food and drug administration Urged To Disqualify A Hospital, Two Doctors Around Medical Demo Missteps

The Meals and Drug Administration is staying urged to disqualify a Minnesota hospital and two medical professionals from jogging medical trials after the agency found experiments that violated laws on human study. In a petition, the General public Citizen advocacy group noted Food and drug administration inspectors a short while ago warned Hennepin County Health-related Center and two doctors for failing to obtain consent from topics in trials that analyzed the protection and efficiency of the remedies for managing agitation. The scientific studies included antipsychotics and the powerful anesthetic ketamine on individuals in emergency rooms or prior to their arrival. (Silverman, 11/17)

NBC News:
Some Companies Thrived Throughout Covid And Then Acquired Their PPP Covid Aid Loans Forgiven

In late June, Sharps Compliance, a Houston-based medical waste administration business, reported amazing economic success. The rollout of Covid-19 vaccines had enhanced demand from customers for the company’s services, Sharps mentioned, and its earnings experienced additional than quadrupled. The company’s board granted Sharps’ best three executives twice the compensation they’d obtained a year previously based on the functionality the trio shared nearly $1 million more than they’d been given in fiscal 2020, Securities and Exchange Commission filings display. (Morgenson, 11/18)

On fiscal issues —

Contemporary Health care:
Aetna Sues COVID-19 Screening Companies, Alleges Fraud

Aetna is using a team of relevant radiology businesses to courtroom and accusing them of overcharging for unauthorized COVID-19 assessments to the tune of at least $580,000. (Tepper, 11/17)

Present day Health care:
Health care Skilled Details Startup H1 Reels In $100 Million In Funding

H1 Inc., a startup that pitches alone as a social community and database for health care pros, elevated $100 million in new funding, in accordance to a organization site post on Tuesday. Altimeter Money led the Sequence C funding round, with further investments from Goldman Sachs Asset Administration and Flex Funds. H1 designs to use the new dollars to increase its current company and grow into new marketplaces, having largely focused on aiding lifetime sciences organizations join with medical doctors for scientific trials to this stage. (Brady, 11/17)

Modern Health care:
ProMedica, AAA Pilot Joint Venture For Getting older Americans

ProMedica and AAA Club Alliance on Wednesday announced ideas for a new healthcare joint venture focusing on growing older Us citizens. AAA HealthCONNECT powered by ProMedica will officially start in early 2022 in Ohio and will be out there to individuals 55 and older who signal up for a membership. The goal is for the giving to be a “one-prevent store” that will aid people today “navigate the aging system,” said Tom Wiedemann, president and CEO of AAA Club Alliance. (Christ, 11/17)

KHN:
Stranded By The Pandemic, He Experienced Only Journey Insurance coverage. It Left Him With A $38,000 Monthly bill

Duy Hoa Tran, a retired Vietnamese schoolteacher, arrived in Los Angeles in February 2020 to check out his daughter and 2-thirty day period-old grandson. Two weeks later on, the doorway closed driving him. To prevent the distribute of covid-19, Vietnam shut its borders. No commercial flights would be permitted into the country for the future 18 months. Tran’s daughter, An Tran, who has a doctorate in enterprise administration and teaches advertising at the College of La Verne in California, did what she imagined was needed to be certain health care protection for her then-65-yr-aged father during the pandemic. But the only option for a customer on a vacationer visa was journey insurance policy. In early March 2020, An Tran observed and purchased a policy, for about $350 a month, from a company termed 7 Corners. (Allen, 11/18)

In information about the Theranos demo —

CNBC:
Theranos Affected person States Blood Check Came Again With Fake Favourable For HIV

Erin Tompkins, who bought her blood drawn from a Theranos machine at a Walgreens in Arizona, mentioned the examination misdiagnosed her as having an HIV antibody, sending her into a worry. “I was quite psychological at the time,” Tompkins told jurors on Wednesday in the legal trial of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Tompkins, a witness to the prosecution and the next affected person to testify, said she first read through about Theranos in Forbes. She later realized a lot more about the blood-screening business on Fb from a pal who was hunting for cost-effective well being-treatment solutions. (Khorram, 11/17)