It's been a busy week in the world of public and private health care. Here's everything you need to know to stay connected.
It’s been a busy week in the world of public and private health care, with a slew of new corporate approvals and several shake-ups at the federal level capturing headlines across the country. From new approaches to curtailing the scourge of opioid addiction to emerging treatments for some of the nation’s most pressing conditions, here are your top 5 stories of the week.Diabetes rates are steadying — that’s the good news. The bad news? In 2015, diabetes was the 7th leading cause of death among Americans. What’s worse? Many Americans with the condition don’t even know they have it.The US Department of Justice is coordinating efforts with more than 1,000 state and federal agents in the largest health care fraud takedown in US history. It’s yet another step feds are taking in their march towards curbing the nationwide opioid epidemic — taking down “fraudsters” who prescribe the drugs for profit without a second thought to the wellbeing of their patients.Learn how the FDA has ushered in a sea-change in its policies and rulings on painkillers in the short 2 months since new commissioner Scott Gottlieb was appointed.Tardive Dyskinesia was previously thought to be the result of long-term treatment with antipsychotic drugs. New evidence is showing that there are other medications that can cause the disorder, too.Vosevi was granted priority review and breakthrough therapy status by the FDA for being a treatment that represents a significant improvement over previous methods. Find out why, and how it could change the current state of Hepatitis treatment.