1️⃣ Latest drugs head to China

John Lauerman discusses how the latest drugs are heading to China as its aging population grows and Xi Jinping pushes to reinvent China’s pharma industry. And big pharma companies like AstraZeneca are looking here to create and develop global medicines.

Bloomberg: To Get the Latest Drugs, Head to China

2️⃣ Drug safety

Recent safety scandals show the risk to international consumers from weak oversight in China, the world’s largest supplier of active pharmaceutical ingredients. The country's manufacturers account for 40 percent of global production.

FT: China Drug Scandals Highlight Risks to Global Supply Chain

3️⃣ Netflix, but for prescription drugs

The state of Louisiana officially unveiled a proposal this week in which the state would pay drug companies fixed prices over several years for “unlimited access” to hepatitis C drugs for Medicaid and prison populations. Louisiana is calling it a “subscription payment model” — kind of like Netflix.

Except instead of nonstop streaming, Louisiana gets as many hepatitis C treatments as it needs. Louisiana thinks it can save money and lives, while locking in revenue for drug companies.

StatNews: Louisiana Hep C Subscription Model

4️⃣ Can Ayushmann Bharat alter India’s healthcare landscape?

PwC: Ayushman Bharat – National Health Protection Mission

5️⃣ Why Americans spend so much on healthcare

Joseph Walker explores why the US spends more on health care compared to other developed countries. By using 12 charts to illustrate this phenomenon, he shows how hidden costs with insurers, hospital consolidation, and healthcare’s growing power in the economy contribute to this.

Bloomberg: Why Americans Spend So Much on Health Care—In 12 Charts