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PBMs, pharma companies avoid drug price transparency | STAT

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PBMs, pharma companies avoid drug price transparency | STA Why Drug Prices Stay Secret: Who Benefits and Why Government Keeps Backing Down BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) Pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) spend record amounts—over $340 million in 2025 so far—to keep actual drug prices hidden from public view. This secrecy protects a complex rebate system worth $334 billion annually that benefits middlemen while patients often pay more than what insurers actually paid for drugs. Despite bipartisan public support for transparency, government officials repeatedly back down from enforcement due to intense industry lobbying, campaign contributions, and revolving-door relationships between regulators and the pharmaceutical industry. The Money Behind the Secrecy Record-Breaking Lobbying Spending The pharmaceutical and health products industry has become the single largest lobbying force in America, spending amounts that dwarf even the oil and gas industry: 2025...
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The AI Revolution in Cancer Care: Separating Promise from Reality

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The Unseen Revolution: How Artificial Intelligence Is Redefining Cancer Care | NEJM AI Sponsored This paper is sponsored content provided by Viz.ai . It has not been peer-reviewed or endorsed by NEJM AI and does not reflect the perspectives of the journal or its editors. Learn more about sponsored content and our business model here .   BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front) Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming cancer care through improved diagnostic accuracy, personalized treatment planning, and early detection capabilities. As of December 2025, the FDA has authorized approximately 950 AI-enabled medical devices, with significant recent approvals for cancer care including ArteraAI Prostate (first AI tool authorized to prognosticate long-term outcomes in prostate cancer) and Clairity Breast (first AI platform to predict five-year breast cancer risk from mammograms alone). While AI shows genuine promise in improving screening accuracy, predicting treatment responses, and enabling...
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Understanding Medicare: A Comprehensive Guide for Prostate Cancer Patients

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Navigating Medicare - Rodney Shepherd Presented by Rodney Shepard, Medicare Specialist Informed Prostate Cancer Support Group Meeting - November 2025 Introduction Navigating Medicare can feel overwhelming, especially when you're managing a prostate cancer diagnosis. At our recent support group meeting, Medicare expert Rodney Shepard provided a thorough overview of Medicare options, coverage rules, and critical decision points that every patient should understand. This article summarizes his presentation and incorporates the latest developments in Medicare policy to help you make informed decisions about your healthcare coverage. Medicare Basics: Understanding the Parts Medicare isn't a single program—it's actually divided into several parts that work together (or separately) to provide your healthcare coverage: Part A (Hospital Insurance) : Covers inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, and some home healthcare. If you've worked 40 qu...
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