Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the middle of the week. Congratulations on making it this far, and remember there are only a few more days until the weekend arrives. So keep plugging away. After all, what are the alternatives? While you ponder the possibilities, we invite you to join us for a delightful cup of stimulation. Our choice today is, once again, maple cinnamon French toast. Remember that no prescription is required — so no co-pay or rebate is involved. Meanwhile, here is the latest menu of tidbits to help you on your way. Have a wonderful day and please do stay in touch. …
For pharmaceutical companies, online prescribing has now become a powerful tool to drive sales, sending hundreds of thousands of patients to the clinic at the moment they are most primed to ask for a specific prescription, STAT reports. Dozens of drug sites now have built-in buttons to “talk to a doctor now” about everything from novel migraine medications to a treatment for sickle cell disease. Popular Media, the company that runs the platform for the Linzess drug for treating irritable bowel syndrome, says that across its telehealth prescribing programs, more than 90% of eligible patients who finish intake forms get a script for the drug they clicked on.
The European Court of Auditors published a report accusing the European Commission of refusing to disclose details of the role played by EC President Ursula von der Leyen in Covid-19 vaccine contract talks with Pfizer, Politico writes. The budget watchdog found the EU chief threw out the rulebook to reach a preliminary deal, paving the way for a May 2021 contract for up to 1.8 billion doses. For other vaccine deals in 2020 and 2021, EC officials and seven member countries held exploratory talks and outcomes were taken to a Vaccine Steering Board made up of representatives from all 27 EU member states for agreement. But this established procedure was not followed for the Pfizer contract.
This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers
Unlock this article — plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and networking platform access.
Already have an account? Log in
Already have an account? Log in
About the Author Reprints
To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page.
STAT encourages you to share your voice. We welcome your commentary, criticism, and expertise on our subscriber-only platform, STAT+ Connect