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October 15, 2026

Takeaways from the most recent news in the technology and policies shaping healthcare.

Government

Pennsylvania Sues Insulin Makers and PBMs Over Pricing

By Healthcare Technology News ·

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday has filed suit against three insulin manufacturers and several pharmacy benefit managers, accusing them of colluding to drive up insulin prices and patients' out-of-pocket spending, according to Becker's Hospital Review.

The complaint, brought by the AG's Antitrust Section in Commonwealth Court this week, alleges violations of Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, along with unjust enrichment and civil conspiracy. The core claim is familiar: critics say a rebate system tying list prices to the payments manufacturers make to PBMs for favorable formulary placement pushes sticker prices higher, leaving insured patients paying more at the pharmacy counter.

Pennsylvania joins a widening line of states and federal regulators scrutinizing insulin pricing and PBM practices. The Federal Trade Commission has pursued similar allegations against the largest PBMs, and multiple state attorneys general have filed comparable suits. The outcome could shape how rebates are disclosed and how much diabetic patients ultimately pay.

Sources

More in Government

Government

CMS Shaped AI Health Policy in a Private Slack

A KFF Health News investigation found CMS used a 1,700-member Slack of tech executives and investors to help shape federal AI healthcare policy outside public channels.

Why it matters: Federal AI rules will govern how healthcare algorithms are paid for and deployed, so who gets private access to shape them affects the entire industry.

Government

NIH Plans National Push on Personalized Cancer Vaccines

The NIH plans a December public-private partnership to accelerate development of personalized cancer vaccines, per a New York Times report.

Why it matters: A federally coordinated effort could accelerate a promising but fragmented field of custom cancer immunotherapies toward wider clinical use.

Government

White House Plans $100M STEM PhD Push as NIH Sheds Scientists

The Trump administration plans to put over $100 million into STEM PhD fellowships, announced at an Oct. 8 White House summit, even as the NIH loses scientists.

Why it matters: The PhD pipeline fuels biomedical research across hospitals and biotech, but new fellowship funding may not offset talent losses at the NIH.