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Trump administration’s drug price transparency rule blocked by federal…
Scott E. Rupp PharmaceuticalA recent Trump administration rule received a blow at the hands of a federal judge in early July 2019. The judge blocked a drug transparency rule that drugmakers have opposed — requiring that prices be listed in any television ads for the drugs. Merck & Co., Eli Lilly, and Amgen, along with the Association of National Advertisers, sued the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS to block the rule they call unnecessary and unlawful. It was set to take effect July 9.
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Farms try to stay afloat amid troubled financial, commercial waters
Seth Sandronsky Food & BeverageFarm cash flow is down, along with loans from big banks, as the China-U.S. trade war widens, Reuters is reporting. Beijing’s soybean tariffs are hurting American farmers, and spring flooding propelled in part by climate change is making bad matters worse. As farm cash flow slows, "JPMorgan and other Wall Street banks are heading for the exits," according to an analysis of the farm-loan holdings reported to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
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Travel2020: Facial biometrics put travelers, criminals under the microscope
Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementWhile facial recognition technology gets tested at U.S. airports, controversy over its legality is brewing on the public front and in hearings on Capitol Hill. Officials with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) testified last week before a House panel regarding the government’s use of facial recognition. Congress is moving toward legislation that would curtail the use of the controversial technology or at least offer some acceptable parameters. Surveys show air passengers love the new technology, which measures facial characteristics against a database of targets with lightning speed.
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Chronic pain: We are adding to our patients’ suffering
Lisa Cole Medical & Allied HealthcareI started my professional practice in chemical dependency. Now, many decades later, I find myself advocating for chronic pain patients just to get them the drugs they need to continue functioning. More and more, they are erroneously considered “addicts” and being titrated down, cut off or given inadequate substitutes to what had been working well enough for them. Most simply want to attend to their activities of daily living without being immobilized by pain. This current prescribing practice only contributes to our patients’ suffering versus offering relief.
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LinkedIn: Considerations for military personnel transitioning to a civilian…
Roy Phillips Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityIf you will soon be transitioning from the military, it may be a good idea to create a professional-looking LinkedIn profile. Understandably, many service members are wary of social media websites. This is especially true for anyone who has gone through the Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) course. However, if you are all through with your military service, LinkedIn may help you land the right job. There are some very important considerations to make before you create your profile.
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Your company’s biggest cybersecurity risks: Technology and processes
Terri Williams Science & TechnologyA recent SANS survey of security professionals identified today's biggest cybersecurity risks. Among survey respondents, 61% chose people as the greatest risk, and Part 1 of this article examined why. However, 22% of security professionals identified technology as the greatest risk, and 14% selected processes and procedures. Part 2 of this article examines those risks in addition to ways to making your company more secure.
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Competency-based learning systems continue to take hold across the nation
Brian Stack EducationEarlier this summer, the International Association of Online K-12 Learning, better known as iNACOL, released its most recent map displaying the implementation of statewide K-12 competency-based learning policies across the nation. The map now shows 17 states that have reached an advanced level of implementation with comprehensive policy alignment and/or an active state role to build capacity in local school systems for competency-based learning. This current map is in stark contrast to the 2012 map, which listed just three states at the advanced level.
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The well-dressed board agenda
Robert C. Harris Association ManagementThe focus of a board meeting is the agenda. An agenda is the list of activities in the order in which they are to be taken up, beginning with the call to order and ending with adjournment. It usually includes specific items of business to be acted upon. It may, but is not required to, include specific times for one or more activities. A well-dressed agenda can achieve so much more, however. With a few reminders, the agenda can address IRS and FTC issues. The mission can be depicted to keep the board focused.
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What should we do about economic inequality?
Patrick Gleeson Civil & GovernmentIn our increasingly fractured political sphere, one of the hot-button issues is "economic inequality." Some conservatives have expressed doubt that there’s a need to reduce it — that maybe some economic inequality is necessary for growth. That’s a minority view, however, even among conservatives. Many Republicans and almost all Democrats believe the current concentration of wealth among a small percentage of the population isn’t sustainable over the long run — that something must be done to lessen it. Predictably, however, Republicans and Democrats have very different ideas about what that something might be.
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Response to Boeing Max 8 groundings includes new aviation leadership
Michelle R. Matisons ManufacturingThe Boeing 737 Max 8 airplane model was the most common plane flying the friendly skies — until recently. After several high-profile crashes killing hundreds of people, this model has been withdrawn from use so it can undergo an upgrade with new safety features for its alert system, which is rumored to have contributed to the crashes. Costing American Airlines $185 million in the second quarter, this aviation development has sent more than ripples through financial markets and manufacturing hubs.
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