1. Merck abandoned plans to seek FDA approval for its CETP inhibitor, anacetrapib, over lackluster clinical-trial results. (AP)

2. An oncologist shared what happens when he tells people what he does for a living. Most people, he noted, know someone affected by cancer but not someone who deals with the disease every day. (Nautilus)

3. Researchers say that the recitation of side effects in DTC ads has a side effect of its own. Instead of educating consumers, the long lists can diminish negative views of the therapies. (MedPage Today)

4. A second late-stage clinical trial for Ardelyx’s experimental treatment for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation met its main goal. This form of the condition affects more than 11 million people in the U.S. (Reuters)

5. The man who published a how-to for a homemade version of the EpiPen is developing a similar one for Sovaldi. His goal is to make those costly drugs affordable to more people. (Stat)