F.T.C. Says Middlemen Seem to Drive Up Drug Prices

The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday sharply criticized pharmacy benefit managers, saying in a scathing 71-page report that “these powerful middlemen may be profiting by inflating drug costs and squeezing Main Street pharmacies.” The regulator’s study signals a significant ramping up of its scrutiny of benefit managers under the agency’s chair, Lina Khan. It represents…

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A Long-Distance Handcycling Trek in Santa Fe

The nervous energy was palpable as hundreds of bike riders, shrink-wrapped in colorful Lycra outfits, waited for the start of the 50-mile Half-Century ride from the Santa Fe Railyard, a center for art galleries, restaurants and a weekly farmers’ market in Santa Fe, N.M. Then, at last, we were winding through town as eight police…

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Children With Autism Carry Unique Gut Flora, Study Finds

The process for diagnosing a child with autism heavily relies on a parent’s description of their child’s behavior and a professional’s observations. It leaves plenty of room for human error. Parents’ concerns may skew how they answer questionnaires. Providers may hold biases, leading them to underdiagnose certain groups. Children may show widely varying symptoms, depending…

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Malaria Vaccine Rollout to Africa Is a Cautionary Tale

It didn’t become part of vaccination programs in Africa until 2024. What if it had come faster? What if the shots had arrived9 years ago? 143,000. That’s how many children’s deaths could have been averted. By Stephanie Nolen Stephanie Nolen interviewed more than 30 scientists, health officials and other key players in the development of…

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