Joshua Cohen

Boston

Contributor at Forbes

Health economist, researcher and writer on healthcare policy, drug pricing and reimbursement, political centrist, weather nut, diehard Red Sox and Bruins fan.

Articles

Access To Abortion Pill Mifepristone Could Be Threatened, Again

2 days ago | forbes.com | Joshua Cohen

In this photo illustration, packages of mifepristone tablets are displayed at a family planning ... More clinic. Mifepristone is part of a two-drug regimen to induce an abortion in the first trimester of pregnancy in combination with the drug misoprostol. (Photo illustration by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe abortion pill mifepristone is in the crosshairs of politics again, as plaintiffs in several high-profile court cases together with Republican lawmakers push for restrictions.
Trump’s Executive Order To Lower Drug Prices Lacks Crucial Details

2 days ago | forbes.com | Joshua Cohen

President Donald Trump signs an executive order. (Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP) (Photo by ROBERTO ...
Why Blood Test For Early Detection Of Alzheimer’s Disease Matters

3 days ago | forbes.com | Joshua Cohen

Set to launch this month, a recently approved blood test to detect biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease could bring diagnosis into everyday clinical practice. In turn, this may support earlier intervention approaches that may help patients, their families and caregivers. The diagnostic, called a Lumipulse G Plasma Ratio test, is the first of its kind to get marketing clearance from the Food and Drug Administration.
Employers Reluctant To Cover Obesity Meds, Lower Costs May Change This

3 days ago | forbes.com | Joshua Cohen

A new survey report from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans shows continued reluctance by United States employers to cover glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs for weight loss. Going forward, however, lower net costs may induce better coverage by employers. Makers of GLP-1s for obesity are offering an array of discounts, some to insurers, others directly to patients. The IFEBP first conducted the survey in Oct. 2023 and again in May 2024.
U.S. Departure From WHO Leaves Void Which China Is Partly Filling

4 days ago | forbes.com | Joshua Cohen

At the May annual meeting of the World Health Organization’s members in Geneva, Switzerland, officials and delegates spoke of the potential disruption that could be caused by the organization’s budget crisis. They expressed concerned about possible program cuts that could lead to substantial increases in burden of disease and deaths globally.
Subtle Differences Emerge Between FDA And CDC On COVID Vaccine Advice

4 days ago | forbes.com | Joshua Cohen

In a major policy shift last month, Food and Drug Administration officials proposed requiring new clinical trial research with respect to the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in healthy people under 65, including pregnant women, before issuing an updated approval for a broader population. At the same time, in an update to its immunization schedule posted May 29th, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include the option of COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women.
Facing Cuts, a Grim Future for America's HIV Response

2 weeks ago | undark.org | Joshua Cohen

Shortly after assuming office, President Donald Trump announced broad cuts in foreign medical, food, and other aid. This included gutting the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and significantly disrupting the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) — a 22-year-old program active in dozens of countries.
Trump Says Executive Order Will Lower Drug Prices By 30% To 80%

3 weeks ago | forbes.com | Joshua Cohen

On Truth Social, President Trump posted yesterday that the United States “will pay the same price as the Nation that pays the lowest price anywhere in the World.” He wrote that prices would drop from 30% to 80% off of their current levels, adding that he would sign “one of the most consequential executive orders in history” this morning. But the order raises more questions than it answers. And potential logistical and legal challenges loom.
Dutch Court Case On Humira Assesses Whether Its Price Was `Excessive'

3 weeks ago | forbes.com | Joshua Cohen

In a unique legal challenge, the Dutch Pharmaceutical Accountability Foundation is taking on the manufacturer of Humira (adalimumab), AbbVie, in a Dutch court today, May 9th, for alleged excessive profiteering. The Foundation is not seeking financial damages. Rather it wants a panel of judges to rule on the principle of what constitutes a reasonable profit. At the heart of the case is the question of whether there ought to be limits to what a company can charge for medicines.
Medicaid Savings May Include Lower Drug Prices Via Most Favored Nation

4 weeks ago | forbes.com | Joshua Cohen

As Republican lawmakers try to identify ways to cut costs in public programs such as Medicaid, they’re finding it harder to achieve than perhaps originally envisaged. Acceptable options for Republicans include adding work requirements and rooting out waste, fraud and abuse. But to achieve planned cuts of $88 billion annually, they’ll need to go further.