To view this email as a web page, click here

   Home

Subscribe

Advertise

 

 

 

 

May 26, 2020___

Today's Rundown

Featured Story

Trailing Big Pharma peers, Merck inks deals to advance COVID-19 drugs, vaccines

For months, as the world’s largest vaccine companies jumped into COVID-19 research and inked partnerships, Merck was conspicuously quiet. That changed in late April when the drug giant unveiled some of its early efforts—and now, Merck is publicly unveiling a vaccine partnership with the U.S. government, a biotech buyout and an R&D pact for a potential therapeutic.

[Sponsored] Salesforce proactively helps providers re-engage patients and reschedule elective procedures and services delayed by the COVID-19 crisis

Many elective procedures were postponed due to COVID-19, but with the Salesforce Accelerate Elective Procedures solution, providers are able to re-engage patients and reschedule elective procedures.

Top Stories

Buying masks 'out of the back of someone's Maserati' and other stories from doctors as they reopen

Thousands of physicians are working to get their practices up and running again after months of shelter-in-place orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic deemed much of their business nonessential. Here are some of their early lessons.

Detailed COVID-19 data for Gilead's remdesivir are finally here, confirming its benefits and limitations

The medical community has been anxiously awaiting more detailed data on Gilead Sciences' remdesivir to guide treatment practice. Now, full trial results have been published in a peer-reviewed journal, confirming the drug's benefits for some—and flagging a patient population in which it might not work.

Google wants to give 'superpowers' to clinicians. Today it's helping them find hotel rooms

Google made some changes to its search and map tools to help medical staff quickly find free or discounted hotel rooms. It's the latest example of the role the tech giant wants to play during the COVID-19 pandemic and, more broadly, in healthcare.

Biopharma roundup: Merck jumps into vaccine race; Gilead's remdesivir works best in patients on oxygen

Merck enters the vaccine race with one buyout and one partnership, and inks an antiviral development deal, too. The WHO put a stop to hydroxychloroquine tests on safety fears. Gilead's remdesivir shows strong results, but may not be as effective in patients with severe symptoms. And more.

Healthcare roundup: HHS watchdog plans to investigate CARES Act funding to providers

FierceHealthcare's ongoing coverage of how the coronavirus is impacting the healthcare industry.

Advocate Aurora, Banner join health systems buying stake in PPE maker to improve supply chain

Major health systems such as Advocate Aurora Health and Banner Health bought a stake in a personal protective equipment manufacturer to improve the supply chain.

How Horizon BCBSNJ is expanding its social determinants program amid COVID-19 

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey found success piloting a program targeting the social determinants of health in Newark.  Now, the insurer is taking its Neighbors in Health initiative to 11 counties in partnership with some of the state’s largest health systems and digital health company NowPow.

Merck inks Themis buyout to join COVID-19 vaccine race

Merck has struck a deal to buy Themis to accelerate the development of a COVID-19 vaccine. The takeover will see Merck, a latecomer to the response to SARS-CoV-2, apply its vaccine capabilities to a candidate based on Themis’ measles vector platform that is set to enter the clinic this year.