And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is rather modest so far. We plan to tidy up around the castle, visit with the Pharmalot ancestors, and promenade with the official mascot. And what about you? As we have noted previously, this is a fine time to rummage about pumpkin patches and apple orchards, or hop in your motor car to whiz through the countryside and enjoy the autumn leaves. Once again, we will note this may also be an opportunity to stock up on winter gear before prices rise still further. Or you could simply plan the rest of your life. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon. …
Pfizer expects to roughly quadruple the list price of its Covid-19 vaccine to about $110 to $130 per dose after the U.S. government purchase program expires, The Wall Street Journal notes. But the company expects the vaccine — currently provided for free to all by the federal government — will be made available at no cost to people who have private insurance or government paid insurance. Wall Street was expecting such price hikes due to weak demand for Covid shots, which meant vaccine makers would need to hike prices to meet revenue forecasts for 2023 and beyond. The U.S. government currently pays around $30 per dose to Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech.
Amid a push to widen access to medicines to poor countries, Novartis has reached an agreement to license one of its best-selling cancer treatments so that generic manufacturers can produce copies for distribution to 44 low- and middle-income nations, STAT writes. The deal with the Medicines Patent Pool, a public health organization backed by the United Nations, marks the first time that a voluntary licensing deal has been arranged for a cancer medication. Until now, such agreements have involved treatments for infectious diseases — notably, HIV and hepatitis C, as well as a pair of antiviral pills used to combat Covid-19.
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