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Biogen and profits; what to do about the high cost of insulin; and more

January 22, 2023
Editor, First Opinion

First Opinion-land was, as always, a busy place this week, with entries on why Biogen shouldn't be blamed for trying to maximize its profits, the vexing high cost of an old drug insulin, and much more. You can read them all here. If you have an idea for a First Opinion essay, or know someone who should be writing one, please give us a yell at first.opinion@statnews.com.

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STAT+ | Stop blaming Biogen for putting profit at the expense of patients. Blame the systems that enabled it

A House report blasted Biogen for putting profit over public interest with Aduhelm. It should have targeted the systems enabling its actions.

By Daniel Eisenkraft Klein


Even with lawsuits and copay caps, will insulin ever be affordable?

People who rely on outrageously priced insulin need more than state-by-state lawsuits and a cap on co-pays to afford this essential medicine.

By Danielle Ofri


Medical school rankings need a new metric: economic mobility index

Adding an economic mobility index to the calculation of medical school rankings would better identify schools' societal impact.

By David Lenihan



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STAT+ | Biopharma leaders helped save democracy. Now what?

Leaders of biopharma and other companies helped nudge the Congress to pass the bipartisan Electoral Reform Act.

By Paul Hastings


Leaders at Davos need to pay attention to the crossroads of climate change, health, and security

Climate change will be on the agenda at this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, but there's a piece of the climate puzzle missing: health.

By Vanessa Kerry


Upcoding: one reason Medicare Advantage companies pay clinicians to make home health checkups

Upcoding — adding extra diagnoses to patients' charts — by Medicare Advantage plans will cost Medicare $200 billion over the next decade.

By Robert M. Kaplan and Paul Tang


Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

The WHO's new pandemic treaty is good for the world — and the U.S.

A proposed global treaty on pandemic preparedness and response would strengthen global health, which has direct effects on Americans' health.

By Sergio Imparato and Sarosh Nagar


STAT+ | 4 concrete steps to realize the AI Bill of Rights for clinical decision support software

Four steps are needed to turn the principles in the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights into a reality for clinical decision support software.

By Christine Swisher and Gabriel Seidman


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