By Ed Silverman
June 16, 2026
Pharmalot Columnist, Senior Writer
Rise and shine, everyone, another busy day is on the way. And it is getting off to a pleasant start here on the Pharmalot campus, where clear blue skies and comfy breezes are greeting us. Moreover, the official mascots succeed in spotting various varmints — foxes and possums, to be specific, but thankfully, no vultures. As for us, we are heating our spiffy new replacement kettle for another cuppa stimulation. Our choice today is old-fashioned green teas. And here is a helpful tip — a teaspoon of honey enhances the flavors splendidly. Of course, you are invited to join us. For the full experience, we are now hawking replicas — take a look . Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest. As always, do keep in touch. We appreciate feedback, criticism, and tips. …
Weight loss drugs will be available to adults 65 and older in Medicare for the first time next month, thanks to a government program that is supposed to be temporary — but it may be difficult to end, STAT explains. By law, Medicare is prohibited from paying for obesity drugs, but the Trump administration is circumventing the law by making the drugs available in a demonstration program. Initially, Medicare hoped to push private Medicare insurers to voluntarily cover the drugs in a three-year program called Balance, which would have started following a short transitional period. But insurers balked, so the government is instead extending the transitional coverage program, called Bridge, until the end of next year.
Novo Nordisk chief executive officer Mike Doustdar said the company plans to seek Chinese regulatory approval for its Wegovy weight loss pill “very soon” as it moves to catch up with Eli Lilly in the world’s second-largest pharmaceutical market , Reuters tells us. The patent for semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo’s blockbusters Wegovy and Ozempic, expired in China in March, though the company has regulatory data protection until early next year. Doustdar said he expected competition from generic drugmakers from the second quarter of next year. Novo won early approval in the U.S. and the U.K. for its Wegovy pill and launched it in the U.S. this year. Lilly followed quickly, securing U.S. approval in April for its oral drug orforglipron.
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