The hottest Pharmaceuticals Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Science Topics

Logista: Old Roots, Green Sprouts

Invariant • 491 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
💼 Business Pharmaceuticals
  1. Quaking aspens have a unique way of growing, with all trees in a colony connected as part of the same single organism.
  2. Logista, a Spanish distribution company, is diversifying away from tobacco distribution and focusing more on next-generation nicotine products and pharmaceutical distribution.
  3. Logista is strategically growing through acquisitions, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, aiming for inorganic growth to expand its reach.

The FDA Drug Review Paradox

Who is Robert Malone • 13 implied HN points • 14 Feb 26
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. The FDA’s current review process now favors big pharmaceutical incumbents and stifles small innovators, pushing startups to sell early or move their development offshore.
  2. Regulatory workarounds like Fast Track, Priority Review Vouchers, and Emergency Use Authorization were meant to help patients but have been captured and repurposed as shortcuts that benefit large companies more than public health.
  3. Real reform should refocus approval on patient-centered, clinically meaningful benefits and give agency leaders and managers flexibility to adapt to modern science and take measured risks.

A Modest Proposal To Turn Canada Into a Narco State

Cremieux Recueil • 344 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. The proposal suggests that Canada could become a pharmaceutical hub for the U.S., selling cheaper drugs to help both economies. This could fix economic struggles in Canada while providing affordable medicine for Americans.
  2. The current pricing plan in the U.S. can lead to higher drug prices elsewhere, affecting global availability and creating issues for both consumers and pharmaceutical companies. Finding a better price strategy that works for everyone is essential.
  3. The FDA has a program that could allow importing Canadian drugs to the U.S., but it needs major changes to be more effective. By redesigning this program, both countries could benefit from lower prices and increased pharmaceutical production.

I Say Thank You to Big Pharma

In My Tribe • 455 implied HN points • 01 Jun 25
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. It's important to keep encouraging medical research because it brings a lot of benefits to society. We rely on a mix of private and government support for this research.
  2. Cutting drug prices without considering the negative effects might hurt medical research and innovation. We should think about the long-term impact of such changes.
  3. Using prizes instead of patents could lead to fairer rewards for drug developers and might reduce some issues in the research funding system.

Regulators almost killed biotech before it began

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 970 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Pharmaceuticals
  1. Genentech is seen as the start of the biotech field because it combined new technology with business and research. This company pioneered how biotech operates today.
  2. Regulations nearly stopped Genentech from forming, creating fears about safety and ethics in biotechnology. However, Genentech managed to navigate around these regulations and succeed.
  3. Unlike big companies, Genentech used private funding and worked in less regulated spaces. This allowed them to develop human insulin without the heavy regulatory burden faced by larger firms.
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Rep. Chip Roy: Why I’m Backing RFK Jr.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 741 implied HN points • 01 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Chip Roy supports RFK Jr. for Health and Human Services despite having different opinions with others. He believes RFK Jr. knows how to improve America's health.
  2. Both Roy and Erick Erickson have had life-threatening health issues, and they credit innovative drugs by Big Pharma for their recoveries.
  3. Roy shares his personal story of overcoming cancer with a revolutionary drug, showcasing the importance of medical advancements.

Weight Watchers Expands Their Harmful Model - Adding Prescription Drugs

Weight and Healthcare • 738 implied HN points • 15 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Pharmaceuticals
  1. Weight Watchers is expanding their model by adding prescription drugs, showing a pattern of prioritizing profits over people's well-being.
  2. Weight Watchers acquired Sequence, a telehealth company prescribing weight loss drugs with risky side effects and questionable efficacy.
  3. The company's approach includes misleading weight loss claims, lack of transparency, and a focus on short-term financial gains rather than long-term health.

The PREP Act: Unchecked Power, Zero Accountability, and a Path Forward

Who is Robert Malone • 11 implied HN points • 09 Feb 26
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. The PREP Act granted sweeping legal immunity to manufacturers, healthcare providers, and others, blocking most lawsuits and even overriding state licensing rules, with protections extended years beyond the declared emergency.
  2. The Supreme Court’s Loper Bright decision ended judicial deference to agencies, so courts must independently interpret statutes and are likely to scrutinize or reject many expansive PREP Act interpretations like state preemption or treating guidance as legal authorization.
  3. The HHS Secretary has clear authority to narrow, rescind, or end PREP Act protections by amending the declaration or letting provisions sunset, which would restore ordinary liability, state regulatory control, and individuals’ ability to seek legal redress.

Big Pharma Saved My Life

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 653 implied HN points • 31 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Pharmaceuticals
  1. The American healthcare system has many problems but still plays a crucial role in saving lives.
  2. Personal experiences highlight the importance of pharmaceutical advancements in treating serious health conditions.
  3. Faith and medical technology together can have a profound impact on survival and recovery from critical illnesses.

Novo Nordisk (Finally) Faces Some Consequences for Their Deceptive Marketing Tactics - Part 1

Weight and Healthcare • 639 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Pharmaceuticals
  1. Novo Nordisk faced consequences for deceptive marketing tactics such as using astroturf organizations and promoting their drugs without disclosing ties.
  2. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry suspended Novo Nordisk for breaching their code of practice related to a promotional course and inducing healthcare professionals to prescribe their drug.
  3. Novo Nordisk's appeal for the breach was unsuccessful, leading to public reprimand for failings and suspension for two years from ABPI membership.

Americans can't afford their out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy counter. Legislators on both sides of the aisle are taking action.

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 479 implied HN points • 23 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Many Americans are struggling to afford their medication costs at the pharmacy, which is forcing them to leave without the medicines they need.
  2. Big insurance companies have gained too much control over drug prices, causing many patients to pay more at the counter while receiving less help from their insurance.
  3. Bipartisan action is happening in Congress to reform pharmacy benefit managers, with bills aiming to lower out-of-pocket costs for patients and increase price transparency.

Are drugs good? Are side effects bad? It depends on what you're trying to do.

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 895 implied HN points • 01 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. The good or bad nature of drugs really depends on what you're trying to achieve with them. It's important to consider the purpose behind using any drug.
  2. Different drugs can have different effects. For example, psychedelics can be helpful for depression but dangerous for someone who is unstable. It's all about context.
  3. Drugs should be viewed as tools that work in specific ways. We need to determine if those effects match what we want for our health or goals.

The First Weight Loss Drugs

Asimov Press • 251 implied HN points • 17 Jul 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Pharmaceuticals
  1. Mitochondrial uncouplers, like DNP, were early weight loss drugs that worked by speeding up metabolism. They can be very dangerous, leading to serious health risks.
  2. DNP showed promising weight loss results but was banned due to safety concerns after many overdose cases. Today, safer alternatives, like Ozempic, are more commonly used.
  3. Research is ongoing to find safer versions of uncouplers that could effectively boost metabolism without the associated risks, suggesting there may be a future for such drugs in weight management.

Legislators and advocacy groups in Washington still have their sights set on PBM reform

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 179 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Legislators in Washington want to change how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) operate because many think their practices are hurting patients and pharmacies.
  2. There is support from both political parties to reform PBMs, but lobbyists are trying to stop these changes to protect profit margins.
  3. Pharmacists and businesses need to be aware of PBM practices and take action now, as reforms could save them a lot of money and make medications more affordable.

Fosun’s Green Valley Deal: The Risk Isn’t Just Whether GV-971 Works

Pekingnology • 33 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25
💼 Business Pharmaceuticals
  1. The market selloff reflects not just scientific doubt about GV-971 but major reputational and regulatory risk tied to Green Valley’s history.
  2. Green Valley has a long record of marketing and compliance scandals — including unlawful advertising, forged promotional materials, bribery, revoked approvals — and GV-971’s broader efficacy claims rest on limited and contested evidence.
  3. Key background on Green Valley’s past was largely missing from Fosun’s disclosure and much international coverage, which matters because the deal and the drug’s future still depend on regulatory approval and confirmatory clinical data.

💊💉 The future of weight loss drugs: A Quick Q&A with … analyst (and superforecaster) Greg Justice

Faster, Please! • 548 implied HN points • 07 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are changing how obesity is treated. They might also help with other health issues, making them seem like wonder drugs.
  2. While these drugs are becoming more popular, there are challenges in getting them to the people who need them, mainly about their costs and healthcare regulations.
  3. It looks like prices for GLP-1s may drop slightly due to competition, but significant price control changes are not expected anytime soon.

Finally, Big Insurance's Pharmacy Benefit Managers are being probed by Congress

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 679 implied HN points • 15 May 23
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Congress is looking into how Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) operate. They want to make sure these companies are not overcharging people for their medications.
  2. PBMs and insurance companies are causing more financial strain on patients by raising out-of-pocket costs. Many people are struggling to afford their medications because deductibles have doubled over the past decade.
  3. There are new bills being proposed to increase transparency and reform PBM practices. This could help ensure that savings from drug manufacturers are passed on to patients.

When Doctors' Education Is Really Pharmaceutical Industry Marketing - Part 1

Weight and Healthcare • 579 implied HN points • 04 Feb 23
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Doctors' education can be heavily influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, leading to potential biases in medical practices and treatments.
  2. Some educational conferences and seminars for doctors may actually be marketing events by pharmaceutical companies, promoting certain medications or treatments.
  3. It's crucial for doctors to be aware of potential conflicts of interest and maintain objectivity in their approach to patient care, especially in fields like weight management and diabetes.

"Follow the Science" recap

Who is Robert Malone • 15 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. The vaccines' headline "95% effective" referred to relative risk reduction while the absolute risk reduction was only about 0.7–1.1%, and the smaller absolute benefit was not widely reported, which the text says misled people and violated informed consent.
  2. The post claims some mRNA dosing showed negative efficacy—suggesting more doses could increase the chance of getting COVID—and also asserts myocarditis after vaccination is not rare or mild and is more likely from vaccination than from infection.
  3. The piece accuses governments and pharmaceutical companies of propaganda and silence, and raises mechanistic concerns like viral/product shedding, plasmid DNA transfer, exosome effects, and a shift toward anti‑spike IgG4 antibodies after repeated mRNA shots.

Big health insurers are using Washington-based trade group the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) to bankroll ad campaigns in the DC area

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 519 implied HN points • 20 Jun 23
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Big health insurers are using a group called PCMA to run ads in Washington to protect their profits in the pharmacy supply chain. They want everyone to think they're on the side of patients.
  2. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are making more money than traditional health insurance companies. They decide which medications people can access and how much they have to pay.
  3. The ads you're seeing about PBMs being beneficial are actually paid for by the insurers, meaning the costs are coming from the money you pay in premiums and taxes.

Technology indistinguishable from magic

Wrong Side of History • 470 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Pharmaceuticals
  1. Medical technology has advanced a lot recently. Many serious diseases, like diabetes and HIV, are now much easier to treat than before.
  2. New treatments for conditions such as schizophrenia and allergies are being developed, showing promise for better ways to help people who suffer from these issues.
  3. Innovations like gene therapy and cancer vaccines are changing how we approach some of the most challenging health problems, potentially offering cures or significantly improved treatments.

2 candidates for the American Presidency who threatened PHARMA-GLOBALIST HEGEMONY have been eliminated from the running: no surprise because drug companies control politics, education, the media...

DrV’s Newsletter, Notes, Essays, Articles, Videos, and Book Chapters • 176 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Two presidential candidates who challenged pharma-globalist power were eliminated from the race in 2024.
  2. The remaining major candidates from both parties supported pandemic measures that led to a significant increase in deaths and costs for the nation.
  3. The influence of drug companies in politics, education, and media remains significant, impacting American elections.

Novo Nordisk Gets Caught In Shady Marketing Practices - Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 379 implied HN points • 01 Apr 23
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Novo Nordisk engaged in shady marketing practices involving funding prominent organizations, healthcare professionals, and academics to promote their weight loss drug without proper disclosure.
  2. The Observer investigation revealed that Novo Nordisk spent millions on payments, sponsorships, and grants to shape the obesity debate and influence healthcare policy decisions.
  3. Experts like Professor John Wilding and Jason Halford were found to be actively supporting Novo Nordisk's drug Wegovy while having substantial financial ties with the company, raising concerns about conflicts of interest.

Walgreens said to be courting a former Cigna/Express Scripts executive to turn the company around

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 299 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Walgreens is interested in hiring a former executive from Cigna/Express Scripts to help improve its business. They want someone with experience in pharmacy benefits to boost their competitiveness.
  2. Cigna has been fined $172 million for misleading the government about patient diagnoses in their Medicare Advantage program. They were accused of inflating seriousness of conditions to receive more funding.
  3. The pharmacy benefit management market is controlled by a few big companies, and Walgreens needs to strengthen its position to compete effectively against other large players like CVS and Amazon.

Weekly Dose of Optimism #149

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 168 implied HN points • 20 Jun 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Pharmaceuticals
  1. A new HIV prevention drug called Yeztugo was approved by the FDA. It only needs two shots a year and is very effective at keeping people virus-free.
  2. Lilly is buying Verve Therapeutics to create one-time gene editing treatments for high cholesterol. This could help many people without needing daily medication.
  3. Waymo is planning to test its self-driving cars in New York City. They're aiming to eventually offer robotaxi services in the busy city.

Q1 2023: UnitedHealth Group made $27.8 billion from the drug supply chain; spent $3.5 billion buying back their own stock

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 539 implied HN points • 19 Apr 23
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. UnitedHealth made a huge profit of $27.8 billion from the drug supply chain in just the first quarter of 2023. They also spent $3.5 billion buying back their own stock to increase value for shareholders.
  2. The company has dramatically increased its revenues and profits over the past decade, primarily from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Their pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, has seen massive growth, capturing more money from patients.
  3. Despite their growth, the company's enrollment in commercial health plans has barely changed. Instead, more people are signing up for their Medicare Advantage plans, which suggests they are shifting focus to government-supported programs.

Weight Loss Drugs Part 3 - Wegovy and Tirzepatide

Weight and Healthcare • 738 implied HN points • 17 Aug 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Pharmaceuticals
  1. Weight loss drugs often lead to short-term weight loss followed by weight regain, with participants regaining a significant amount of weight and cardiometabolic gains after going off the drug.
  2. Wegovy and Tirzepatide, new weight loss drugs, show a pattern of rapid weight loss at the beginning, then levelling off, and potential weight regain later. Side effects of these drugs are serious.
  3. Pharmaceutical companies aim for profits by keeping patients on expensive weight loss drugs long-term, despite minimal evidence of long-term weight loss benefits and significant harm from side effects.

BIG INSURANCE 2022: Revenues reached $1.25 trillion thanks to sucking billions out of the pharmacy supply chain – and taxpayers' pockets

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 539 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Big insurance companies made a lot of money in 2022, reaching $1.25 trillion in revenue. They mainly got this money from managing drug benefits and government health programs.
  2. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are becoming really important for these insurers, as they now make up a huge portion of their profits. They control a lot of the drug pricing and decide which pharmacies patients can use.
  3. Most growth for these companies is coming from government programs like Medicare, while their commercial insurance business is struggling. Many people are now finding it harder to afford their healthcare costs.

Hub-and-Spoke Biotechs: Nimbus Therapeutics

The Century of Biology • 354 implied HN points • 20 Oct 24
💼 Business Pharmaceuticals
  1. Nimbus Therapeutics uses a unique hub-and-spoke model to develop drugs. This lets them separate the main company from individual drug projects, so they can sell successful drugs while keeping the main business intact.
  2. The company focuses on computational drug discovery to make the process faster and cheaper. By using advanced technology, they can predict which drugs might succeed before doing expensive experiments.
  3. Nimbus has successfully sold several drug assets, demonstrating the effectiveness of their model. They show that a biotech can grow and make money while being flexible and innovative.

come offit

bad cattitude • 264 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. There's concern about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines that are quickly pushed through without proper testing. People worry that these vaccines could lead to more harm than good.
  2. Current vaccine liability laws protect companies from being sued if their products cause harm. This might lower their incentive to ensure the vaccines are safe and effective.
  3. Many believe that if vaccine manufacturers were held accountable for their products, they would take more care in their development and testing. This would help restore public trust in vaccines.

No more vaccines

Disaffected Newsletter • 699 implied HN points • 02 Sep 22
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. The speaker has decided not to take any more vaccines, except for possibly a tetanus booster. They believe this decision is based on a rational understanding of public health and pharmaceutical practices.
  2. They feel that there may have been misinformation about the risk and benefits of earlier vaccines, leading to doubts about the vaccination process.
  3. The speaker acknowledges that their decision may seem unusual to vaccine supporters but sees it as a normal response to their understanding of the situation.

The lunacy of 340B and Medicare’s inability to negotiate drug prices

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 419 implied HN points • 20 Feb 23
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. Medicare can't negotiate drug prices, which means taxpayers often pay more than necessary for medicines. It doesn't seem fair that businesses get better deals than we do.
  2. The 340B Drug Pricing Program was created to help hospitals get lower drug prices, but it has grown too big and complicated. Now, many hospitals may be making more money from these discounts than they should.
  3. There is a lack of transparency regarding how much hospitals charge for drugs compared to their purchase prices. This raises concerns about fairness and accountability in the healthcare system.

COUNTERING MISINFORMATION: PREVIEW this weekend’s analysis-demolition of “Hidden Dangers of Vitamins and Supplements”

DrV’s Newsletter, Notes, Essays, Articles, Videos, and Book Chapters • 78 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Pharmaceuticals
  1. The author is going to review a video on 'Hidden Dangers of Vitamins and Supplements.'
  2. There is concern about the influence of drug companies on the US government.
  3. The topic of misinformation regarding nutrition and supplements is a focus of the author's work.

FDA approves Pfizer drugs with inadequate safety and efficacy data, and then regulators work for Pfizer

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 180 implied HN points • 24 Feb 25
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. FDA approvals for Pfizer drugs may not have enough safety and effectiveness data. This raises concerns about the reliability of the drugs available to the public.
  2. There is a pattern of FDA regulators moving to jobs at pharmaceutical companies after approving their products. This can create a conflict of interest and lead to questions about transparency.
  3. The system seems designed to favor big pharmaceutical companies rather than prioritize patient safety and well-being. This indicates a troubling relationship between regulators and the companies they oversee.

HHS, CDC to Make Announcement on Children’s Health Tomorrow

Who is Robert Malone • 13 implied HN points • 18 Dec 25
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. HHS and CDC are expected to announce a major change to the U.S. childhood vaccine schedule that could align it with other Western countries, potentially delaying start ages and reducing total doses for some vaccines.
  2. The decision may be driven at the HHS leadership level rather than through the CDC's advisory committee (ACIP), which would later need to update recommendations and align the Vaccines for Children program.
  3. If certain vaccines are removed from the official schedule, manufacturers could lose liability protections, likely triggering large lawsuits and intense pushback from pharmaceutical-backed medical groups, advocacy organizations, and trial lawyers.

Orbital Biolabs: Unleashing Cosmic Potential for Earth's Scientific Progress

Space Ambition • 199 implied HN points • 26 May 23
🔬 Science Pharmaceuticals
  1. Space labs help scientists learn about biology in unique ways. In microgravity, they can see how living things react differently than on Earth.
  2. New technologies, like 3D printing and gene editing, are being tested in space. This could lead to cool advances in medicine and health back on Earth.
  3. There's a growing trend of private companies joining space research. This means more opportunities for innovative experiments and discoveries.

All major Covid vaccines worldwide were once declared 100% effective, but zero actually worked

The Dossier • 490 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🏥 Health Politics Pharmaceuticals
  1. 40 Covid vaccine candidates worldwide were claimed to be highly effective, but none of them actually worked.
  2. Pharmaceutical companies and governments globally falsely advertised Covid vaccines as the ultimate protection.
  3. The Covid-19 vaccine situation highlights the importance of scrutinizing statistics and not letting a crisis be exploited.

Weight Loss Drugs – A Long Line Of Losers Part 1 Fen-Phen and Belviq

Weight and Healthcare • 359 implied HN points • 10 Aug 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Pharmaceuticals
  1. Pharmaceutical companies have profited off dangerous weight-loss drugs that harmed people and were eventually pulled from the market.
  2. Short-term data and misleading risk/benefit analyses have led to the approval of weight-loss drugs that caused serious side effects.
  3. Weight-related co-morbid conditions do not always originate from weight, and weight stigma in healthcare can lead to unjust risks for those with higher BMIs.