Trending News Today: AstraZeneca Pushes for Crestor to Receive Orphan Drug Status

Physicians have come under significant scrutiny for prescribing opioids and have been advised by the CDC not to prescribe these drugs. However, not prescribing opioid painkillers for patients may complicate payments for hospitals. Certain hospitals are paid according to patient satisfaction surveys that include questions about how the physicians did all they could to treat their pain, according to Kaiser Health News.

Young adults insured through their parents face an issue of privacy when it comes to their healthcare. Recently, some states have implemented new laws to protect the privacy of these individuals. In California, insurers have to honor requests to not share information with policyholders if the patient is receiving sensitive services, Kaiser Health News reported.

AstraZeneca is trying to get Crestor, an anti-cholesterol drug, approved as an Orphan Drug to avoid generic competition. Critics state that the company is deviating from the Orphan Drug Act since Crestor is largely used to treat adults with high cholesterol, and not children with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, according to The New York Times. The company would be entitled to 7 years of additional market exclusivity.