Trending News Today: Drug Price Hikes Kick Off 2019

Drug manufacturers rang in the new year with price increases on more than 250 prescription medications, Reuters reported. According to the article, Rx Savings Solutions data show Allergan Plc raised list prices on more than 50 drugs, more than half of which carried an increase of 9.5%, and AbbVie increased the cost of rheumatoid arthritis treatment Humira by 6.2%. More price increases are expected this month, the article noted.

A new study suggests skipping recommended cancer screenings may be linked to a higher risk of earlier death from non-cancer causes, according to Reuters. For the study, the researchers examined data on 64,567 adults who were advised to get screened for lung, colorectal, prostate, and ovarian cancers. Within 10 years, those who didn’t receive any of their recommended cancer screenings were 73% more likely to die of causes other than the tumors targeted by the tests than those who got all their screenings, the article reported.

Data from the CDC indicate that opioid-related deaths among teens and children have nearly tripled since 1999, The Hill reported. According to the article, researchers found that 8986 children and adolescents under the age of 20 died from opioid-related causes between 1999 and 2016. The study also showed that 73% of the deaths were male and 88% involved children aged 15 to 19 years.