And so, another working week will soon come to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is still taking shape, but we plan on promenading with the official mascots, catching up on our reading, and holding another listening party, where the rotation will likely feature this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? Now that spring has sprung, this may be a welcome opportunity to appreciate the great outdoors. You could get a head start on planning a summer getaway. Or rifle through your closets for unwanted items. You could also do something meaningful and reach out to someone special. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon. …

Chris Klomp, the Medicare director, offered a reality check on the TrumpRx website, maintaining it was never meant to be used by Americans with health insurance — which is the vast majority — and rejected the suggestion that President Trump’s drug policies amount to price caps, STAT reports. Even as Trump has spoken about the platform in grandiose terms, calling it “transformative” and promising the “largest reduction in prescription drug prices in history,” Klomp offered a more measured perspective. “The goal was not actually some massive reach,” Klomp said, adding that “170 million Americans are commercially insured, 68 million Americans are on Medicare, the balance are on Medicaid and CHIP largely. TrumpRx is not for most of them, it’s cash pay.” 

A high-dose version of Novo Nordisk’s injectable obesity drug Wegovy received U.S. approval, providing it with a new catalyst as it tries to claw back market share with its weight loss treatments, STAT tells us. The therapy was approved under a new U.S. Food and Drug Administration voucher program that is intended to accelerate review of drugs that align with national priorities. Novo received the voucher as part of its deal with the Trump administration late last year to lower prices of its obesity drugs in certain settings. In a Phase 3 trial, Wegovy at the high dose of 7.2 milligrams led to 18.7% weight loss, when looking at all patients, including those who discontinued. That was more than the 15% weight loss that the standard Wegovy dose of 2.4 mg has shown, but falls slightly short of the 21% weight loss that Eli Lilly’s rival product, Zepbound, has demonstrated.

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