The Hill's Headlines - May 18, 2025
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Business Wire
29 minutes ago
- Business Wire
Vektor Medical's vMap Surpasses 2,000 Procedures, Driving a New Standard in Arrhythmia Care
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vektor Medical today announced its vMap ® system has been used in more than 2,000 procedures in the U.S., a milestone that underscores its rapid adoption by electrophysiologists (EPs) and hospitals seeking to improve procedural efficiency, reduce repeat interventions, and deliver better patient outcomes. As adoption of PFA accelerates, the need for accurate, accessible data is greater than ever. vMap can enhance the impact of PFA by helping EPs identify optimal ablation targets before entering the lab and reiteratively during the procedure. vMap, developed with AI and designed to localize both focal and fibrillation-type arrhythmias, delivers actionable insights in all four chambers of the heart in less than a minute. Clinical studies have shown that use of vMap is associated with a reduction in procedure time, which may reduce fluoroscopy time and improve safety. vMap integrates seamlessly into existing systems, making it an increasingly valuable solution for electrophysiologists seeking greater efficiency and performance without compromise. vMap is now in use at over 20 hospitals throughout the United States. 'vMap has become an integral part of how I care for patients,' said Dr. Anish Amin, Section Chief, Electrophysiology, OhioHealth Heart and Vascular. 'It's efficient, non-invasive, and delivers insights that enhance every stage of the ablation process from planning through execution. With vMap, I can pinpoint arrhythmia sources faster with greater confidence, treat more accurately, and potentially reduce repeat interventions for patients. I'm looking forward to enrolling patients in the IMPRoVED-AF study, which will further validate the clinical impact of this technology and its potential to transform how we approach AF ablation.' As adoption of pulsed field ablation (PFA) accelerates, the need for accurate, accessible data is greater than ever. vMap can enhance the impact of PFA by helping EPs identify optimal ablation targets before entering the lab and reiteratively during the procedure. With vMap's rapid, non-invasive ECG-based driver localization, physicians have more information to better target areas of interest, supporting more efficient procedures and unlocking the full potential of PFA. 'This milestone represents meaningful momentum,' said Robert Krummen, CEO of Vektor Medical. 'With every procedure, physicians are leveraging vMap's rapid, non-invasive insights to make informed decisions and streamline care. We're seeing growing demand quarter over quarter as both physicians and hospitals look for ways to enhance efficiency and elevate patient care.' The vMap system is FDA-cleared and commercially available in the United States. As clinical use continues to expand, Vektor Medical remains focused on advancing the future of arrhythmia care through clinical innovation, strategic partnerships, and physician impact. To learn more about Vektor Medical, vMap technology, or to request a clinical or strategic briefing, visit and connect with us on LinkedIn and X. About Vektor Medical Headquartered in San Diego, Vektor Medical is redefining how arrhythmias are understood and treated. The company developed vMap®, the only FDA-cleared, non-invasive technology that uses standard 12-lead ECG data to localize arrhythmia source locations across all four chambers of the heart. By helping physicians identify arrhythmia drivers more quickly and with greater accuracy, Vektor is improving outcomes, enhancing efficiencies, and accelerating access to effective treatment strategies. To learn more, visit
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Americans Are Turning To DIY Weight Loss Injections to Dodge $1,000+ Monthly Drug Costs
Demand for glucagon-like peptide-1 weight-loss drugs — such as Ozempic, Zepbound and Wegovy — coupled with limited insurance coverage has fueled a risky but growing 'gray' market for purchasing active ingredients from China, Reuters reported recently. Reuters cited a 44% monthly increase in January in shipments of tirzepatide and semaglutide from Chinese suppliers not registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to data from the Partnership for Safe Medicines. The gray market — named because the drugs are technically legal to buy for 'research purposes' — provides users with GLP-1 compounds, including semaglutide, tirzepatide and even retatrutide, which is still in clinical trials, in powder form for as little as $50 a vial. Buyers then mix the powder with bacteriostatic water at home to create an injectable solution. Don't Miss: Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – Many are rushing to grab $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. Without insurance, the monthly cost of these drugs starts at around $500 and can exceed $1,000. A survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans found that 36% of employer health plans will cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity in 2025. In April, the Trump administration also announced that Medicare and Medicaid would not cover anti-obesity medications, which includes the GLP-1 class. Buyer Communities Try to Mitigrate Gray Market Risks However, the DIY gray market carries significant risks. Some buyers attempt to reduce these risks by sending powders to labs for purity testing before use. Janoshik Analytical CEO Peter Magic told Reuters that the Czech Republic-based lab tested 3,050 samples of obesity drugs in 2024, up from just over 650 the previous year. Yet the at-home mixing process still introduces human error. Amy Spencer, a Missouri woman interviewed by Reuters, said she reduced her monthly cost from more than $500 for brand-name GLP-1s to $50 on the gray market. But she accidentally overdosed after a reconstitution miscalculation, suffering severe flu-like symptoms for four days. Trending: This AI-Powered Trading Platform Has 5,000+ Users, 27 Pending Patents, and a $43.97M Valuation — FDA Ruling a Driving Factor to Going Gray If that level of risk sounds overwhelming to navigate, rest assured, passengers navigating the world of gray market peptides are hardly alone. Subreddits like "SemaglutideFreeSpeech" can provide some hand-holding, and also direct users to outside resources on more secretive channels, like Telegram. Many users on the subreddit are being directed to "go gray" after FDA rulings essentially halted the ability of compounding pharmacies to sell cheaper versions of the medicines. The FDA had temporarily allowed compounding of the GLP-1 drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide during shortages because federal law permits copycat versions when FDA-approved drugs are listed as scarce. When the shortages were resolved, however, the exemption ended — as did a cheaper alternative to brand-name GLP-1 drugs. Some compounders are trying to continue business as usual with workarounds like adding vitamin b12, to differentiate the medications from the FDA-approved Companies, State Attorneys Respond The gray market hasn't gone unnoticed by regulators and drug companies alike. Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY), maker of GLP-1s Monjouro and Zepbound, and Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) said they're combating unsafe products through lawsuits and consumer education, Reuters reports. Meanwhile on the customs front, the FDA does intercept some illegal imports, although personal-use buyers are rarely prosecuted. Attorneys general from 38 U.S. states and territories also warned the FDA in February about illegally sold weight-loss drugs, including unregulated ingredients from China, Reuters reports. 'It can be very dangerous. You're playing the role of your own doctor, pharmacist, and FDA inspector,' Shabbir Safdar, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines, said in a statement to Reuters. Read Next: Many are using retirement income calculators to check if they're on pace — Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? NOVO NORDISK (NVO): Free Stock Analysis Report ELI LILLY (LLY): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Americans Are Turning To DIY Weight Loss Injections to Dodge $1,000+ Monthly Drug Costs originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Politico
2 hours ago
- Politico
A health care lobbying boom
Presented by Driving the Day MONEY TALKS — U.S. health care companies are pouring unprecedented sums of money into lobbying efforts as they vie for influence with the Trump administration and the GOP congressional majority, POLITICO's Amanda Chu reports. Newly released lobbying disclosure reports show the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the trade group for brand-name drugmakers, spent $7.58 million on lobbying in the second quarter, the highest amount it's spent for the period, according to a POLITICO analysis. Leading members Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck recorded their highest spending for any quarter. Insurance companies have also boosted spending. AHIP, the industry group, spent $4.05 million in the second quarter, its highest for the period on record. The American Hospital Association, meanwhile, reported $6.15 million, its second-highest for the period. The record spending comes as the Trump administration vies to overhaul the U.S. health care sector, posing the biggest threat to industry profits in years and signaling a broader shift in the relationship between corporate America and the traditionally pro-business Republican Party. President Donald Trump has approved nearly a $1 trillion cut in federal funding for Medicaid, threatened to impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals and demanded that drugmakers lower their prices. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has repeatedly questioned the safety of vaccines, rolling back Covid-19 guidance for healthy children and healthy pregnant women, and overhauling the CDC's advisory panel on vaccines. 'Historically, the business community has seen total Republican control of D.C. as a period of great opportunity for their legislative priorities,' said Jeffrey Kimbell, president of Kimbell & Associates, which represents large pharmaceutical companies. 'While that is still the case, the current administration and some Republicans in Congress also require some industries to continue their defensive posture.' Lobbying firms with ties to key lawmakers and administration officials are reaping the benefits as companies and trade groups seek inroads with Trump and Republicans in Congress. Tarplin, Downs & Young and Todd Strategy Group ranked among the top firms representing pharmaceutical companies in Washington in the second quarter, according to a POLITICO analysis of disclosures. Each firm has strong GOP connections. Linda Tarplin was HHS's liaison to Congress when George H.W. Bush was president. Dan Todd worked for then-Utah GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch on the Finance Committee. WELCOME TO WEDNESDAY PULSE. This is your friendly CMS reporter, Robert King, filling in for your regular hosts Sophie and Kelly today. I am still picking through thousands of pages of payment rules released last week. If you have any thoughts, or know something I missed, please share at rking@ or khooper@ and sgardner@ and follow along @rking_19, @kelhoops and @sophie_gardnerj. In Congress LAWMAKERS TEE OFF ON MA — After a bruising fight over Medicaid cuts in President Donald Trump's megabill, Republicans and Democrats joined together on a health issue they both agree on: reining in privately run Medicare Advantage plans. Members of the House Ways and Means Committee's oversight and health panels discussed during a hearing Tuesday the need for reforms to the popular program that enables older Americans to receive benefits like hearing and vision care outside of traditional Medicare. Lawmakers blasted the plans for high rates of care denials and overspending. 'We know of concerns about MA plans inflating a patient's level of sickness resulting in higher reimbursements for the plan at taxpayer expense,' said Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.). 'An estimated $40 billion in 2025 alone.' Rep. Lloyd Doggett(D-Texas), ranking member of the panel's Health Subcommittee, said the plans have been overspending traditional Medicare despite the intention to do the opposite. 'Medicare Advantage was sold as a program to save taxpayer dollars and improve quality of care, but I have found that it is largely disadvantages,' he said. Why it matters: The hearing was a spark of bipartisan comity after months of acrimony surrounding the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Congress passed earlier this month. The legislation included more than $1 trillion in cuts to health spending over the next decade, with most cuts coming from Medicaid. Medicare Advantage reforms have long engendered bipartisan support — but not enough to get them through Congress. Lawmakers are making another run. Doggett and Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.), chair of the GOP Doctors Caucus, introduced legislation Monday that would mandate MA contract rates to providers. Some MA plans and hospitals have clashed nationwide over rates, with hospitals complaining about high levels of prior authorization requests. The Prompt and Fair Pay Act would mandate MA plans to reimburse all covered items and services for at least what Medicare pays, noting that some plans pay providers below that line. AROUND THE AGENCIES THEORY LIVES ON — In a new report on Covid-19's origins, Dr. Robert Kadlec, who was a top health official in the first Trump administration, says Chinese military researchers might have played a role in developing the virus, POLITICO's Carmen Paun reports Kadlec, who led the Covid-19 vaccine development program known as Operation Warp Speed, would be well-positioned to push for greater scrutiny of China if the Senate confirms him as assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical and biological defense programs. The White House and congressional Republicans have embraced the hypothesis that a lab leak, and not a natural spillover of the virus from animals to humans, triggered the pandemic that killed millions of people globally. Zooming in: The report, published Monday by the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government and Public Service, adds to the assertion by three U.S. intelligence agencies that the pandemic started as an accidental lab leak in Wuhan, China, where the first Covid cases were reported in late 2019. The agencies haven't alleged a Chinese military role. But, but, but: There's still no scientific consensus on how the pandemic began, with many virologists continuing to argue that the virus wasn't engineered and the global outbreak had a natural origin. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington pointed to a 2021 report by the Chinese government and World Health Organization-appointed experts that concluded that a lab leak origin was 'extremely unlikely.' The spokesperson called that conclusion 'the authoritative scientific conclusion drawn by the China-WHO joint expert group based on field visits to relevant laboratories in Wuhan and in-depth exchanges with relevant scientific researchers.' While Kadlec's report states that a natural spillover from animals to humans remains a possibility, he argues that's doubtful because the virus contains features from different coronavirus strains that don't exist in nature in close proximity. That makes it unlikely that the virus recombination would have happened naturally, he said. Kadlec's concerns about Covid's lingering effects on the brain conflict with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s push to deemphasize Covid vaccination. Given the potential for even mild Covid infections triggering long Covid in children and adults, Kadlec's report calls for efforts to screen and test children. The Trump administration suspended a program offering free tests in March. Public Safety ORGAN OVERSIGHT FAILURES — House lawmakers grilled leaders in the nation's organ procurement and donation system Tuesday after a federal report revealed that an organ procurement organization had operated on patients showing signs of life, POLITICO's Amanda Friedman reports. The House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee's hearing followed a Health Resources and Services Administration investigation into the Kentucky-based OPO, Network for Hope. A report released in March found that the OPO had harvested organs from more than two dozen patients who might not have been definitively deceased, failed to reassess brain function and kept poor records of what happened. Subcommittee Chair John Joyce (R-Pa.) said the findings 'fractured the physician-patient relationship' and demanded accountability from the OPO and the United Network for Organ Sharing, the nonprofit that oversees the national transplant system. Dr. Raymond Lynch, who leads HRSA's Organ Transplant Branch, told lawmakers the issues aren't isolated: 'Unfortunately, it is not limited to [Network for Hope].' Other concerns: Members also raised concerns about systematic racism and whistleblower retaliation. UNOS CEO Maureen McBride faced questions about racial bias lawsuits, while Network for Hope CEO Barry Massa defended his group's procedures but acknowledged communication failures. What's next: HHS warned the OPO could be decertified on Monday. HRSA gave the group until July 28 to submit an initial remediation plan. Names in the News Vincent Bellomo is now an adviser at the Department of Health and Human Services. He most recently was a special assistant to the Secretary of HHS. WHAT WE'RE READING POLITICO's David Lim reports on the confirmation of Terry Cole to head the Drug Enforcement Administration. POLITICO's Katherine Tully-McManus reports that Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) will vote against the Senate's first batch of funding bills — signaling her party that she won't be cooperative in the fall funding fight. The New York Times's Nina Agrawal and Allison Jiang write about the changing face of lung cancer.
