What Went Right In 2020? My Top 5 List
Source: Life Science Leader
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“I can’t wait for 2020 to be over.”
That comment was made to me over the phone late this summer, and it’s fairly easy to understand why someone would hold such sentiment. But as we officially wind down a year unlike
any and
all others, rather than revisit all that went wrong, let’s take a brief look at what went right. Because despite 2020 being a year many might want to forget, so much was learned that best not be forgotten.
5 – Democracy Works
Michael Regan
-The Hagstrom Report
Michael Regan, President-elect Joe Biden’s designate for Environmental Protection Agency administrator, on Tuesday, Jan. 5, hosted a virtual roundtable with more than 16 leaders of major farm organizations who are members of the Ag CEO Council and their staffs, the Biden transition office announced.
Regan was joined by the incoming senior adviser to the president and director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, Cedric Richmond.
In the announcement, the transition office said, “During the meeting, Administrator-designate Regan reiterated President-elect Joe Biden’s commitment to working with agricultural leaders to promote healthy and secure food supplies, clean air and clean water.
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
On 23 December 2020, Judge Catherine Blake of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland granted the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) a 14-day nationwide temporary restraining order, preventing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from implementing and enforcing its Most Favored Nation (MFN) interim final rule (MFN Rule) scheduled to take effect on 1 January 2021.
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On 28 December 2020, in a parallel case and specifically adopting the reasoning in Judge Blake’s order, Judge Vince Chhabria of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted California Life Sciences Association (CSLA) a preliminary injunction prohibiting CMS from implementing the MFN Rule based on a failure to follow notice and comment procedures under Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Most notably, Judge Chhabria’s order vacates the MFN Rule in its entirety pending completion of the notice and com
Michael Fleming December 29, 2020
As the COVID-19 vaccine begins to be rolled out with our frontline healthcare workers and those most at risk in Delaware and across the country, it is worth reflecting on the historic nature of this extraordinary, life-saving achievement.
Biopharmaceutical industry researchers have delivered one of the most impressive accomplishments in modern science: two safe, effective vaccines against a global plague, developed in record time. And there are hopefully more to come soon, often the product of successful collaborations between private businesses and academic researchers, boosted by government support.
Companies have also received approval for a range of therapeutics to treat COVID patients, which will surely save countless lives and reduce suffering for those who contract the virus.
[co-author: Ariana Stobaugh ]
On September 13, 2020, President Trump issued an Executive Order (the “Executive Order”) directing the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) to issue regulations instituting two most-favored-nations (“MFN”) payment models – one model for prescription drugs covered by Part B of the Medicare program (in general terms, Medicare Part B covers drugs that are administered by infusion or injection in physician offices and hospital outpatient departments, as well as certain drugs furnished by suppliers), and a second model for prescription drugs covered by Part D of the Medicare program (Medicare Part D covers most medications that are dispensed by local and/or mail-order pharmacies and covered under a Medicare prescription drug plan).