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Tag: pharmacy

  • Wegovy is now available as a pill. Here’s what you need to know

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    (CNN) — Americans seeking to lose weight now have a new option – taking Wegovy as a daily pill, rather than a weekly injection.

    Patients with a prescription could obtain the starter 1.5 mg dose of the tablet as of Monday, with the higher doses becoming available by the end of the week, according to manufacturer Novo Nordisk.

    Being able to address obesity with a GLP-1 pill is a significant advance in weight management. Eli Lilly is expected to receive US Food and Drug Administration approval for its oral medication, which is called orforglipron until it receives a brand name, by summer.

    But the arrival of an oral option has also sparked a multitude of questions. Here’s what we know:

    Where can I get the Wegovy pill?

    The tablet form of Wegovy can be found at pharmacies, including CVS and Costco, certain telehealth providers, such as Ro and LifeMD and Weight Watchers, NovoCare Pharmacy, GoodRx and other locations.

    Will it be hard to find?

    While overwhelming demand led to initial shortages of the GLP-1 injections, Novo Nordisk said it is confident that it can meet the demand for the Wegovy tablet.

    The Danish drug maker noted that it has invested in its manufacturing capabilities for several years. The Wegovy pill is produced entirely in its North Carolina facilities.

    How much will the pill cost?

    The 1.5 mg starter dose of the pill costs $149 a month for patients who pay cash, as part of a recent deal Novo Nordisk made with the Trump administration. The 4 mg dose costs the same amount until April 15, after which the price will increase to $199.

    However, the 9 mg and 25 mg doses cost $299 a month.

    That compares to a $349 monthly price tag for the injectable version for self-pay consumers, though new patients can receive two months of the lowest two doses for $199 each until March.

    Patients whose insurance plans cover the drug for obesity could pay as little as $25 a month for the pill or injection under a savings program offered by Novo Nordisk.

    How is the pill different from the injection?

    The pill uses the same active ingredient, semaglutide, as the injection. They’re approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the same groups of people: those with obesity, typically defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher, and those with overweight, or a BMI of 27 or more along with a weight-related health issue such as high blood pressure.

    The main difference between the two is how you take them – as a daily pill versus a weekly shot. The pill also must be taken on an empty stomach, with a small amount of water and no other food, drink or medicines for at least 30 minutes.

    The medicine won’t be effective if patients don’t wait 30 minutes to give the tablet time to absorb, according to Novo Nordisk.

    How much weight could I lose?

    The Wegovy tablet and injection resulted in similar weight loss in clinical trials.

    The pill showed average weight loss of 14% over 64 weeks, compared with 2% for a placebo. The injection showed weight loss of 15% in its key trial, versus 2% for placebo.

    Eli Lilly’s orforglipron showed 11% weight loss over 72 weeks on its highest dose, compared with 2% for the placebo group. Zepbound, Eli Lilly’s injectable weight loss drug, showed weight loss of 21% on its highest dose, compared with 3% for those on a placebo.

    What are the side effects of the Wegovy pill?

    Like all medicines in the class known as GLP-1s, the Wegovy pill is also associated with side effects such as nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhea. The pill and injection had similar tolerability in clinical trials.

    Should I consider switching from the injection to the pill?

    That depends on your specific circumstances, doctors say. If you’re someone who’d prefer a daily pill to a weekly shot, and can deal with delaying food, drink and other medications for 30 minutes after taking the Wegovy pill, it might be the right choice. Others may prefer the simplicity of a weekly injection, if they don’t mind needles.

    Dr. Jorge Moreno, an obesity specialist with Yale Medicine, said a switch to the pill may be a consideration for people who’ve experienced more tolerability issues with the injections.

    “If patients have not tolerated the injection or are having a tough time going up on the dose, they may opt to switch to the Wegovy pill,” Moreno told CNN.

    Dr. Judith Korner, an endocrinologist and director of the Metabolic and Weight Control Center at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, pointed out that the weekly injections might be “a bit longer-lasting,” and so any uncomfortable side effects patients experience “may last longer than if you take a pill” as well, where “if you really don’t like the way you feel you don’t take it the next day.”

    If you miss a dose of the pill, that dose should be skipped, and the next dose should be taken the following day.

    Both doctors emphasized that cost also plays a large role in decision-making.

    “Insurance coverage is still hard to predict at this point,” Moreno said. “I am hopeful with lower costs for the Wegovy pill, more insurances will opt to cover it.”

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    Tami Luhby, Meg Tirrell and CNN

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  • Bringing Friendship Indoors: 5 Simple Ways for Seniors to Stay Connected This Winter

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    Winter brings colder weather, shorter days, and more time spent indoors,  all factors that can chip away at social routines. Even older adults who typically stay active and engaged may find it harder to connect during this season. Limited daylight, mobility challenges, and reduced transportation options can quickly lead to increased isolation.

    Photo Courtesy of Seniors Helping Seniors Credit: Photo Courtesy of Seniors Helping Seniors

    But staying socially connected in winter doesn’t require big plans. Small, intentional habits make a meaningful difference. With the support of a Seniors Helping Seniors® caregiver, older adults can maintain those habits more easily,  whether through companionship, help coordinating calls, or reliable transportation for outings.

    Below are five simple ways seniors can stay connected when temperatures drop.

    1. Schedule Recurring Calls with Loved Ones
    Instead of waiting for conversations to happen, put them on the calendar. Weekly phone or video calls, like a Monday morning “coffee chat” or Friday afternoon “catch-up call”,  give seniors something predictable and positive to look forward to. Caregivers can assist by setting up devices, managing reminders, and ensuring calls go smoothly.

    2. Join a Virtual Class or Group
    Winter is an ideal time to explore online activities from home. Virtual yoga, book clubs, faith-based discussions, crafting groups, or memory-friendly programs help seniors stay mentally active and socially engaged. A caregiver can help register, log in, adjust audio or video settings, and provide support during the session.

    3. Start a Monthly Letter Exchange
    Handwritten letters create meaningful connections across generations. A simple routine — sending and receiving one letter each month,  can strengthen relationships with grandchildren, siblings, or friends. Caregivers can help gather supplies, write or dictate messages, take photos to include, and handle mailing. This personal tradition becomes a warm, ongoing connection.

    4. Plan Short “Social Errand” Trips
    Everyday errands offer easy opportunities for social interaction. A quick trip to the pharmacy, post office, or local store can lift a senior’s mood and break up routine. A Seniors Helping Seniors® caregiver can provide transportation, assist with mobility or navigation, and ensure the outing feels relaxed and enjoyable.

    5. Participate in Library Events or Educational Programs
    Local libraries often offer accessible, low-cost social activities such as lectures, craft circles, film discussions, or reading groups. A caregiver can check schedules, help register, provide transportation, and join the activity if the senior prefers extra support.

    How Caregivers Add Warmth and Support All Winter Long
    Winter creates real barriers to connection — weather, safety concerns, reduced sunlight, and fewer community events. For many older adults, these changes increase feelings of loneliness. Seniors Helping Seniors® caregivers help maintain social connections by offering companionship, conversation, safe transportation, help with technology, and gentle encouragement to stay engaged.

    Regular interaction is essential for emotional well-being, cognitive health, and overall quality of life. With the right support, even the quietest months of the year can feel meaningful, connected, and full of positive

    If you’d like to learn how a caregiver can provide warmth and steady support this winter, we’re here to help. Contact us today. (404)793-0677 or (404)779-5517 or visit our website at SHSAtlantaSoutwest.com.

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    Sponsored Content Provided By Seniors Helping Seniors

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  • MBTA balks at expanding overdose prevention kiosks

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    BOSTON — MBTA officials are pouring cold water on a legislative push to make the opioid overdose reversing drug naloxone available at subway stations, citing a lack of proper staff and a shortage of funding.

    The T recently wrapped up a federally funded pilot project that installed 15 kiosks with doses of the medicine – also known by its brand name, Narcan – at several Red Line stations to help reduce fatal drug overdoses.


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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Vaccine chaos: Even some vulnerable seniors can’t get COVID shots amid spiking cases

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    Seniors in some parts of the country say they are being denied COVID-19 vaccinations amid an ongoing spike in cases, leading to rising frustration over new Trump administration policies that are making it harder to get the shots.

    Matthew D’Amico, 67, of New York City, said a Walgreens declined to administer COVID-19 vaccines to him and his 75-year-old wife on Friday because they didn’t have a prescription. They’re trying to get vaccinated ahead of a trip.

    “I can’t believe we can’t get” the vaccine, D’Amico said in an interview. “I’ve been inoculated a number of times and never had to get a prescription. And it’s just very frustrating that this is where we are.”

    He’s not alone in his exasperation. Under the leadership of the vaccine skeptic Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., federal agencies have effectively made it more difficult to get vaccinated against COVID-19 this year. The Food and Drug Administration has only “approved” COVID-19 vaccines for those age 65 and up, as well as younger people with underlying health conditions.

    That means across the country, people younger than 65 interested in getting the COVID-19 vaccine must now either consult with a healthcare provider or “attest” to a pharmacy that they have an underlying health condition. It’s a potential hurdle that can make getting the vaccine more difficult and, some health experts worry, prompt even more Americans to eschew getting vaccinated.

    As D’Amico can attest, though, being part of a group for whom the COVID vaccine is “approved” doesn’t necessarily guarantee easy access.

    “For me to go to my primary [healthcare provider] now and get a prescription, it’s just kind of ridiculous,” D’Amico said.

    At least some people younger than 65 are encountering pharmacy staff asking probing questions about their medical conditions.

    That happened Friday at a CVS in Orange County, according to 34-year-old Alex Benson, who takes medication that can suppress his immune system.

    Besides just protecting himself, he wanted to get vaccinated as he has family members who are at high risk should they get COVID — his mother is immunocompromised, and his mother-in-law had open-heart surgery on Thursday night.

    Benson said an employee asked why he thought he was eligible for the vaccine.

    “They asked me for either a prescription or they wanted to know … why I felt I needed the vaccination,” Benson said. At one point, a staffer offered to call his doctor to get an authorization for the vaccine.

    Benson said he was alarmed by the questions, and started to “feel kind of some desperation to plead my case to the pharmacist.” Another CVS staffer later came over and said further answers weren’t necessary and simply attesting he was eligible was good enough. He eventually got the vaccine.

    Still, he felt the experience was dismaying.

    “I think easy access should be the policy,” Benson said. “I tend not to get too political, but it seems just rather juxtaposed to me that an anti-regulation administration is using regulation in this way. They’re supposed to be removing barriers to healthcare.”

    The vaccine chaos comes as COVID-19 is either increasing or starting to hit its late summer peak. According to data released Friday, there are now 14 states with “very high” levels of coronavirus detected in their wastewater — California, Texas, Florida, North Carolina, Indiana, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Connecticut, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Hawaii and Alaska, as well as the District of Columbia.

    Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, the regional physician chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, said data continue to show an increase in coronavirus cases.

    “Over this past week, we’ve seen an increase in the number of outpatient COVID cases, and even a smattering of inpatient cases,” Hudson said. “It appears that we may be nearing the top of the wave, but it may be another two weeks or so until we truly know if we’re there.”

    The rate at which coronavirus lab tests are confirming infection also continues to rise statewide and in the Los Angeles area. For the week ending Aug. 30, California’s COVID test positivity rate was 12.83%, up from 7.05% for the week ending Aug. 2. In L.A. County, the positive test rate was 14.83%, up from 9.33%.

    Other data, however, suggest some areas may have reached their summer COVID peak.

    In Orange County, the COVID positive test rate was 13.1%. That’s below the prior week’s rate of 18%, but still higher than the rate for the week that ended Aug. 2, which was 10.8%.

    In San Francisco, the test positivity rate has been hovering around 9% for the last week of reliable data available. It’s up from 7% a month earlier.

    In addition, wastewater data in L.A. County show coronavirus levels declined slightly from the prior week.

    “It’s too early to know if this decrease in wastewater viral concentrations is the first sign that COVID-19 activity is peaking or is regular variation typical of this data source,” the L.A. County Department of Public Health said.

    COVID hospital admissions in California are increasing — with the latest rate of 3.93 admissions per 100,000 residents, up from 2.38.

    But they remain relatively low statewide and in L.A. County. The number of L.A. County residents seeking care for COVID-related illness, or who have been hospitalized, “is quite a bit lower than during summer surges in 2023 and 2024,” the public health department said.

    A relatively mild summer wave, however, could mean that the annual fall-and-winter COVID wave might be stronger. In July, the state Department of Public Health said that scientists anticipate California would see either a stronger summer COVID wave or a more significant winter wave.

    The current confusion over federal COVID vaccine policy has been exacerbated by the chaos at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where Kennedy earlier this year fired everyone on the influential Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, and orchestrated the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez just 29 days after she was confirmed to the post by the Senate.

    Some of Kennedy’s handpicked replacements on the ACIP have criticized vaccines and spread misinformation, according to the Associated Press. And the new interim CDC director — Jim O’Neill, a Kennedy deputy — is a critic of health regulations and has no training in medicine or healthcare, the AP reported.

    The CDC hasn’t issued its own recommendations on who should get vaccinated, and that inaction has resulted in residents of a number of states needing to get prescriptions from a healthcare provider for at least the next couple of weeks. In some cases, that’s true even for seniors, as D’Amico found out.

    As of Friday, CVS said people need a prescription to get a COVID-19 vaccine, sometimes depending on their age, in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia.

    CVS couldn’t even offer the COVID-19 at its pharmacies in Nevada as of Friday; they were only available at the company’s MinuteClinic sites, according to spokesperson Amy Thibault.

    CVS said it expects to offer COVID-19 vaccines without prescriptions at its pharmacies in New Mexico, Nevada, New York and Pennsylvania “soon,” due to recent regulatory changes in each state.

    “Right now, all patients in all states need to attest to being eligible for the vaccine in order to schedule an appointment online,” Thibault said. If an adult says they have no underlying health conditions, but do have a prescription from a healthcare provider for “off-label” use of the vaccine, they can get the shot, Thibault confirmed.

    On Thursday, Hawaii joined California, Washington and Oregon in launching the West Coast Health Alliance: an interstate compact meant to provide science-based immunization guidance as an alternative to the CDC.

    “Together, these states will provide evidence-based immunization guidance rooted in safety, efficacy, and transparency — ensuring residents receive credible information free from political interference,” according to a statement from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.

    The statement suggested that the Trump administration was essentially “dismantling” the CDC.

    “The absence of consistent, science-based federal leadership poses a direct threat to our nation’s health security,” the statement said. “To protect the health of our communities, the West Coast Health Alliance will continue to ensure that our public health strategies are based on best available science.”

    It was not immediately clear, however, whether the formation of the West Coast Health Alliance would make it easier for people to get COVID-19 vaccines at the nation’s largest pharmacy retailers, where many people get their shots.

    Mainstream medical groups, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, are also offering their own recommendations to advise individuals and families on what vaccines they should get.

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    Rong-Gong Lin II

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  • Lawmaker hosts naloxone training at Statehouse

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    BOSTON — Rep. Kate Donaghue has a trick for always ensuring naloxone is on hand and ready to deploy if she encounters someone experiencing an opioid overdose: she keeps a dose tucked into the laminated pouch holding her Statehouse ID.

    Donaghue, whose son, Brian, died in 2018 to an overdose, on Tuesday hosted dozens of her colleagues, administration officials, public health workers and others for a training session about how and when to use naloxone.


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    By Chris Lisinski | State House News Service

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  • Data: Fewer opioids prescribed in Mass., NH

    Data: Fewer opioids prescribed in Mass., NH

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    BOSTON — While the scourge of opioid addiction continues to affect Massachusetts, the number of people getting legal prescriptions for heavily addictive medicines is falling, according to the latest federal data.

    Massachusetts had the second lowest opioid prescription rate in New England in 2022, following Vermont, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Health care providers in the Bay State wrote 30.8 opioid prescriptions for every 100 residents, the federal agency reported.

    That’s a slight drop from the previous year but a substantial decline from the 66 per 100 prescription rate in 2006, when the CDC began tracking the data, which lags by two years.

    New Hampshire, which has also seen declining numbers of opioid prescriptions in recent years, had the third-lowest rate in New England in 2022, with 32 prescriptions for every 100 residents. Maine had the highest rate in the region, or 35.2 per 100 residents.

    Nationally, the overall prescription rate was 39.5 prescriptions per 100 people in 2022, according to the CDC data.

    Curbing opioid addiction has been a major focus on Beacon Hill for a number of years, with hundreds of millions of dollars being devoted to expanding treatment and prevention efforts.

    For many, opioid addiction has its roots in prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin and Percocet, which led them to street-bought heroin and fentanyl once those prescriptions ran out.

    In 2016, then-Gov. Charlie Baker and lawmakers pushed through a raft of rules to curb over-prescribing of opioids. Those included a cap on new prescriptions written in any seven-day period and a requirement that doctors consult a state prescription monitoring database before prescribing an additive opioid.

    Meanwhile opioid manufacturers have been hammered with hundreds of lawsuits from the states and local governments over their role in fueling a wave of opioid addiction. Attorney General Maura Healey’s office recently agreed to a multi-billion dollar settlement with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma.

    Supporters of the tougher requirements say they have saved lives by dramatically reducing the number of heavily addictive opioids being prescribed.

    Pain management groups say the regulatory backlash has made some doctors worried about writing prescriptions for opioids, depriving patients of treatment.

    There were 2,125 confirmed or suspected opioid-related deaths in 2023 — which is 10%, or 232, fewer fatal overdoses than the same period in 2022, according to the latest data from the state Department of Public Health.

    Last year’s opioid-related overdose death rate also decreased by 10% to 30.2 per 100,000 people compared with 33.5 in 2022, DPH said.

    Health officials attributed the persistently high death rates to the effects of an “increasingly poisoned drug supply,” primarily with the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl. Fentanyl was present in 90% of the overdose deaths where a toxicology report was available, state officials noted.

    Nationally, there were 107,543 overdose deaths reported in the U.S. in 2023, a 3% decrease from the estimated 111,029 in 2022, according to CDC data.

    On Beacon Hill, state lawmakers are being pressured to take more aggressive steps to expand treatment and prevention options for those struggling with opioid addiction.

    Last month, a coalition of more than 100 public health and community-based organizations wrote to House and Senate leaders urging them to pass substance abuse legislation before the Dec. 31 end of the two-year session.

    “There isn’t a day that goes by without several people in the Commonwealth dying from an overdose or losing loved ones to this disease,” they wrote. “As individuals and institutions working to combat the opioid epidemic, we know the Commonwealth must do more to prevent addiction, help people find pathways to treatment and recovery, and save lives.”

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Opioid deaths drop 10%, but remain high

    Opioid deaths drop 10%, but remain high

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    BOSTON — The scourge of opioid addiction continues to affect Massachusetts, but new data shows a double-digit decrease in the number of overdose deaths in the past year.

    There were 2,125 confirmed or suspected opioid-related deaths in 2023 — which is 10%, or 232, fewer fatal overdoses than during the same period in 2022, according to a report released this week by the state Department of Public Health.

    Last year’s opioid-related overdose death rate also decreased by 10% to 30.2 per 100,000 people compared to 33.5 in 2022, DPH said.

    Health officials attributed the persistently high death rates to the effects of an “increasingly poisoned drug supply,” primarily with the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl.

    Fentanyl was present in 90% of the overdose deaths where a toxicology report was available, state officials noted.

    Preliminary data from the first three months of 2024 showed a continued decline in opioid-related overdose deaths, the agency said, with 507 confirmed and estimated deaths, a 9% drop from the same time period last year.

    Gov. Maura Healey said she is “encouraged” by the drop in fatal overdoses but the state needs to continue to focus on “prevention, treatment and recovery efforts to address the overdose crisis that continues to claim too many lives and devastate too many families in Massachusetts.”

    Substance abuse counselors welcomed the declining number of fatal opioid overdoses, but said the data shows that there is still more work to be done to help people struggling with substance use disorders.

    “While the number of opioid-related overdose deaths in the commonwealth remains unacceptably high, it is encouraging to see what we hope is a reversal of a long and painful trend,” Bridgewell President & CEO Chris Tuttle said in a statement. “The time is now to boost public investments and once and for all overcome the scourge of the opioid epidemic.”

    Nationally, there were 107,543 overdose deaths reported in the U.S. in 2023, a 3% decrease from the estimated 111,029 in 2022, according to recently released U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

    In New Hampshire, drug overdose deaths also declined by double digits in 2023, according to figures released in May by the state’s medical examiner and the National Centers for Disease Control.

    There were 430 deaths attributed to overdoses in 2023, an 11.7% decrease from 2022’s 487, according to the data.

    Curbing opioid addiction has been a major focus on Beacon Hill for a number of years with hundreds of millions of dollars being devoted to expanding treatment and prevention efforts.

    The state has set some of the strictest opioid-prescribing laws in the nation, including a cap on new prescriptions in a seven-day period and a requirement that doctors consult a state prescription monitoring database before prescribing an addictive opioid.

    Hundreds of millions of dollars are flowing into the state from multistate settlements with opioid makers and distributors, including $110 million from a $6 billion deal with OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family.

    Under state law, about 60% of that money will be deposited in the state’s opioid recovery fund, while the remainder will be distributed to communities.

    Earlier this week, House lawmakers were expected to take up a package of bills aimed at improving treatment of substance abuse disorders and reducing opioid overdose deaths.

    The plan would require private insurers to cover emergency opioid overdose-reversing drugs such as naloxone and require drug treatment facilities to provide two doses of overdose-reversal drugs when discharging patients, among other changes.

    Another provision would require licenses for recovery coaches, who are increasingly sent to emergency rooms, drug treatment centers and courtrooms to help addicts get clean.

    Backers of the plan said the goal is to integrate peer recovery coaches more into the state’s health care system, helping addicts who have taken the first steps toward recovery.

    Long-term recovery remains one of the biggest hurdles to breaking the cycle of addiction, they say.

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • Report: Injured workers at risk for opioid overdoses

    Report: Injured workers at risk for opioid overdoses

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    Workers who are injured on the job are at higher risk for fatal opioid-related overdoses, according to a new study, which calls for renewed efforts to reduce the stigma of drug addiction.

    The report, released Thursday by the state Department of Public Health, found that working-age Massachusetts residents who died between 2011 and 2020 were 35% more likely to have died of an opioid-related overdose if they had previously been injured at work.

    DPH researchers compiled information about individuals’ employment and work-related injury status from their workers’ compensation claims and linked it to data from their death certificates.

    Researchers reviewed the details of 4,304 working-age adults who died between 2011 and 2020 and found at least 17.2% had at least one workplace injury claim and died of an opioid-related overdose, according to the study.

    Public health officials say the study is the first linking the impact of work-related injuries to opioid-related overdose deaths.

    “Occupational injuries can take both a physical and mental toll, and those who suffer injuries at work may be discouraged from seeking help because of stigmatization and fear of losing their jobs,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh said in a statement. “Avoiding or delaying care can lead to a preventable overdose death.”

    Walsh called for stepped-up efforts to “eliminate the stigma that accompanies substance use disorder in all sectors of society, including the workplace.”

    The release of the report comes as opioid overdose deaths remain devastatingly high in the Bay State, despite a slight decrease over the past year.

    There were 2,323 confirmed or suspected opioid-related deaths in Massachusetts from Oct. 1, 2022, to Sept. 30, 2023 — eight fewer than the same period in 2021, according to a report released in December by the health department.

    Health officials attributed the persistently high death rates to the effects of an “increasingly poisoned drug supply,” primarily with the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl.

    Fentanyl was present in 93% of the overdose deaths where a toxicology report was available, state officials noted.

    Curbing opioid addiction has been a major focus on Beacon Hill for a number of years with hundreds of millions of dollars being devoted to expanding treatment and prevention efforts.

    The state has set some of the strictest opioid-prescribing laws in the nation, including a cap on new prescriptions in a seven-day period and a requirement that doctors consult a state prescription monitoring database before prescribing an addictive opioid.

    The Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund, created by the state Legislature in 2020, has received more than $101 million from settlements with drug makers and distributors over their alleged role in the opioid crisis, according to the Executive Office of Health and Human Services.

    More than 25,000 people have died from opioid-related overdoses in Massachusetts since 2011, according to state records.

    Nationally, fatal drug overdoses fell by roughly 3% in 2023, according data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    But the toll from fatal overdoses in 2023 remained high, claiming 107,543 lives, the federal agency said.

    Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids were responsible for approximately 70% of lives lost, while methamphetamine and other synthetic stimulants are responsible for approximately 30% of deaths, the CDC said.

    “The shift from plant-based drugs, like heroin and cocaine, to synthetic, chemical-based drugs, like fentanyl and methamphetamine, has resulted in the most dangerous and deadly drug crisis the United States has ever faced,” Anne Milgram, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said in a recent statement.

    The DEA points to Mexican drug cartels, who it says are smuggling large quantities of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs manufactured in China into the country along the southern border.

    “The suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and money launderers all play a role in the web of deliberate and calculated treachery orchestrated by these cartels,” she said.

    Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com.

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    By Christian M. Wade | Statehouse Reporter

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  • The Ozempic Revolution Is Stuck

    The Ozempic Revolution Is Stuck

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    Millions more Americans are now eligible for obesity drugs. But the injections remain maddeningly hard to find.

    Illustration by The Atlantic. Source: Getty.

    The irony undergirding the new wave of obesity drugs is that they initially weren’t created for obesity at all. The weight loss spurred by Ozempic, a diabetes drug in the class of so-called GLP-1 agonists, gave way to Wegovy—the same drug, repackaged for obesity. Zepbound, another medication, soon followed. Now these drugs have a new purpose: heart health.

    On Friday, the FDA approved the use of Wegovy for reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and death in adults who are overweight and have cardiovascular disease. The move had been anticipated since the publication of a landmark trial in the fall, which showed the drug’s profound effects on cardiovascular  health. The decision could usher in a new era where GLP-1 drugs become mainstream, opening up access to millions of Americans who previously didn’t qualify for Wegovy.

    Some of the obstacles stopping people from getting the drug may also begin to crumble. Insurance companies commonly deny coverage of Wegovy because obesity is seen as a cosmetic concern rather than a medical one, but that argument may not hold up for cardiovascular disease. “This new FDA indication is HUGE,” Katherine Saunders, an obesity-medicine physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, told me in an email. Wegovy may soon be within reach for many more Americans—that is, if they can find it.

    In practice, Wegovy is maddeningly hard to get hold of. Shortages of injectable semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, have been ongoing since March 2022; currently, most doses of Wegovy are in limited supply. As the popularity of semaglutide has skyrocketed, demand has completely outstripped the capacity of its manufacturer, Novo Nordisk. The drug comes in injection pens containing a glass vial; “these are not easy products to make,” Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, the CEO of Novo Nordisk, said in August. In response to the shortages, the company withheld its supply of lower Wegovy doses last year. Because treatment on the medication must begin in low doses, this meant that new patients who wanted to start on Wegovy functionally couldn’t. In January, the company began “more than doubling the amount of the lower-dose strengths” of the drug, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told me, and it plans to gradually increase overall supply throughout the rest of the year.

    The ongoing shortages have left providers and patients feeling stuck. “It is devastating to prescribe a lifesaving medication for a patient and then find out it’s not covered or we can’t locate supply,” Saunders said. Doctors are scrambling to make do with what’s available. Ivania Rizo, an endocrinologist at Boston Medical Center, told me she has had to turn to older GLP-1 drugs such as Saxenda to “bridge” patients to higher doses of Wegovy, although now that is in shortage too. Patients can spend each day calling pharmacy after pharmacy in search of one with Wegovy in stock, Rizo said. In desperation, some have turned to versions of the drug that are custom-made by compounding pharmacies with little oversight, despite the FDA expressing concerns about them. The shots are supposed to be taken weekly, but others have attempted to stretch their doses beyond that.

    That the new FDA approval could very mainstream obesity drugs may create long-needed pressure to help resolve these shortages. It makes clear that Wegovy is a lifesaving medication not only for people with obesity but also for those with cardiovascular disease—the leading cause of death in the U.S.—putting the impetus on Novo Nordisk to ramp up production. But in the short term, the access issues may persist. “The new approval is very likely to worsen shortages, because the demand for Wegovy will continue to climb—now at an even faster pace,” Saunders said.

    If patients think they’re stuck now, they’re about to feel entrenched. Wegovy is the only obesity drug that has been approved to reduce the risk of heart attacks, but none of its competitors is easily available either. Supplies of certain dosages of Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, a diabetes drug whose active ingredient is sold for obesity as Zepbound, are limited, and shortages are expected later this year. “We need supply to increase dramatically,” Saunders said. Both Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have invested heavily in expanding production capacity, but some of the new plants won’t open until 2029.

    For all of its advantages, the FDA approval has a sobering effect on the unrelenting hype around GLP-1s. So much of the excitement around obesity drugs has focused on the future, as dozens of pharmaceutical companies develop more powerful drugs, and commentators imagine a world without obesity. In the process, the issues of the present have gone overlooked. More drugs won’t make much of a difference if the drugs themselves are out of reach.

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    Yasmin Tayag

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  • Governors To Pharmacies: Please Clarify Your Abortion Pill Plans Using Actual Science

    Governors To Pharmacies: Please Clarify Your Abortion Pill Plans Using Actual Science

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    Major pharmacies, including Walgreens and CVS, are at the center of a heated battle over abortion pills in the U.S. ― and the latest salvo comes from 14 Democratic governors calling on pharmacies to clarify their plans to dispense mifepristone, one of the two drugs used for medication abortion.

    “We write in light of recent media reports indicating that some major pharmacy retail companies, faced with political pressure, may be considering not dispensing critical abortion medication to millions of individuals, including in states where medication abortion, like Mifepristone, can be lawfully dispensed,” the governors wrote in a letter released Tuesday morning.

    The letter, addressed to seven major pharmacies in the U.S., is signed by a list of governors including California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers. It was written by the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, a nonpartisan coalition of 21 governors committed to protecting reproductive rights in their states.

    “As companies that dispense critical, life-saving medications, we urge that your decisions continue to be guided by well-established science and medical evidence and a commitment to the health and well-being of patients ― not politics or litigation threats,” the letter says. “The impact to people’s health and lives is too great to do otherwise.” (Scroll down to read the letter in full.)

    Walgreens and CVS announced in January that they would seek certification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to start dispensing medication abortion, in the form of the combination of the two drugs mifepristone and misoprostol. Weeks later, however, Walgreens walked back its promise to seek certification, after Republican attorneys general from 20 states sent a letter to the pharmacy threatening to sue if Walgreens attempted to mail abortion pills in their jurisdictions.

    Since then, Democrats and advocates for reproductive rights across the country have been up in arms that Walgreens bowed to political pressure.

    CVS, the biggest pharmacy chain in the U.S., has not commented on whether it will keep its promise to seek FDA approval to begin dispensing mifepristone. Neither Walgreens nor CVS sold abortion pills before this controversy ― they are simply in the process of obtaining certification to do so.

    Medication abortion is the most common way to terminate a pregnancy in the U.S., accounting for over 60% of abortion and miscarriage care in the country. Years of research have shown that medication abortion is extremely safe and effective. When used together, mifepristone and misoprostol are more than 95% effective and safer than Tylenol. The FDA currently approves its use up until 10 weeks of pregnancy, and the World Health Organization says mifepristone can be safely used until 12 weeks.

    The Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections last year, and more than a dozen states now have near-total abortion bans on the books. The barriers to in-person abortion care in many Southern and Midwestern states have made access to medication abortion even more critical, since in many states the pills can be mailed via telehealth and taken at home.

    Walgreens and CVS are among a number of parties embroiled in the right-wing war on abortion pills. Walgreens may have acquiesced to political pressure in part because of a lawsuit filed in November by a conservative Christian legal group in a federal district court in Texas. The group, Alliance Defending Freedom, claims that the FDA fast-tracked the approval of mifepristone when the department put it on the market in 2000.

    Although legal experts say the arguments in the lawsuit are weak ― citing the 20-plus years that mifepristone has been used widely and safely by millions of Americans ― the lawsuit has teeth because of where it was filed. The conservative group intentionally filed it in Amarillo, Texas, because the district only has one judge: Matthew Kacsmaryk, a far-right Trump appointee with a long track record of opposing abortion rights. The next hearing in the lawsuit against the FDA is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

    Read the letter from 14 Democratic governors below.

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  • Should Mark Cuban Make CVS, Walgreens And Amazon Worry?

    Should Mark Cuban Make CVS, Walgreens And Amazon Worry?

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    A billionaire sports team owner wants to cut the cost of American prescriptions. Should the big drug chains check their pulses?

    Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and a long-time Shark Tank investor, in January launched his price-popping discount e-pharmacy, Mark Cuban CostPlus Drug Co. (Yeah, you need a glass of water to swallow that name, so let’s refer to it as CostPlus Drug.)

    At the time, news outlets like The Street suggested Cuban was taking on the retail heavies – CVS, Walgreens
    WBA
    , Rite Aid
    RAD
     and even newbie Amazon Pharmacy. His goal: to offer lower-priced generic drugs and “shield consumers from inflated drug prices,” according to a company statement. (CostPlus’s website is operated by online healthcare company Truepill.)

    New Age In Medicine: The Pluses And Minuses Of Rx

    Now, 10 months later, we’ve had time to examine the extent to which Cuban’s low-priced option is affecting sales at big retail pharma, and across the industry. He is, after all, competing not only with retailers, but also with price-cutters, such as Amazon Pharmacy and Good Rx.

    Here is a breakdown of how these drug-store alternatives make a buck, and save a buck.

    How CostPlus Works

    CostPlus is a registered pharma wholesaler, so it can bypass the markups retailers typically make because it doesn’t have to cover overhead costs. It charges the manufacturer’s price for a generic drug, plus a 15% flat margin, a $3 pharmacist fee and $5 shipping, according to CNET. So a drug that sells for $10 wholesale is calculated at $19.50, all in. CostPlus now offers nearly 800 drugs (from 100 at launch) and serves more than a million people, Katie Couric reports.

    What distinguishes CostPlus is that it avoids pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). These are companies that aggregate a medication’s demand and then negotiate fees with pharmacies and drug manufacturers. Instead, CostPlus created its own PBM, pledging it will be “radically transparent” in negotiating its prices. (This is a dig: PBMs have been criticized for pocketing negotiated savings and for charging Medicaid more than what the PBMs pay to pharmacies.)

    How Good Rx Works

    Unlike CostPlus Drug, GoodRx’s revenue comes primarily through PBMs, according to its initial public offering. However, GoodRx targets a specific niche – consumers who choose to buy prescriptions outside of insurance. Many of these consumers, insured and uninsured, don’t fill their prescriptions at all because of high deductibles or prices.

    By targeting these customers, GoodRx increases the number of cash transactions for PBMs, expanding their markets. So when a patient uses a GoodRx code, a PBM receives a portion of the payment and GoodRx then collects a fee from the PBM. GoodRx also makes money from advertising and referral fees, its website states. Who are the big PBMs? The three leaders are Caremark/CVS Health, Express Scripts (Cigna
    CI
    ) and OptumRx (United Health), according to the pharma economics site Drug Channels.

    Note, GoodRx is one of several Rx discount card providers, including SingleCare.

    How Amazon Pharmacy Works

    Amazon Pharmacy’s money-making advantage is rooted in its Prime Memberships, which accounts for nearly 60% of the U.S. population (or 152 million subscriptions), according to Insider Intelligence. For drug makers, that’s a lot of volume.

    Members can compare prices and determine the cost of a prescription if paying with insurance or using Amazon Pharmacy’s discount card. That savings card cuts up to 80% off generic prescriptions and 40% off brand-name medications (when paying without insurance). Prime members also can get these savings at 50,000 participating pharmacies by using Amazon’s prescription savings card – similar to GoodRx and other discount card providers.

    The key distinguishing feature is that Prime members get free two-day shipping. Non-Prime members can use Amazon Pharmacy with free five-day delivery.

    Where And How Drug Store Chains Compete

    Are traditional drug retailers suffering the side effects of Mark Cuban’s high-cost elixir? In August, U.S. pharmacies and drug stores filled more than $28.1 billon in prescriptions, according to the U.S. Census Board. That compares with $24.5 billion in August 2020 and – to go way back for context – $6.3 billion in 1992.

    These rising figures probably represent a combination of prescription volume as well as price surges, so the cost isn’t edging down yet. What matters more for this analysis, however, is the extent to which growth in Rx fulfillment resulted from the expansion of lower-priced channels, such as CostPlus’s direct-to-consumer model.

    Were sales diverted from the big three drug chains? Here is how they are doing so far this year:

    • CVS in August reported a $7.6 billion sales gain in its Pharmacy Services Segment for the first six months of this fiscal year. That’s up 10.3% over the same period in 2021. CVS did not break out online pharmacy orders in its quarterly report, but in the first quarter of fiscal 2020, it realized a 1,000% increase in online prescriptions, according to Digital Commerce 360.
    • Walgreens, however, in October reported an 8.8% decline in its fiscal fourth quarter U.S. pharmacy sales. Interestingly, it blamed the drop on a 10 percentage point decline in its AllianceRx Walgreens business, its specialty and home-delivery pharmacy service.
    • Rite Aid in September said sales in its Retail Pharmacy Sector declined by 1.1% in the fiscal second-quarter. This was due to a reduction in Covid vaccine and testing revenue, as well as store closures. A rise in other prescriptions, however, offset the decline, indicating a possible net gain without the Covid factor.

    Regardless of the one-time comparisons, these chains do offer something an online billionaire cannot: one-to-one care. Most have supplemented their pharmacy services with medical, dental and even behavioral health services. Their customers choose to make trips to the bricks because they can meet with retail care professionals more quickly and conveniently than they could with a physician at a traditional practice.

    Could the high cost of prescriptions eclipse the lure of such convenient service? The prospect definitely needs to be addressed. Ideally, retailers will recognize CostPlus’s purpose, and CostPlus in turn will see the value of what retailers are providing. And customers, ultimately, will benefit from the getting-better practices of both.

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    Jenn McMillen, Contributor

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  • Scripted Launches in Pacific Northwest: Allowing Patients Convenient, Affordable, and Accessible Healthcare at Their Local Pharmacy

    Scripted Launches in Pacific Northwest: Allowing Patients Convenient, Affordable, and Accessible Healthcare at Their Local Pharmacy

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    With Scripted, your local pharmacist can now prescribe treatments such as UTI medications, ED medications, inhalers and more

    Press Release
    –

    Oct 7, 2021


    CHICAGO, October 7, 2021 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Scripted (www.scripted.co) announced its new service to transform healthcare into an on-demand approach, where local pharmacists can prescribe and fill medications for common tests and treatments for patients in the same visit. 

    Through partnering with pharmacies in local communities, Scripted provides an easy solution to health needs without having to schedule a doctor’s appointment. In compliance with state regulations, pharmacists using Scripted are able to assess common conditions like urinary tract infections and erectile dysfunction, and issue refill or new prescriptions for common medications such as asthma inhalers and hormonal birth control pills. 

    Scripted’s consultation prices start as low as $19, with most services being $39. The availability of particular treatments varies by state. 

    “Patients have wanted healthcare to be simple for decades,” said James Lott, Founder and CEO of Script Health. “Pharmacists are in nearly every community, and with Scripted, they can make common tests and treatments accessible to everyone.” 

    Scripted, currently being rolled out in ID and (Seattle) WA, allows patients to find prescribing partner pharmacies near them. To set up an appointment, patients book a consultation with a Scripted pharmacy on www.scripted.co. Upon receiving a text message confirmation, Scripted directs them to fill out a HIPAA-compliant, digital self-assessment of their symptoms and their health history. Alternatively, patients may also walk in without an appointment to get care.

    “We helped a woman traveling to Yellowstone (national park) who had spoken to their physician about a UTI before leaving,” said Sally Myler, PharmD, owner of Corner Drug Pharmacy (in Driggs, ID). “She thought her prescription for a UTI would be here but it wasn’t. We used Scripted to provide a new script for her right away rather than waiting for later in the day. She felt better and saved time on her vacation.”

    Launched in 2019, Scripted parent company Script Health is a health tech startup that aims to provide easy access to essential and life-saving treatments. The company has successfully completed startup accelerator programs and gained funding from Techstars, Softbank, and the University of Chicago.

    For further information, visit www.scripted.co or contact info(at)scripthealth(dot)co.

    Source: Scripted

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