Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
No Uptick In Hysterectomy Complications Since Power Morcellator Use Declined
The use of power morcellators dramatically declined after federal warnings that the device could spread cancer, but the drop hasn鈥檛 caused an uptick in the rate of hysterectomy complications as some critics feared, according to research released Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Levitz, 8/23)
Pfizer Inc. has agreed to buy part of AstraZeneca PLC鈥檚 antibiotics business for up to $1.575 billion plus royalties in a move the U.S. company said would boost the stable of older products it sells, some of which have lost patent protection. Under the terms of the deal Pfizer will pay Astra $550 million upfront plus an unconditional $175 million in January 2019. Then, depending on the progress and commercial success of the drugs in question, it will pay a further $850 million plus royalties. (Roland, 8/24)
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International鈥檚 new chief financial officer, Paul Herendeen, is getting a big pay bump as part of his move from animal healthcare company Zoetis,聽according to regulatory filings. The executive will be paid a base salary of $1 million, and is eligible for a bonus as high as $2.4 million as part of his deal with Valeant. (Monga, 8/23)
