Johnson & Johnson has been subpoenaed by the Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission about talc lawsuits against the company. J&J is facing thousands of lawsuits claiming trace amounts of asbestos in its baby-powder products caused cancer. A December Reuters report said that J&J knew about the presence of asbestos in its talc products for decades. (Reuters)
Pinterest has cracked down on anti-vaxxer content. The platform will no longer show search results for terms related to vaccinations, whether the content is for or against vaccines. Pinterest said it has been hard to control the spread of anti-vaccine content and is implementing the search ban until it comes up with a permanent strategy. (CNBC)
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals defended its $375,000 drug price after a letter from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Sanders wrote to the company this month asking it to justify the price of Firdapse, a medication for a rare neuromuscular disease. Catalyst said the price was in-line with similar products. (Reuters)
Court documents reveal plans for Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, JP Morgan health venture. The documents described the initiative as looking to “reinvent” benefit design and tackle insurance complexity. They also suggested the venture wants to work with existing healthcare players like insurers, providers, and PBMs rather than uprooting them. (CNBC)
FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the federal government may step in if states don’t change their vaccine laws. Gottlieb said that some states’ “wide” vaccine exemptions could have national implications amid measles outbreaks in Washington State and New York State. (CNN)
