Category Archives: Policy News
President Trump Signs Drug Pricing Executive Orders, Touts “Most Favored Nation” Pricing
Last Friday, President Trump signed four executive orders aimed at lowering drug prices, including an order that would set up a “most favored nation” (MFN) pricing model for Medicare Part B drugs, effectively imposing foreign price controls on critical medicines for seniors. The goal, Trump said, is to “end global freeloading on the backs of […]
White House, GOP Deal on $1T COVID-19 Relief Package Takes Shape
As reported by The Hill, “White House and Senate Republicans on Thursday reached a “fundamental agreement” on a coronavirus package…” Among other items, the agreement includes: Another round of $1200 in direct payments to individuals making up to $75,000 Replacing the current $600 in federal unemployment benefits with a 70% match of a worker’s wages […]
President Trump to Sign Executive Orders to Lower Drug Prices
While the drug pricing issue has been sidelined amid the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump is now returning to the issue with several executive orders that he is expected to sign today. According to a report by The Hill, Republican lawmakers have been invited to a presidential event on drug pricing today at 3 p.m. at […]
Sens. Warren, Sanders Slam Gilead Deal with Government while New Research Says Americans Don’t Pay Twice for Drugs
This week Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders sent a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar seeking an explanation for why the deal with the administration to acquire a large supply of remdesivir in their words “forces U.S. purchasers to pay the highest prices in the world for the drug” The letter requests a response […]
Utah’s Life Sciences Industry Supports “#MaskUpUtah”
The CEO of a Utah medical device manufacturer recently stepped down from his duties. The reason? He had passed 100 days battling COVID-19 and was still symptomatic. This CEO was the picture of physical fitness. In his early 50’s, with no underlying medical conditions, he would have been the type of person that one would […]
Senate Finance Committee Hearing Raises Issue of U.S. Reliance on Foreign Drug Supplies, Civica Testifies
The Senate Finance Committee held a hearing this week on the FDA’s oversight of foreign drug manufacturers, which also highlighted increased concerns about the U.S.’s dependence on foreign-made medicines. The committee heard testimony from FDA officials and generic drug manufacturers, including Salt Lake-based Civica. Founded in 2018, Civica, a non-profit social welfare organization, is committed to […]
BIO-Nikon Webinar
WEBINAR: IMAGING APPLICATIONS FOR R&D, SCREENING & QUALITY ASSURANCE – Thursday, June 24, 2020, 1:00 pm Eastern Collecting imaging data on the microscopic scale has become an essential part of any life sciences venture. Images not only provide striking visual insights into the microscopic world, they also contain a host of quantifiable, multi-dimensional information that can […]
ProLung Has a New Name, Gets $3.3 Million Private Placement and More…
ProLung, now IONIQ Sciences (IONIQ), has been on a roll! Last week, the company announced that they had fully subscribed a $3.3 million private placement. This week, the company unveiled its new name and also announced the initiation of an institutional private equity offering. The new corporate name – IONIQ Sciences – reflects the company’s mission […]
House Passes Bill to Fix PPP, Provide Flexibility For Small Businesses
The House on Thursday passed legislation to make it easier for small businesses to have their PPP loans forgiven, including extending the timeframe during which businesses must use funds and easing requirements on how the funds can be used. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act, authored by Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and Rep. Chip […]
Governor Issues Executive Order Releasing Updated Guidelines for Low-Risk Phase in the Utah Leads Together Plan
SALT LAKE CITY (May 27, 2020) – Gov. Gary R. Herbert has issued an Executive Order updating guidelines for areas in low health risk designation under Utah’s phased health guidance plan. The order specifically addresses updated guidelines pertaining to social gatherings, education, businesses, travel and events. “We are making progress and we can see that […]
House to Act on PPP Changes Next Week
The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote next week on bipartisan legislation, the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act, which would revamp the popular Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to allow for more flexible terms. In Utah, for rounds one and two of funding, a total of 47,046 businesses have received PPP loans, amounting to nearly […]
President Trump Issues Executive Orders for U.S. Manufacturing of Strategic Medical Supplies; Regulatory Relief
On May 14, President Trump signed an executive order to encourage the domestic production of critical medical supplies. In the current pandemic, U.S. reliance on China for products such as personal protective equipment, ventilators, and antibiotics, has drawn increased interest in having critical drugs and medical devices manufactured in the homeland. The order would give […]
