The Food and Drug Administration has warned the maker of Purell hand sanitizers to stop claiming its products can prevent people from catching the flu, Ebola virus, the MRSA superbug and norovirus. In a notice dated Jan. 17, the F.D.A. told Purell's maker, Gojo Industries, that its unsubstantiated claims that Purell could reduce the potential for infection or prevent illnesses violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The agency said it was reclassifying Purell as an unapproved drug, rather than an over-the-counter product.

Top Trump administration health officials are inviting states to convert part of Medicaid into a block grant - a longtime conservative goal Congress rejected more than two years ago. A letter to every state Medicaid director, to be dispatched Thursday, will offer the possibility of trading away an entitlement program that expands and contracts depending on how many poor people need the government health coverage. In exchange, for able-bodied adults in the program, states could apply to receive a fixed federal payment and freedom from many of the program's rules, according to several individuals familiar with the plans.

'Magic Mushroom' Drug Reduces Anxiety And Depression In Cancer Patients For Five Years

A single dose of psilocybin, a compound found in "magic mushrooms," provides long-term relief of anxiety and depression in cancer patients, a new study finds. In fact, cancer patients who were given psilocybin reported reductions in anxiety, depression, hopelessness, demoralization, and death anxiety more than four years after receiving the dose in combination with psychotherapy.

By Senthilingam,, Published by CNN

 

McKesson Reaches $175M Deal With Shareholders Over Lax Opioid Oversight
As pressure mounts on pharmaceutical wholesalers over their role in the opioid crisis, McKesson (MCK) agreed to pay $175 million to settle a lawsuit filed by investors who claimed the big distributor failed to properly oversee suspicious shipments of the addictive painkillers. Besides the payout, McKesson also agreed to take several steps to bolster corporate governance, including separating the roles of the chairman and chief executive officer, creating term limits for board members, reforming the board compliance committee, generating board reports concerning complaints about compliance issues, and toughening clawback policies for executives who fail to perform properly, according to the stipulation agreement.

By Silverman, Published by Stat

 

When Insurers Don't Cover Drugs, Prescriptions Often Go Unfilled
The majority of Americans have health insurance that includes coverage for prescription drugs. But unfortunately that doesn't ensure that they can afford the specific drugs their doctors prescribe for them. In fact, many Americans report that their insurance plans sometimes don't cover a drug they need - and nearly half the people whom this happens to say they simply don't fill the prescription. That's according to a poll released this month on income inequality from NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

By Neighmond, Published by NPR

 

How Contentious Is Drug Pricing In Washington? Check The Receipts
Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and the 31 other major drug makers that belong to the trade group PhRMA together spent more than $120 million lobbying Congress in 2019, according to recently released federal disclosures. That helped pay for an army of over 450 lobbyists who helped the drug makers and their trade group vehemently oppose the sweeping proposals lawmakers and the Trump administration put forth in their efforts to lower prescription drug prices. PhRMA also broke its all-time annual lobbying record this year. It spent $28.9 million in 2019, surpassing its previous record of $27.5 million, set last year.