• Arkansas: On Tuesday, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Arkansas can prevent drug manufacturers from restricting the availability of discounted drugs at contract pharmacies that supply discounted drugs to hospitals, community health centers, and other safety net providers covered by the 340B program. Arkansas' law was contested by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, which argued it was preempted by federal law and wrongly enabled a state agency to sanction manufacturers refusing to supply contract pharmacies. However, Judge Michael Melloy argued that the absence of explicit mention of pharmacies or drug delivery by pharmacies in federal 340B law affords some latitude for states to impose their requirements. "Pharmacy has traditionally been regulated at the state level, and we must assume that absent a strong showing that Congress intended preemption, state statutes that impact health and welfare are not preempted," Melloy said. (Bettelheim, Axios, 3/13)
• Illinois: Walgreens on Monday settled a case in New York that alleged the organization overpriced at least 20 baby formula products after a nationwide recall by Abbott Nutrition in 2022. While Walgreens neither admits nor denies any wrongdoing, it has agreed to pay $50,000 to cover civil penalties and other costs and promised not to overcharge for such items in the future. (Falconer, Axios, 3/11)
• New York: From 2019 to 2021, global life expectancy decreased by 1.6 years, according to a comprehensive study published earlier this week in The Lancet. During 2020 and 2021, 16 million out of 131 million total deaths could be directly or indirectly attributed to COVID-19. The study analyzed death rates and life expectancy trends across 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations. The researchers pulled data from registries, surveys, censuses, and additional sources, with a total of 607 billion estimates of 371 diseases and injuries and 88 risk factors. From 1950 to 2021, life expectancy increased from 49 to 71.7 years. However, life expectancy declined by 1.6 years from 2019 to 2021, reversing a yearslong trend in rising global life expectancy. "For adults worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a more profound impact than any event seen in half a century, including conflicts and natural disasters," said co-first author Austin Schumacher in an Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation press release. "Life expectancy declined in 84% of countries and territories during this pandemic, demonstrating the devastating potential impacts of novel pathogens," he added. (Beusekom, CIDRAP, 3/12)

Read about the three emerging trends that, combined, have the potential to transform the end-of-life landscape.