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Yahoo
9 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why is GDRX stock up 30% today? GoodRx strikes deal to sell Ozempic and Wegovy after Novo Nordisk's breakup with Hims
Share prices of GoodRx (NASDAQ: GDRX), the American healthcare company and telemedicine service, are currently soaring after the company announced that it will partner with Novo Nordisk to offer the lowest-ever out-of-pocket prices for Ozempic and Wegovy. Unsold completed new-build inventory is so high this $34B homebuilder is turning to investors 'Job hugging' is the newest career trend: Here's what it means—and why Gen Z is into it Spotify just redesigned the way you'll 'listen' to audiobooks According to a press release posted early on August 18, GoodRx has struck a deal with the pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk to sell its popular semaglutide medications, Ozempic and Wegovy, for just $499 per month to 'eligible self-paying customers.' GoodRx doesn't sell or dispense any drugs itself, but rather provides savings and coupons that can be applied in pharmacies. Its exclusive Ozempic and Wegovy offerings, available starting today, are the lowest out-of-pocket costs for the medications available on the market. The news comes just weeks after Novo Nordisk cut ties with the telehealth company Hims & Hers Health (NYSE: HIMS) over claims that Hims & Hers was selling 'knockoff' versions of Wegovy. It's a dispute that reflects a broader discussion around whether compounded semaglutide drugs—or non-FDA approved versions of brand-name medicines—are a violation of intellectual property laws. As of this writing, GoodRx's stock is up by more than 30% since market close. Here's what to know about Novo Nordisk's latest partnership and its ongoing legal battles against compounded GLP-1s. GoodRx's collaboration with Novo Nordisk In the last year alone, GoodRx reports that nearly 17 million people visited the site searching for information and savings on GLP-1 medications—a 22% increase from the previous year. 'Demand for GLP-1 medications is at an all-time high, but too many Americans still face barriers accessing them,' Wendy Barnes, GoodRX president and CEO, said in the press release. 'By partnering with Novo Nordisk, we're taking a significant step forward in making these innovative brand-name treatments more accessible for millions of people who need them.' In the past, a spokesperson told Fast Company, GoodRx has worked with both Novo Nordisk and its competitor Eli Lilly to offer commercially insured patients manufacturer savings cards on GLP-1s. The company has also offered savings on other types of weight loss/diabetes treatments, including Contrave, Dexcom G7, Lantus, and Qsymia. However, this is the first time that GoodRx has offered a cash price for a GLP-1. The $499 monthly self-pay cost will be available at more than 70,000 retail locations nationwide. Novo Nordisk's current legal battles over compounded GLP-1s So far, investors' response to GoodRx's new collaboration has been overwhelmingly positive. It stands in sharp contrast to Hims & Hers' recent breakup with Novo Nordisk, which caused the telehealth company's share prices to plummet in late June. Hims & Hers and Novo Nordisk parted ways over Hims & Hers' offering of compounded versions of Wegovy. Back in 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared a shortage of GLP-1 medications including Ozempic and Wegovy. Under this shortage notice, pharmacies were permitted to make compounded versions of the brand-name drugs using their active ingredient, semaglutide, and sell them at a lower cost. However, Hims & Hers has continued to sell its compounded version of Wegovy long after the FDA lifted the shortage back in February. Now, Novo Nordisk is arguing that these compounded drugs are both a violation of its intellectual property and potentially dangerous to patients, due to their lack of FDA approval. Early this month, Novo Nordisk announced 14 new lawsuits against small pharmacies, telehealth providers, and weight-loss clinics over compounded versions of Ozempic and Wegovy—bringing its total cases filed on the matter up to more than 130 in 40 states. Experts say that federal compounding laws are just vague enough to allow for various interpretations, meaning that Novo Nordisk's current legal challenges could shape the way courts interpret those boundaries in the future. In a statement to Yahoo Finance, Barnes offered a clear look into GoodRx's stance on compounded drugs: 'There's no question we could have tried to do something sooner from a compounded alternative pathway, but we have been very clear in our belief that it needed to be FDA-approved, lawfully approved. It just wasn't a pathway that we were going to support,' she said. This post originally appeared at to get the Fast Company newsletter:
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Boys and girls should be taught about periods together in school, academics say
Girls and boys should be taught about periods in mixed-sex groups in school to improve their understanding of menstruation, researchers have said. A study by University College London (UCL) academics has suggested that pupils in schools are being given insufficient information around periods. For many pupils they are given just two lessons about periods in their whole school career – one in primary and one in secondary, researchers have said. They have called for lessons on menstruation in schools to be much 'more comprehensive'. Since September 2020, relationships and sex education has been compulsory in secondary schools in England, while relationships education has been compulsory in primary schools. Professor Joyce Harper, from UCL Institute for Women's Health, said: 'Educating pupils about periods may now be compulsory in schools in England and Wales, but we know that for many of them that still only amounts to two lessons in their entire school career.' The researchers suggested that periods should be taught among mixed-sex groups, as well as single-sex groups, which some schools do not currently do. Prof Harper said: 'Our focus groups were also of the view that boys need to be part of that education. 'It was agreed that classes should not be segregated by gender, believing mixed sessions are crucial for boys' education. 'Although some saw value in single-sex classes to allow students to speak more freely, they still felt mixed sessions were essential to improve overall understanding. 'They suggested this could help boys understand and support their friends and future partners through menopause.' Overall, 55 women took part in the study divided into two groups based on age (18 to 25 and 26 to 40) and five focus groups were conducted for each group. They were recruited via social media, and many of the women were educated before the topic on menstruation became mandatory in English schools. The academics said menstruation is 'highly stigmatised' and a 'lack of education' about difficult periods restricts individuals from seeking help. Co-author Caroline Musulin, from UCL Institute for Women's Health, said: 'Many women endure menstrual problems longer than they should due to the inability to speak openly about uncertainties, fears of being dismissed by healthcare professionals, the view that it's 'just' a painful period or feelings of shame. 'Stigma, secrecy, and the expectation to 'cope' with painful periods contribute to the systemic dismissal of menstrual discomfort.' The latest statutory Government guidance on relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) in schools says pupils should be taught about menstruation in primary and secondary school. The guidance, which was published last month, says pupils should learn the facts about the menstrual cycle, including physical and emotional changes, by the end of primary school to help them understand what to expect. By the end of secondary school, pupils should learn about menstrual and gynaecological health – including period problems such as premenstrual syndrome, heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome – as well as menopause, the guidance adds. The latest Department for Education (DfE) guidance says: 'RSE lessons should ensure that both boys and girls have opportunities to practise respectful communication and understand experiences which are different from their own, including menstruation and menopause.' Schools in England will have to follow the statutory RSHE guidance from September 2026. Sarah Hannafin, head of policy for school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'Teaching about periods is a vital part of health education for all pupils. 'Although many schools may separate classes to create a safe space for discussions on topics like this, mixed-sex groups should also be planned as it is vital that pupils understand others' experiences. 'Schools need freely available high-quality resources to support them to do this. 'Education about periods needs more than a single lesson but the curriculum in both primary and secondary schools is overcrowded and the new RSHE guidance has added a lot of new content without any additional time being created.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: 'We fully support the need for boys and girls to be taught about menstruation in a comprehensive manner which goes beyond biological facts and covers the wider effects on wellbeing. 'It is essential to be able to discuss this topic openly without misinformation or embarrassment. 'While it is covered in the RSHE curriculum we would welcome consideration of how teaching of this topic might be strengthened.' A DfE spokesperson said: 'Understanding menstruation is an important part of growing up, which is why we have brought in a new relationships, sex and health education curriculum to take effect next year, with clear guidance that pupils should be taught about both physical and emotional changes, as well as topics from endometriosis to heavy menstrual bleeding. 'As part of our plan for change, we're providing teachers with new resources to help them run great lessons on these issues, tackle stigma head-on and support every child to achieve and thrive.'
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Type 2 diabetes patients set for major shake-up in care
People with type 2 diabetes in England are to get the biggest shake up of care in a decade which could see them offered treatments, including jabs that aid weight-loss, sooner. The health service should move from a one-size-fits-all approach of starting everyone on the same medication, to more personalised care that aims to prevent complications like heart failure and heart attacks, according to new draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice). This includes making newer type 2 diabetes drugs, known as SGLT-2 inhibitors, a first-line treatment option in a move that could eventually help save tens of thousands of lives. SGLT-2 inhibitors, which include canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, and ertugliflozin, are once-a-day tablets that reduce blood sugar levels by helping the kidneys remove glucose, which is passed from the body through urine. However, analysis by Nice found these drugs are under-prescribed. The new guidelines recommend patients who cannot tolerate metformin – the first-choice in type 2 diabetes medication – should start with an SGLT-2 inhibitor on its own. The decision comes after evidence suggested these drugs protect the heart and kidneys as well as controlling blood sugar, Nice said. It is estimated the change could save almost 22,000 lives once uptake reaches 90% of the population. Nice also suggests some groups of patients would also benefit from GLP-1 receptor agonists such as liraglutide or semaglutide sooner, rather than keeping them for the later stages of treatment. Semaglutide, sold under the brand name Ozempic, is licensed in the UK to treat type 2 diabetes, while its other brand – Wegovy – is also used by the NHS to help obese people lose weight. Professor Jonathan Benger, deputy chief executive and chief medical officer at Nice, said: 'This guidance means more people will be offered medicines where it is right to do so to reduce their future risk of ill health. 'This represents a significant evolution in how we approach type 2 diabetes treatment. 'We're moving beyond simply managing blood sugar to taking a holistic view of a person's health, particularly their cardiovascular and kidney health. 'The evidence shows that certain medicines can provide important cardiovascular benefits, and by recommending them as part of initial treatment, we could help prevent heart attacks, strokes and other serious complications before they occur. 'This is particularly important given that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with type 2 diabetes.' Around 4.6 million people in the UK are living with diabetes, with nine in 10 of those having type 2. However, it is estimated that a further 1.3 million people may have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Nice analysed the records of 590,000 people and found SGLT-2 inhibitors are under-prescribed, particularly to women, older people, and black patients. Prof Benger added: 'The evidence from our analysis is clear. There are prescribing gaps that need to be addressed. 'The guideline update published today will help to increase equitable uptake of SGLT-2 inhibitors, which we know can prevent serious health complications.' Dr Waqaar Shah, chairman of the guideline committee, added: 'We know that SGLT-2 inhibitors are currently under-prescribed, and our health economics analysis shows that people living in the most deprived areas would particularly benefit from universal access to these treatments. 'These recommendations could help reduce health inequalities while providing better outcomes for everyone.' Elsewhere, the draft guidance suggests different treatments for diabetes patients with certain characteristics or health conditions. These include adults with cardiovascular disease, who should be offered a triple therapy including a GLP-1 receptor agonist. Meanwhile, adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before 40 should be offered dual therapy before a GLP-1 receptor agonist is considered, while patients with chronic kidney disease should have tailored recommendations based on their kidney function. A public consultation on the new Nice guidelines is open until October 2. Douglas Twenefour, head of clinical at Diabetes UK, said: 'This long-awaited announcement propels type 2 diabetes treatment into the 21st century. 'Boosting access to newer treatments will be transformative for people with type 2 diabetes, while ensuring the UK keeps pace with the global momentum in treating the condition. 'The majority of people with type 2 diabetes are not currently taking the most effective medication for them, putting them at risk of devastating diabetes-related complications. 'Diabetes is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease, and tailoring treatment based on individual risk could protect thousands against heart attacks and kidney disease. 'These guidelines could go a long way to easing the burden of living with this relentless condition, as well as helping to address inequities in type 2 diabetes treatments and outcomes.'
