Top of the News:

PharmExec has advice on how to use social media to your life science company’s benefit.

POLITICAL:

The U.S. military will require their members to get the COVID-19 vaccine, potentially sooner if the vaccines get final FDA approval or if infection rates continue to grow, AP News writes.

President Biden called on Congress to pass a number of legislative actions that would allow for Medicare to negotiate drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, putting a limit on out-of-pocket costs for seniors, and allowing states to import cheaper medications from Canada, among others, STAT News reports.

SOCIAL:

An expanding customer base of Type 2 diabetes patients have led to an increase of diabetes tech companies working to cater to them, despite the challenges that this new market presents, MedTech Dive writes.

The onset of the Delta variant of COVID-19 and potential full approval of COVID-19 vaccines in September have various biotech companies working to vaccinate their entire workforce in various ways, from requiring workers to either get the vaccine or subject to frequent testing, to providing guidance and strongly encouraging workers to get it, FierceBiotech reports.

ECONOMIC:

GentiBio, a biotherapeutics company focused on using T cell therapies to treat inflammatory and immune diseases such as Type 1 Diabetes, announced that they have earned over $157 million in Series A funding, BioPharma Dive writes.

Shares for medical device company Shockwave Medical rose to a 97.7% bottom line gain for the end of Q2, Mass Device reports.

TECHNOLOGY:

Prescription digital therapeutics company Mahana Therapeutics announced their new prescription digital therapy for IBS patients, Mahana IBS, Medical Device and Diagnostics Industry writes. Using cognitive behavioral therapy to help patients relieve their symptoms of IBS, Mahana Therapeutics CEO said in a statement that the PDT helped patients who couldn’t access a therapist obtain the care they needed.

Diagnostic health and genetics company Prenetics and Hong Kong corporation New World Development have released their reusable COVID-19 diagnostic tool that provides rapid results, Circle HealthPod, Medical Device Network reports.

LEGAL:

Former Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority director Rick Bright has settled with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over accusations that he was retaliated against for whistleblowing against the more problematic parts of the Trump administration’s approach to the COVID-19 pandemic, Endpoints writes.

Pharmaceutical corporation Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has filed a brief against the Department of Justice for allegedly modifying the language of a second superseding indictment to include additional details, FiercePharma reports. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries was indicted, alongside four other companies, by the DOJ in August of last year for alleged price fixing, among other behaviors.

ENVIRONMENTAL:

 The My Green Lab certification has been named as a key indicator of progress for the UNFCCC High Level Climate Champions’ 2030 Breakthroughs campaign, CSRWire writes.

Professional Development:

Has the Delta variant thrown off your organization’s return-to-office plans? Harvard Business Review has some tips on how to adjust accordingly.