Purdue Pharma has brought on a financial restructuring firm as it faces hundreds of opioid lawsuits. The OxyContin maker brought on law firm Davis Polk & Wardwell to help with potential liabilities from lawsuits. President Donald Trump also said on Thursday that he wants to bring a federal lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. (Reuters)

The Trump administration has also proposed cutting production of opioids. Officials proposed that U.S. drugmakers trim production quotas of the six most-abused opioids by 10% next year as part of President Donald Trump’s plan to cut opioid prescription fills by one-third over three years. (Reuters)

The FDA has approved Bristol-Myers Squibb’s blockbuster Opdivo to treat metastatic small-cell lung cancer patients who have failed chemotherapy and another therapy, Squibb said this week (Endpoints)

New York University is making its medical school free for all students. The university said it will cost $600 million to fund its students’ tuition indefinitely, but the school has raised $450 million. NYU is trying to address the high cost of starting a career in medicine, which may be a factor in doctor shortages. It will also work to recruit more diverse students. (NPR)


Parents are scrambling to find EpiPens before the school year. Children with severe allergies are required to supply EpiPens to their schools, but there is a shortage as Mylan deals with manufacturing issues (MarketWatch). The FDA approved the first generic competitor to Mylan’s on Thursday, but it is not yet widely available. (MM&M).