Congress has spent less than a quarter of the $500 million it set aside in late 2016 to fight the opioid epidemic. Mixed signals from the Trump administration have stalled the creation of new programs. (Politico) The president is slated to unveil a new plan to combat the crisis in New Hampshire today, which is expected to include the death penalty for drug dealers. (Reuters)
The #MeToo movement is gaining steam in the medical industry. A growing group of women are speaking out about the sexual harassment they feel infects every level of the profession. Workers in healthcare and social assistance reported 4,738 cases of sexual harassment from 2005 through 2015, behind only hospitality and manufacturing. (The Washington Post)
Dr. Robert R. Redfield, a leading AIDS researcher, is the top candidate to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An official announcement is expected as early as Tuesday. The agency has been without a permanent leader since its previous director, Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, resigned six months into the job after it was revealed she had traded tobacco stocks after assuming the position. (The New York Times)
Heron Therapeutics’ Phase III trial for its drug to treat post-operative pain met its endpoints. The drugmaker is expected to seek FDA approval later this year. The company recently won regulatory approval for Cinvanti, a treatment that prevents nausea and vomiting for chemo patients. (Endpoints)
How big data is (and isn’t) transforming healthcare. Virtually every player, from startups to hospital networks, is working to parse medical data to improve patient health and decrease medical costs. A deep dive on how the effort is actually playing out, and its impact on the industry as a whole (it’s behind the mega mergers we’ve seen of late). (Fortune)
