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AbbVie (ABBV.N), opens new tab said on Monday it would launch its ovarian cancer drug Elahere in the UK at a list price matching that in the U.S. President Donald Trump has been demanding that drugmakers align domestic prices with the lowest levels paid by comparable high-income countries under the "most-favored-nation" policy. Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here. The U.S. pays nearly three times more for prescription drugs compared to other developed nations. Last week, Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY.N), opens new tab said it planned to launch schizophrenia drug Cobenfy in the UK next year at a price matching its U.S. list price. AbbVie was one of the 17 drugmakers to receive letters from U.S. President Donald Trump in July outlining how they should cut prices to match those paid overseas. The company was in discussions with Britain's cost-effectiveness watchdog, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, to ensure the drug is valued fairly, the drugmaker said on Monday. AbbVie said the talks will determine Elahere's launch in the UK. The company did not immediately respond to a request on the pricing. Unlike in the U.S., where market forces determine drug prices, European governments...

U.S. pharmaceutical lobby group PhRMA said on Monday it would launch a new website in January to help patients buy prescription drugs directly from manufacturers, bypassing pharmacy benefit managers and other middlemen. The website, to be called AmericasMedicines.com, will allow drugmakers to list medicines available for direct purchase and connect patients with programs that offer lower prices and fewer barriers to access. The move is part of a broader push by the industry to simplify how Americans get their medicines and reduce out-of-pocket costs following mounting pressure from the Trump administration. President Donald Trump has urged pharmaceutical companies to bring down U.S. drug prices, and in July sent letters to 17 major companies demanding they slash U.S. prescription drug prices to match those paid in other developed nations. The companies have until September 29 to respond with binding commitments. The White House has also floated the idea of a government-run website, possibly named TrumpRx, to help Americans shop for cheaper medicines, Bloomberg News reported earlier this month. PhRMA did not immediately respond to a request for more details on its upcoming website. The direct-to-consumer model has recently gained traction, with companies like Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab, Pfizer (PFE.N), opens new tab, and AstraZeneca (AZN.L),...

Shares of pot companies rose on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump advocated the potential benefits from the use of cannabidiol in senior healthcare in a social media post, opens new tab. Trump had said last month his administration was looking to reclassify marijuana, which could also result in potentially easing criminal penalties around its use. Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here. Hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) could "revolutionize senior healthcare" by helping reduce disease progression and was shown as an alternative to prescription drugs, he said in a post on Truth Social on Sunday. U.S.-listed shares of Canopy Growth (WEED.TO), opens new tab, gained 18.3% and Tilray Brands (TLRY.O), opens new tab jumped 42%, while Cronos Group (CRON.TO), opens new tab added 15.5% and Aurora Cannabis (ACB.TO), opens new tab, gained 25.4%. Exchange-traded funds by AdvisorShares (MSOS.P), opens new tab surged 21.8% and Roundhill gained 21.6% and are both on track for their biggest quarterly gains on record of more than 70% each. "MSOS, the largest U.S. marijuana-focused ETF, is... benefiting from President Trump's surprise Sunday support for the potential benefits of CBD, with any support going a long way for this beleaguered...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to furlough 41% of its workforce if Congress fails to prevent a looming government shutdown, suspending critical functions including public health messaging, contractor oversight, and medical research. Of the department's 79,717 employees, 32,460 are expected to be furloughed under the contingency staffing plan it released over the weekend. Programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act marketplace, and Food and Drug Administration drug approvals will continue but other public health functions face significant disruptions. "CDC communication to the American public about health-related information will be hampered, CMS will be unable to provide oversight to major contractors, and NIH will not have the ability to admit new patients to the Clinical Center, except for whom it is medically necessary," the plan summary said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, set to furlough 64% of its staff, would be unable to provide guidance to state and local health departments on key public health issues such as opioid overdoses, HIV prevention, and diabetes prevention. The National Institutes of Health would furlough over 75% of its workforce, halting grant peer reviews, advisory council meetings, and basic research. The FDA is expected to retain 86% of its...

Pharmacy middlemen are working on a proposal to change some of their business practices in order to avoid new regulations from the Trump administration, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the discussions. The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), a key lobbying group for pharmacy middlemen, is drafting recommendations to present to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Bloomberg News reported, citing a reviewed document. Proposals under discussion include measures such as ensuring patients do not pay more than the cash price charged to uninsured customers, increasing the use of lower-cost alternatives to expensive biologic drugs and increasing reimbursement rates for rural and independent pharmacies. The middlemen - pharmacy benefit managers - are companies that handle prescription drug benefits for health insurance companies, large employers, and Medicare prescription drug plans - a group often referred to as payers. The three biggest pharmacy benefit managers in the space are UnitedHealth Group's OptumRx, CVS Health's CVS Caremark and Cigna's Express Scripts. Pharmacy benefit managers are under growing scrutiny as the Trump administration calls for tighter regulations on how the industry negotiates discounts on prescription medications with drugmakers on behalf of health plans and employers. CVS Health declined to confirm the report but said it...

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will add the non-diagnostic use of carbon monoxide to its prohibited methods list from next year, the organisation said. The gas is used in low doses to help measure critical blood metrics in athletes, especially haemoglobin levels, but there have been suggestions that repeated inhalation can be used to improve athletic performance. Keep up with the latest medical breakthroughs and healthcare trends with the Reuters Health Rounds newsletter. Sign up here. The International Cycling Union (UCI) has banned the use of carbon monoxide outside of a medical facility, and in a press release on Wednesday WADA said its use could increase erythropoiesis - the process of creating new red blood cells. "The use of carbon monoxide for diagnostic purposes, such as total haemoglobin mass measurements or the determination of pulmonary diffusion capacity, is not prohibited," WADA added. "The current wording was chosen to differentiate between illicit use and the intake resulting from natural combustion processes (e.g. smoking), the environment (e.g. exhaust gases) or diagnostic procedures." An investigation published by website Escape Collective during this year's Tour de France alleged several teams used carbon monoxide rebreather devices to optimise altitude training.

The global AI in Drug Discovery Market is witnessing rapid growth, driven by the increasing integration of artificial intelligence technologies in pharmaceutical and biotechnology research. AI platforms are transforming drug discovery by enabling faster identification of novel drug candidates, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets, while optimizing clinical trial design and streamlining R&D processes. The market’s expansion is fueled by rising investments in pharma research, growing demand for personalized medicine, and the application of AI across oncology, neurology, infectious diseases, and rare disorders. As a result, AI is becoming a pivotal force in modern drug development, reshaping the way therapies are discovered and brought to market. The global AI in Drug Discovery Market is projected to reach USD 13.2 billion by 2035, expanding at a strong CAGR of 18.4% from 2025 to 2035. Growth is being driven by increasing pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D investments, rising demand for personalized medicine, and the widespread adoption of AI-powered platforms to identify novel drug candidates and biomarkers. The integration of artificial intelligence into drug discovery is enabling faster, more cost-efficient, and precise development of therapies across oncology, neurology, infectious diseases, and rare genetic disorders, positioning AI as a transformative force in the future of pharmaceutical innovation.

Thailand and Saudi Arabia plan to enhance their economic and trade ties through trade fairs, the development of new industries, and collaboration in sectors such as halal products, pharmaceuticals, herbs, and elderly care. Vuttikrai Leewiraphan, commerce permanent secretary, presided over an online meeting of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council on Sept 18, aimed at strengthening economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. He said last Thursday's meeting set up a working plan for 2025-2026 and agreed to enhance economic and trade ties in various areas including the organisation of trade fairs and trade promotion activities, and the sharing of experiences and strategic planning for country development. The plan also includes collaborating on emerging industrial development such as robotics, new vehicles and artificial intelligence as well as cooperation in food, pharmaceuticals and herbal sectors, while sharing experiences on policy planning for elderly care. Mr Vuttikrai added that the meeting also agreed to establish an agreement on the elimination of double taxation and a memorandum of understanding for customs cooperation to streamline trade and investment for businesses from the two countries. Recognised as a high-income country, Saudi Arabia is Thailand's strategic trade partner with high purchasing power. The country has a strong demand for halal...

In a significant step towards deepening bilateral engagement, the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) will initiate a series of facilitative measures aimed at fostering sustainable market integration and tapping into the rapidly growing pharmaceuticals and medical devices market of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This strategic outreach is centred around regulatory harmonization, streamlined approval pathways and the establishment of collaborative frameworks across key stakeholders in both nations. At the core of this initiative is Pharmexcil’s emphasis on regulatory harmonization with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA). The proposed regulatory roadmap seeks to fast-track SFDA Registration for pharmaceutical and medical products already approved by recognized global regulatory bodies, permit multiple brands per manufacturing site, expanding opportunities for Indian manufacturers. It also includes ensuring a transparent, predictable, and efficient regulatory framework to enhance investor confidence and simplify market entry procedures. These measures aim to reduce bureaucratic delays and bring essential medicines and devices to the Saudi market more swiftly, aligning with the Saudi Arabia’s healthcare expansion goals under Vision 2030. In a recent high-level meeting hosted by the Embassy of India in Riyadh, and organized in collaboration with the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), and National Unified...

The European Union and Japan expressed confidence on Friday that they had secured limits on U.S. tariffs on pharmaceuticals, which President Donald Trump said he would impose next week at a rate of 100%. The European Commission referred to a joint statement agreed with the U.S. following its end-July trade deal, which states that the tariff for pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber would not exceed 15%. "This clear all-inclusive 15% tariff ceiling for EU exports represents an insurance policy that no higher tariffs will emerge for European economic operators," a Commission spokesperson said. CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM THAT CAP WILL APPLY European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, speaking in Hanoi, said he expected the commitment to be respected, noting that Washington had followed through in lowering car tariffs. Japan also referred to its joint statement with Washington, which said that U.S. tariff rates on Japanese semiconductors and pharmaceuticals would not exceed those applied to others such as the EU. A lobbyist for a major drugmaker with large European exports to the United States said Trump's threat of 100% tariffs on branded drug imports was worrying, but the industry hoped the 15% rate agreed under the U.S.-EU trade deal would apply. "Nothing is clear yet but we hope the EU-U.S. deal...