And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is rather busy for a change. We plan to take the short person to watch some hoops, catch another installment in our “Let’s-see-them-before-they-die” concert series, and attempt some spring cleaning. And what about you? Despite the tricky weather in some parts, this can be a fine time of year to enjoy the great outdoors. You could catch up on some reading, make time for someone special, or stock up on goods made in China before any tariffs go into effect. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon …
Drug makers gave at least $116 million to patient advocacy groups in a single year, Kaiser Health News reports. Donations to patient advocacy groups tallied for 2015 — the most recent full year in which documents required by the Internal Revenue Service were available — dwarfed the total amount the companies spent on federal lobbying. The 14 companies that contributed $116 million to patient advocacy groups reported only about $63 million in lobbying activities that same year.
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and a talc mining company must pay at least $37 million to an investment banker who blamed their products, including baby powder, for causing him to develop a deadly cancer linked to asbestos, Bloomberg News writes. The verdict is the first time a jury has backed a consumer’s claims that J&J baby powder causes mesothelioma, an often-fatal cancer linked to asbestos. About 6,600 women have sued the world’s largest health-care company blaming the powder for causing their ovarian cancers.
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