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1. Eli Lilly announced it will offer discounts to some patients purchasing its insulin products beginning January 1, 2017. The agreement with Express Scripts is expected to help patients who pay the full price of insulin at the pharmacy counter. (Reuters)
2. President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly considering Dr. Scott Gottlieb to head the FDA. Gottlieb is a venture partner at New Enterprise Associates and a former deputy commissioner at the FDA. (Reuters)
3. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International appointed William Humphries, most recently CEO of Merz Pharma’s North America business, as EVP of dermatology, in a shakeup of its leadership team. The drugmaker also announced the departure of CFO Robert Rosiello and EVPs Anne Whitaker and Ari Kellen. (Financial Post)
4. A handful of trade groups and medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and the American Heart Association created Xcertia, a group that aims to develop best practices for mobile health app development and ensure that apps are safe and effective. (Healthcare IT News)
5. The FDA reported inadequate design in testing programs and delayed notification of failing results and contamination in a recent inspection of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries’ plant in Halol, India. The new issues may further delay product launches in the U.S., which accounts for half of the drugmaker’s sales. (Bloomberg)
