first opinion
What health care could learn from financial sector regulations
Adobe
Weeks after a cyberattack took down claim and prescription processing giant Change Healthcare, the system has yet to be back up for its customers. The incident exposed the vulnerability of a system that, in the rush of digitalization, found itself reliant on a small number of big companies.
Enforcing cybersecurity in the health care sector is essential, especially to protect patient records and personal information, and interventions have a template they can follow, write Jonathan Slotkin and David Vawdrey in First Opinion: the proactive cybersecurity mechanisms used in the financial sector.
The authors suggest three key steps: create a dedicated authority that enforces rigorous cybersecurity standards for the health sector; "stress test" health care IT companies to check their ability to withstand attacks; and systematically investigate incidents. Read more.
obesity revolution
Medicare may finally cover Wegovy now that it's a heart drug
The cardiac benefits of Novo Nordisk's obesity drug don't just expand its potential pool of patients — they also open the door to negotiations about Medicare coverage. The federal agency is currently forbidden by law from covering drugs for obesity alone. But Wegovy's new label reflects its success in reducing major heart complications and may make it eligible for coverage. The drug will also likely be covered by Medicaid, which has less discretion to refuse coverage of FDA-approved medications.
This is good news for patients who have been hoping to get access to the drug, though not so much for the coffers of public insurance programs, writes Rachel Cohrs. Given the cost of the drug and the sizable population who may be eligible for it, the financial impact of coverage may be significant. Read more.
cancer
Guardant Health's new blood-based test is effective at detecting colon cancer
Guardant Health's blood-based test, known as Shield, is at least partially effective at detecting incipient or early colorectal cancer, according to newly published clinical trial results.
The test was 100% effective at detecting colorectal cancer at stage 2 or later, but it was not nearly as reliable in identifying stage 1 cancers or precancerous polyps. This means that the test is likely an important new addition to colorectal cancer detection tools, but its benefits will be seen mostly on patients who choose not to get routine screenings, and it should not replace early detection methods such as colonoscopies, writes Angus Chen.
Still, the results are probably strong enough to warrant FDA approval for the test, making insurance coverage easier to obtain. Read more.
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