Former nursing home executive handed 57-month prison sentence
Prosecutors say Daniel Benson used his position as chief operating officer “to play an integral part in the sweeping conspiracy to defraud the victims in this case.”
Health Care & Life Sciences
Articles
Franciscan and other health systems spend millions in booming Johnson County
Franciscan Health is the undisputed king of south-side health care providers, but its executives see a huge opportunity to expand services even farther south into fast-growing Johnson County.
Trump administration rolls out new health insurance option
The Trump administration on Tuesday unveiled a health insurance option for small businesses and self-employed people that could lead to lower premiums but may a offer fewer benefits than current plans.
IU Health hopes new robotic warehouse saves it millions
The Indianapolis-based system has spent $9 million on the “high-tech integrated service center,” but hopes to save up to $3 million a year through standardizing inventory, ordering in bulk at a discount, and streamlining delivery routes.
Biotech startup lands $1.8 million in funding
The investors in Scioto Biosciences include locally based Elevate Ventures, a private venture development organization; locally based BioCrossroads, a public-private collaboration that supports Indiana's life-sciences sector; and Ohio-based Rev1 Ventures.
Study: State should spend more on smoking-prevention efforts
Indiana spent $8.2 million in federal and state dollars in 2016 on programs to prevent people from smoking, help them quit, and protect people from secondhand smoke, the study said.
Trump health chief Azar renews call to end key drug-pricing tactic
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told lawmakers that it may be time to eliminate the complex system of rebates that drug companies and pharmacy-benefit managers use to negotiate and set prices.
Protest outside Indianapolis home of HHS chief Azar results in 26 arrests
Police say the demonstrators, some in wheelchairs, were arrested Sunday for trespassing after receiving several warnings.
Public health officials applaud needle-exchange programs, but critics remain
As Marion County appears poised to launch a similar syringe-exchange program, public health officials point to a growing list of reports and studies they say proves such programs are a worthwhile investment.
Study finds that generic drugs suffer more recalls
Researchers from three universities, including Indiana University, have found that price competition in the generic drug market might be putting more patients at health risk due to a higher number of manufacturing-related product recalls.
St. Vincent pulls plans to rezone land at Spring Mill and 96th Street
The Indianapolis-based health system said it will continue to study possibilities for the land after neighbors objected to plans calling for nine buildings and four parking garages that carried an estimated price tag of $1 billion.
Health care research company terminating 98 workers in Indianapolis
In a letter to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, the company said “changing business needs require us to reduce operations at this facility.”
In setback for Lilly, FDA limits dosage, slaps warning on new arthritis drug
The Indianapolis-based drugmaker has been working for years to develop the much-anticipated drug, which some analysts had said might ring up $2 billion a year in sales.
2018 Innovation Issue: Doctors use VR to try to reduce ICU delirium
Researchers at Indiana University and the Regenstrief Institute are measuring whether a virtual walk on the beach could help prevent cognitive issues faced by patients who spend time on a mechanical ventilation machine in the intensive care unit.
Indianapolis medical device firm plans $26M HQ in Whitestown
An Indianapolis-based company that makes handheld medical testing devices plans to move its 150 employees to a new headquarters in Boone County, where it will hire an additional 50 to 70 workers.
Gene therapies that could transform diseases get easier FDA path
New therapies that could cure diseases caused by defective genes will get quicker approval from U.S. regulators, part of an effort by the Food and Drug Administration to keep pace with one of biotechnology’s fastest-growing fields.
Congress gives dying patients easier access to unproven drugs
President Donald Trump’s interest in the bill stems from a push by Vice President Mike Pence, who championed the initiative when he was governor of Indiana.
Anthem’s pharmacy-benefits-management unit off to bumpy start
Brian Griffin, the leader of Anthem’s new PBM, IngenioRx, quit on May 8 with no warning to become CEO of Michigan-based Diplomat Pharmacy. Now Anthem is scrambling to adjust.
Trump plan for drug prices won’t include direct negotiations
President Donald Trump is set to unveil his long-awaited plan for reducing drug prices after more than a year of bold promises to tackle pharmacy costs that are squeezing millions of Americans.
UPDATE: Eli Lilly buying immuno-oncology company for $1.6 billion
The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant said it plans to acquire ARMO BioSciences Inc., which is working on treatments that activate the immune system of cancer patients to recognize and eradicate tumors.