Once valued at $100 billion in 2015, Walgreens Boots Alliance has seen its market value plummet to approximately $10 billion today, with shares down 45% in the last 12 months—making it the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 in 2024.
AI medical scribes reduce doctor burnout, but cost savings are unclear: A new report highlights tactical benefits of the tech for health systems, but tech companies need to demonstrate how their tools deliver long-term financial benefits.
Oura debuts AI Advisor, Apple plans AI doctor in health app revamp: AI health agents add personalized advice and recommendations, but they should be viewed as helpful advice versus medical assessments.
Top vaccine official at FDA forced out by RFK Jr., Makary: It’s becoming clearer that Kennedy will surround himself with people who share his viewpoints on vaccines.
Novo Nordisk inks licensing agreement for oral weight loss drug candidate: Novo wants to find out if patients could benefit from a weight loss drug pill after they use one of its blockbuster GLP-1s.
Eli Lilly adds Alzheimer’s treatments, resources to D2C platform: Lilly is progressing its D2C online offerings even as lawmakers ramp up scrutiny of drugmaker-telehealth partnerships.
Consumers reject AI-written doctor’s notes: Patients' demand for transparent messaging from physicians is a reminder for pharma and healthcare companies to make sure their marketing messages are transparent too.
Makary named FDA commissioner, federal health agency layoffs could soon follow: Pharma companies could face slower approvals and more scrutiny of their products, treatments, and prices.
Amazon tests AI chatbot for consumer health questions: Amazon’s experimental Health AI chatbot could drive engagement with its One Medical and pharma services..
26% of US adults take 4+ prescription drugs daily: This cohort is the most likely to struggle with affording their meds. Pharma marketers need to raise awareness of cost-saving offerings to boost medication adherence among patients.
23andMe files for bankruptcy: A sale could give the acquiring company access to 15 million people’s genetic data. 23andMe’s downfall is a reminder of the risks when tech companies collect sensitive health data and struggle to sufficiently protect it.
Consumers blame Insurers, pharma for the state of US healthcare: Both industries continue to face serious trust issues with consumers that marketing alone won’t fix.
Self-pay patients can now get discounted Wegovy at retail pharmacies: It’s a smart play on the part of Novo Nordisk to make its GLP-1 available at pharmacies where most consumers still get their prescriptions. Will rival Eli Lilly follow suit?
Peloton owns half of all at-home fitness market sales, according to a February Earnest Analytics survey.
Pharmacy deserts increase across the US, mostly in rural areas: More pharmacy closures are expected, which means medication access for many patients will worsen before it improves.
Weight loss drug ads are prevalent on digital media: But these ads are often misleading, and younger consumers are particularly at risk of falling for deceptive weight loss drug offerings.
Nurses are still in short supply: There are efforts to improve nurse satisfaction. But more nurses are quitting than being hired, and patients’ trust in quality of care is at risk.
Google’s AI Overviews for health will include people’s suggestions: It’s a recognition that consumers want to hear from their peers in addition to verified sources of medical information.
GLP-1 weight loss drugs aren’t worth their high price tag: A new study gives commercial and government insurers another reason to deny GLP-1 drug coverage.
UnitedHealth Group’s Optum Rx changes pharmacy reimbursement model: It will pay pharmacies more to dispense brand-name drugs. But that’s not enough to thwart off the Trump administration’s heat on pharmacy benefit managers like Optum.