Walgreens and Humana are in talks to take stakes in each other. The two companies already have a clinic partnership that serves seniors and that partnership could be expanded. The reported negotiations come ahead of CVS and Aetna closing their merger. (Wall Street Journal)
Pfizer wants a refund from Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith after public hanging comments. The company contributed $5,000 to her election campaign several months ago. After comments she made widely interpreted as an allusion to lynching, Pfizer is withdrawing its support. (Endpoints News)
A government task force is urging doctors to offer Gilead’s HIV PrEP drug Truvada to at-risk individuals. Such a move would greatly expand access to the drug, which costs $20,000 a year. (New York Times)
The increasing rate of diabetes worldwide may lead to decreased access to insulin, a study found. The rate of diabetes, currently at 9% of adults worldwide, is expected to keep growing. The amount of insulin to treat these patients would need to rise by more than 20% over the next 12 years. (Reuters)
Former Aveo CFO David Johnston was found guilty of misleading investors. Johnston implied that the company’s kidney cancer drug was headed for FDA approval, but neglected to note that the FDA had issues with trial design. Johnston left Aveo in 2013 and is currently CFO at ImmunoGen. (Boston Globe)
