Why are so few patients taking new sickle cell drugs?; Congress reaches major health policy deal

Sickle-cell advocates say the health infrastructure and lack of equity restrict access to drugs for many patients. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

Sponsored by      We finally have new drugs for sickle cell disease. Why are so few patients taking them? By Jason Mast Lee Klafczynski for STAT A new drug runs into red tape from insurers, a long history of bias against sickle-cell patients, and debate over data. Read More Congress reaches major health policy deal on Medicare, Medicaid, and pandemic preparedness By Rachel Cohrs and Sarah Owermohle Andrew Harnik/AP A sweeping new deal would ease Medicare pay cuts to doctors, make major changes to Medicaid policy, and aim to prepare for future pandemics. Read More STAT+: Here are the finalists for best biopharma CEO of 2022. And a winner By Adam Feuerstein Hyacinth Empinado/STAT Nods to the CEOs behind some of this year's biggest biopharma deals and most exciting new drug treatments. Read More Sponsored Insight by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Next-generation drug improves progression-free survival in relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia A head-to-head clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) has found that zanubrutinib, a next-generation BTK inhibitor, was more effective at preventing disease progression and better tolerated than ibrutinib, the first-generation BTK inhibitor that is the current standard treatment in that setting. Learn more. STAT+: Even with gene therapy on the horizon, drugmakers join hunt for new sickle cell drugs By Jason Mast Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia/CDC After overlooking sickle cell for decades, companies are spending billions in pursuit of new drugs that might help patients around the world. Read More STAT+: A child's insatiable appetite is linked to a single genetic mutation By Elaine Chen Adobe The case study of a girl who was ravenous since birth sheds light on monogenic obesity and could aid understanding of common obesity. Read More Watch: Fentanyl test strips help prevent overdoses, why are they still controversial? By Hyacinth Empinado Hyacinth Empinado/STAT With much of the nation's illicit drug supply contaminated by fentanyl, test strips that detect the dangerous synthetic opioid can help people who use drugs prevent a deadly overdose. Read More Opinion: Lawmakers should act on the evidence and expand access to dental therapists By Louis W. Sullivan and Caswell A. Evans Dawn Villella/AP Nearly 70 million Americans live in areas with a shortage of dental providers. Increasing access to dental therapists can help fix that. Read More STAT+: Madrigal experimental drug delivers strong results in fatty liver disease known as NASH By Matthew Herper Adobe The results could pave the way for resmetirom to reach the U.S. market soon without waiting for the completion of a larger trial. Read More Monday, December 19, 2022       1 Exchange Pl, Suite 201, Boston, MA 02109 ©2022, All Rights Reserved. I no longer wish to receive STAT emails Update Email Preferences | Contact Us | View In Browser