Category:The Marketplace
DEA Proposes New Rules Aimed to Increase Federal Cannabis Research
On Monday March 24, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) proposed amending the rules under the Controlled Substance Act to expand cannabis research in accordance with a 2016 policy statement. Among these changes includes directing the DEA to take title and physical possession of cannabis plants and increasing the number of entities permitted to manufacture cannabis for research.
FDA Declares War on Flavored E-Cigarette
In July 2017, the Food and Drug Administration revealed a new policy that sought to reduce the deaths and diseases caused by smoking which takes nearly 500,000 lives annually in the United States. In early September 2018, the FDA followed up on its mission by unveiling a plan to address the e-cigarette epidemic. E-cigarettes, and in particularly, a brand of flavored e-cigarettes called “JUULs,” have taken the teenage and adolescent market by storm. While the FDA is primarily concerned with reducing the overall number of smoking-related casualties, it notes a particular concern for a vulnerable young demographic and the effects of nicotine intake on a developing brain.
A Way Around HHS 340B Program Delays
Access to quality, comprehensive health care services seems to always be at the forefront of our health care industry. One’s ability to gain access measured in terms of utilization, is dependent upon financial affordability, and physical accessibility. While a seemingly small issue under the overarching ‘access to health care’ topic, talks about access to medication and its affordability in particular for the vulnerable and underinsured patients must also be addressed. A number of health organizations have sued HHS for delaying the implementation of rules that would force drug companies to be transparent about their pricing and punish them for overcharging participating hospitals in the federal program that discounts outpatient medication. Due to HHS’ delays, hospitals cannot challenge drug manufacturers for overpricing outpatient medication thus they cannot access refunds of discounts that are due to them under statute.
Proposed Changes to the NIH Guidelines for Human Gene Transfer Experiments
The National Institute of Health (NIH) has submitted a proposal to amend the NIH Guidelinesfor research involving recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecules. The proposed amendmentseeks to streamline the oversight for human gene transfer clinical research protocols and reduce duplicative reporting requirements already captured within existing regulatory framework. The amendment specifically seeks to delete the NIH protocol registration submission and reporting requirements under Appendix M of the NIH Guidelines, and modify the roles and responsibilities of entities involved in human gene transfer or the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee(RAC).
FDA Warns E-Cigarette Manufacturers: Stop Teen Epidemic or Face Consequences
The rise of electronic cigarettes was initially met with relaxed FDA regulation given optimism that they could help adult smokers curb use of more toxic combustible cigarettes. This optimism was in spite of e-cigarettes’ growing popularity among adolescents and young adults. On September 12, the FDA signaled a pivot from this approach when FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb described youth e-cigarette use as having reached epidemic proportions. Gottlieb announced that the FDA had issued more than 1,300 warning letters and fines to retailers caught selling e-cigarette products to minors. It also issued an order to the five major e-cigarette manufacturers (Juul, Vuse, Blu, MarkTen XL, and Logic) to each submit a plan outlining how the company will address youth access and use of their products. Failure to submit a sufficient plan could lead the FDA to revisit its earlier decision on flavored e-cigarette products, which allowed manufacturers a grace period until 2022 to receive FDA approval.
Trump’s Holiday Gift for E-Commerce
Just in time for holiday shopping, and at the beginning of Q4, President Trump delivered some news for holiday shoppers. In what shocked some, but others found as expected and inevitable, President Trump continued his message to the world that the US will not be “handing out donations” much longer. His latest re-negotiation to bring dollars back to the US has left overseas ecommerce providers wondering what the latest move in this Administration’s financial overturn is going to do for their business. It’s not the big players like Amazon that’ll feel the brunt of this, but the smaller players in the eCommerce space that outsource their products overseas may feel a hit in their margins as this move by Trump takes its toll.
Lessons from Theranos
Theranos, the health-tech and medical lab startup, was once one of the most hyped companies to come out of Silicon Valley. In 2014, after catching the attention of high-profile investors, the company reached a valuation of $9 billion. Following several employee and journalistic leaks in 2015, however, the public began to see the company for what it was, a fraud. An October 3, 2016 Inside Compliance article titled “Theranos: New Compliance Program Hopes to Save the Company,” was written following Theranos’ appointment of two outside executives to oversee regulatory, quality, and compliance standards. It is now clear that these efforts to save Theranos were too little too late, but we see some useful takeaways from Theranos’ downfall. This article will explore the key lessons learned as it relates to leadership, ethics, and compliance.
Proposed Changes to the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988
The Department of Health and Human Services Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services have proposed a ruleto update the proficiency testing (PT) regulations under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). The new rule seeks to address current analytes, substances or constituents for which the laboratory conducts testing, and newer technologies. The rule would further make technical changes to the PT referral regulations to be more closely aligned with the CLIA statute.
When the American Dream Causes an American Nightmare
At first, the story of John Kapoor’s rise to the top of the pharmaceutical industry sounds like the American dream played out in real life. The first to attend college in his family, Kapoor graduated from Bombay University in India with a degree in pharmacy. He came to the United States after securing a fellowship at the University of Buffalo, and earned his Ph.D. in 1972. His scientific and business savvy was evident from the start – in a matter of a decade, Kapoor took over a struggling pharmaceuticals business, turned it around, and netted a personal gain of $100mm. From there Kapoor became a serial entrepreneur, with INSYS Therapeutics marking the pinnacle of his success. The company made him a billionaire, but later made him the target of a criminal racketeering investigation and the face of one of America’s darkest problems.
Protecting the Nanotechnology Workforce: NIOSH Regulations
The Department of Health and Human Services, along with National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety and the Center for Disease Control have begun a concerted effort to fill the knowledge gaps in defining the hazards, exposures, and risks involved with handling nanomaterials. Investigators are working to provide guidance for those working in the field of nanotechnology to address the risks associated with working with animals exposed to various engineered nanomaterials, epidemiologic research, and exposure limits. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has summarized its progress and recommended risk management strategies for those in the field.