Senators propose new model to control weight loss drug costs
With the FDA recently approving tirzepatide for weight management, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) proposed that the federal agency lead research into ways to transition people off weight-loss drugs to lower costs. Reported. status. Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Health Policy Committee, opposes President Joe Biden’s weight loss drug cost control plan that would allow the government to negotiate directly with drug companies, reducing incentives to develop new treatments. , argued that drug prices may not decrease. Patient costs. His model was proposed after Cassidy and other economists warned that it would not be cost-effective for private insurance companies or federal health programs to pay for lifelong weight-loss therapy. He explained that an economist suggested that the National Institutes of Health sponsor a study that would put patients on treatment for a year and then replace them with a diet, such as rationing, to reduce costs.
Young Black students, especially boys, are underdiagnosed and undertreated for ADHD.
According to the study, black children are underdiagnosed and undertreated for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to white children. KFF Health News.a Pennsylvania State Report A study tracking more than 10,000 elementary school students from kindergarten through fifth grade across the country found that black students were 40% less likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis than white students. Researchers found that the diagnosis rate for black boys was 60% lower than for white boys. This racial disparity deepens inequality for Black children, especially Black men. For example, underdiagnosis of ADHD may lead to stricter school discipline because black youth routinely face punishment for behavioral problems and mental health conditions, while white youth are more likely to receive medical diagnosis and treatment. Studies have shown that this contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline. To correct these inequities, mental health experts have proposed increasing culturally sensitive testing and addressing Black families’ concerns about implicit bias and racism.
Policymakers need to balance AI innovation with patient safety, say lawmakers
Lawmakers and witnesses said this at a press conference. senate hearing Policymakers on Wednesday said they need to balance innovation with potential harm to healthcare workers and patients when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. today’s med page. During a hearing of the Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security, Chairman Edward Markey (D-Mass.) discussed the potential dangers of unregulated experimentation with AI in health care, and discussed the potential dangers of unregulated experimentation with AI in health care policy. It warned that patient privacy and privacy could be at risk if this was not done. This can lead to misdiagnosis and mistreatment of patients. Several witnesses invited to testify echoed Markey’s concerns, but others focused more on the potential benefits of AI. Subcommittee members outlined the goal of protecting patients while allowing innovation to flourish, and emphasized the need for effective and thoughtful AI in health policy.
