The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) filed a notice of appeal on August 21st in response to the July ruling that blocked price disclosure in TV drug advertising. Handed down by Judge Amit Mehta of the US District Court, he ruled against the measure, stating: “HHS lacks the statutory authority under the Social Security Act to adopt the WAC [wholesale acquisition cost] Disclosure Rule.” At the time of his decision, HHS seemed to hint that they were going to file an appeal, saying they would “work with the Department of Justice on next steps related to the litigation.”
In May of this year, HHS outlined their plan for the WAC Disclosure Rule. Amgen, Merck, and Eli Lilly, joined by the Association of National Advertisers, filed a lawsuit in mid-June to prevent it from going into effect. Judge Mehta sided with the plaintiffs in early July. The price disclosure rule for TV advertising would apply to drugs with a list price of $35 or higher for a 30-day supply.
Ogilvy Health, a part of Ogilvy, has promoted seven creative team members in the agency's New Jersey and New York offices. Expressing her excitement for the department's growth was Ogilvy Health North America's Chief Creative Officer, Samantha Dolin: “I couldn’t be more thrilled to see this group acknowledged for their respective talents and collective leadership. Their brilliant contributions every day help to elevate the entire Ogilvy Health team and the new roles they are taking on will allow their impact to be felt more broadly across so many of our key accounts. As they continue to drive meaningful results and delight our clients, I am looking forward to building our next creative chapter with this group of tremendously talented individuals.”
HCB Health announced the hiring of ten new team members under its BioPharma division and an additional four to support the agency across all groups. Of the new hires, three will take on roles in senior management: Gabriel Cangiano, Mark Davis, and Travis Waggoner.
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded nearly $42 million in funding to 49 Health Center Controlled Networks (HCCNs). HCCNs work together to improve access to and quality of care, as well as leverage health information technology to cut costs and improve care coordination. The funding came through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) as the HCCNs expand their usage of health information technology to empower patients and promote data sharing.
Earlier this month, US District Judge Amit Mehta ruled that the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “lacked authority from the US Congress to compel drug manufacturers to disclose list prices,” as per reports. In mid-June, Merck & Co., Eli Lilly & Co, and Amgen, along with the Association of National Advertisers, filed a lawsuit on the grounds that requiring pricing information in ads would confuse consumers as that pricing would not accurately reflect actual out-of-pocket costs for consumers due to different insurance plans and coverage, as well as further discounts and rebates. Mehta's 
Announced on Diabetes Alert Day, March 26th, PatientPoint and the American Medical Association (AMA) are developing content to educate patients and their HCPs about the risks of type 2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease. The collaboration will utilize PatientPoint's in-office technology to encourage patients to have an informed conversation about either condition, with the goal of “reaching and activating patients … to prevent the onset of both diseases,” stated the 
Sharecare recently launched its first-ever 
Dan Chichester has re-joined Ogilvy Health, after a five-year hiatus, as Chief Experience Officer (CXO). In this newly-created role, he will be “responsible for driving forward Ogilvy Health’s innovation, digital strategy, and brand engagement,” the