• California: Amazon One Medical is expanding its telehealth service to offer upfront monthly pricing for customers seeking consultations and medications for certain conditions. Amazon One Medical already offers telehealth care for over 30 conditions, but the new service would put it in competition with direct-to-consumer telehealth companies like Hims & Hers and Ro. In the new service, which is exclusively available to Prime members, users will pay an upfront, monthly fee for medications for five conditions, including erectile dysfunction, men's hair loss, eyelash growth, motion sickness, and antiaging skin care, through Amazon Pharmacy. Prime members will be able to see the monthly cost of medications or per use cost of a standard Amazon One Medical virtual visit, as well as medications, before using the service. Patients who require medication can also fill their prescriptions at different pharmacies, but the price will vary. (Turner, Modern Healthcare, 11/14)
• Georgia: According to new CDC data, U.S. drug overdose deaths decreased by almost 17% to 93,087 during the 12-month period ending in June, making it the first year since 2020 that there were fewer than 100,000 overdose deaths. Although the number is still much higher than pre-pandemic figures, it is significantly lower than the 111,615 overdose deaths recorded during the 12 months ending in June 2023. Although drug overdose deaths have been trending downward for months now, some public health officials and researchers saw that the decrease may just be a data blip and not a genuine decline. On the other hand, CDC Director Mandy Cohen said the latest decrease in overdose deaths is a sign that the country's prevention efforts are working. "It is a real trend, and that's great," Cohen said. "We are throwing a lot at this. And we're starting to really break through, I think, with some important things." However, she added that progress would be limited if CDC, and the federal government more broadly, don't continue to devote resources to combating the drug epidemic. (Facher, STAT, 11/13)
• Maryland: Earlier this month, FDA announced that it would seek to pull oral phenylephrine, a widely used ingredient in cough and cold medicines, after the agency's scientists concluded that it is ineffective as a nasal decongestant. Last year, outside advisors voted against continued use of oral phenylephrine, citing concerns over the initial data used to support its approval and new data about its effectiveness. "Based on our review of available data, and consistent with the advice of the advisory committee, we are taking this next step in the process to propose removing oral phenylephrine because it is not effective as a nasal decongestant," said Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Under the proposed order, oral phenylephrine would be removed from the "monograph" of ingredients drugmakers are allowed to use in over-the-counter cough and cold medicines. The public has until May 7, 2025, to comment on the proposal, and after that, if FDA decides to finalize the proposal, drugmakers would be forced to stop using the ingredient. In response to FDA's proposal, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association said it was "disappointed" and reiterated that no changes "are warranted" for oral phenylephrine. (Tin, CBS News, 11/7)

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