• District of Columbia: DOJ and FDA recently announced a new multi-agency coalition of law enforcement agents that will work to crack down on the illegal e-cigarette market. The coalition includes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Federal Trade Commission (FTC); and the U.S. Postal Service. "Unauthorized e-cigarettes and vaping products continue to jeopardize the health of Americans — particularly children and adolescents — across the country," said Benjamin Mizer, the acting associate attorney general. The coalition will also apply stricter penalties, including significant fines and jail terms, to those who are found selling illegal e-cigarettes. Previously, enforcement efforts largely consisted of warning letters and limited penalties from FDA. According to the New York Times, public health groups have welcomed this new enforcement effort. "Law enforcement needs to be there to get products off the market, and that needs to happen right away," said Erika Sward, assistant VP of advocacy at the American Lung Association. "There's a reason these products are not legal for sale in the United States, and that's because they are very appealing to kids." (Jewett, New York Times, 6/10)
• Massachusetts: Boston Scientific recently announced plans to buy the medical device company Silk Road Medical for $1.16 billion. Silk Road sells products used to prevent strokes in patients with carotid artery disease, a condition that blocks major blood vessels connected to the brain. According to STAT+, the deal is Boston Scientific's second billion-dollar acquisition this year. Previously, the company announced plans to buy the urology company Axonics for $3.7 billion. However, the deal has been stalled since FTC asked the companies for more information about the acquisition in April. Currently, Boston Scientific plans to close the Silk Road deal in the second half of the year. After the acquisition plan was announced, Silk Road's stock grew by around 24%, while Boston Scientific's stock saw a slight increase. (Lawrence, STAT+ [subscription required], 6/18)
• Tennessee: Dollar General last month announced that it ended a pilot program on mobile health clinics. The program, which was developed in partnership with DocGo, initially launched at three stores in Tennessee in early 2023. The mobile health clinics offered onsite services, including annual physicals, vaccinations, urgent care, and lab services. According to a Dollar General spokesperson, the decision to end the mobile health clinics program was a mutual decision made by the two companies after "careful evaluation." Separately, a DocGo spokesperson said that the company worked with patients to transition them to other sources of care. "DocGo will use the actionable data, mobile clinic program structure and resources from this pilot to inform other programs, including its expanding mobile clinic and in-home healthcare partnerships with health plans," the spokesperson said. (Hudson, Modern Healthcare, 5/29)

For aspiring population health managers, clinical and financial success depends on successful leadership and care model transformation. This study provides a comprehensive blueprint for that transformation.