Will Recession Cure the Generic Drug Crisis? | Dignity in Mogadishu

A global economic downturn could very well revive the lifesaving drug industry.

Nine out of 10 people getting prescriptions filled in America — and around most of the world — rely on generic drugs to treat their medical conditions, from pain relievers like Vicodin to antibiotics like Amoxicillin. Yet these lifesavers are on ventilators themselves because pharmaceutical Goliaths have been brought to their knees in recent months by a combination of scandals, policy shifts and political opposition. But an unlikely cure may be on the horizon: a global economic downturn.

Over the past year, investors have turned cold on the world’s biggest generic pharmaceuticals firms as the prices of these drugs have crashed. That’s partly because of the Trump administration’s decision to expedite FDA approvals of new manufacturers, which has added competition and reduced margins. Pill distributors — known in the industry as pharmacy benefit managers — have banded together like never before, buying medicine as a block to negotiate lower costs. Then in May, these firms saw their shares sink in a day after 44 states brought lawsuits against the world’s top generic drug manufacturers, alleging price-fixing. Shares of Israel-based Teva fell by 13 percent, shares of Pennsylvania-based Mylan by 10 percent and shares of India’s Sun Pharmaceutical Industries by 21 percent, all within 24 hours. At the same time, the rowdy class of Democratic presidential candidates has routinely used the limelight to bash pharma’s role in feeding the opioid epidemic.

"Mama Amina" is taking care of women’s oft-forgotten sanitary needs, as Somalia’s refugee crisis swells.

When Mogadishu turned into a battleground for rival clan militias in early 1991, Amina Hagi Elmi was overwhelmed by a much more private conflict.

Having fled a comfortable home in Somalia’s capital with her family, the young businesswoman now found herself beneath a tree in Balcad — 22 miles from her home — and to her despair, she discovered that her period had come. “It was a disaster because I didn’t have any water or soap,” she recalls. “I became very nervous.”

Gathered beneath the tree, Elmi’s father, brothers and in-laws were waiting for her to cook for them, but she remained seated, trying to figure out how to stop the flow of blood. Finally, she tore her scarf in two and wrapped herself with a piece of cloth. Her vulnerability drove her to think of other women like herself out there, stuck beneath a tree.

Spread offenses and advanced metrics have changed the way football is played at every level.

Which position epitomizes football? The answer most certainly depends on an individual’s age and personal experience playing the game or watching from afar, but a few positions stick out more than others. Middle linebacker, what with the Ray Lewises, Dick Butkuses, Chuck Bednariks and other aptly named human brick walls, surely embodies the gridiron soul. Quarterback, of course, but those guys get enough of the glory.

For some, the game's grit and grind are best reflected in the labors of the fullback, now more unsung than ever. Only 16 percent of NFL teams listed the position on the roster last season, down from 48 percent in 2008. Fewer prep fullbacks are earning scholarships, and fewer college stars are getting NFL Combine invites.