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Published by AFP A family of rhesus macaque huddles together during a rainfall in Mumbai on June 21, 2021. Washington (AFP) – Mother monkeys permanently separated from their newborns sometimes find comfort in plush toys: this recent finding from Harvard experiments has set off intense controversy among scientists and reignited the ethical debate over animal testing. The paper, “Triggers for mother love” was authored by neuroscientist Margaret Livingstone and appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in September to little fanfare or media coverage. But once news of the study began spreading on social media, it provoked a firestorm of criticism and eventually a letter to PNAS signed by over 250 scientists calling for a retraction. Animal rights groups meanwhile recalled Livingstone’s past work, that included temporarily suturing shut the eyelids of infant monkeys in order to study the impact on their cognition. “We cannot ask monkeys for consent, but we can stop using, publishing, and in this case actively promoting cruel methods that knowingly cause extreme distress,” wrote Catherine Hobaiter, a primatologist at the University of St Andrews, who co-authored the retraction letter. Hobaiter told AFP she was awaiting a response from the journal before further comment, but expected news soon. Harvard and Livingstone, for their part, have strongly defended the research. Livingstone’s observations “can help scientists understand maternal bonding in humans and can inform comforting interventions to help women cope with loss in the immediate aftermath of suffering a miscarriage or experiencing a still birth,” said Harvard Medical School in a statement. Livingstone, in a separate statement, said: “I have joined the ranks of scientists targeted and demonized by opponents of animal research, who seek to abolish lifesaving research in all animals.” Such work routinely attracts the ire of groups such as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which opposes all forms of animal testing. This controversy has notably provoked strong responses in the scientific community, particularly from animal behavior researchers and primatologists, said Alan McElligot of the City University of Hong Kong’s Centre for Animal Health and a co-signer of the PNAS letter. He told AFP that Livingstone appears to have replicated research performed by Harry Harlow, a notorious American psychologist, from the mid-20th century. Harlow’s experiments on maternal deprivation in rhesus macaques were considered groundbreaking, but may have also helped catalyze the early animal liberation movement. “It just ignored all of the literature that we already have on attachment theory,” added Holly Root-Gutteridge, an animal behavior scientist at the University of Lincoln in Britain. Harm reduction – McElligot and Root-Gutteridge argue the case was emblematic of a wider problem in animal research, in which questionable studies and papers continue to pass institutional reviews and are published in high impact journals. McElligot pointed to a much-critiqued 2020 paper extolling the efficiency of foot snares to capture jaguars and cougars for scientific study in Brazil. More recently, experiments on marmosets that included invasive surgeries have attracted controversy. The University of Massachusetts Amherst team behind the work says studying the tiny monkeys, which have 10-year-lifespans and experience cognitive decline in their old age, are essential to better understand Alzheimers in people. Opponents argue results rarely translate across species. When it comes to testing drugs, there is evidence the tide is turning against animal trials. In September, the US Senate passed the bipartisan FDA Modernization Act, which would end a requirement that experimental medicines first be tested on animals before any human trials. The vast majority of drugs that pass animal tests fail in human trials, while new technologies such as tissue cultures, mini organs and AI models are also reducing the need for live animals. Opponents also say the vast sums of money that flow from government grants to universities and other institutes — $15 billion annually, according to watchdog group White Coat Waste — perpetuate a system in which animals are viewed as lab resources. “The animal experimenters are the rainmaker within the institutions, because they’re bringing in more money,” said primatologist Lisa Engel-Jones, who worked as a lab researcher for three decades but now opposes the practice and is a science advisor for PETA. “There’s financial incentive to keep doing what you’ve been doing and just look for any way you can to get more papers published, because that means more funding and more job security,” added Emily Trunnel, a neuroscientist who experimented on rodents and also now works for PETA. Most scientists do not share PETA’s absolutist stance, but instead say they adhere to the “three Rs” framework — refine, replace and reduce animal use. On Livingstone’s experiment, Root-Gutteridge said the underlying questions might have been studied on wild macaques who naturally lost their young, and urged neuroscientists to team up with animal behaviorists to find ways to minimize harm. View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Anne Hathaway admits a ‘ The Devil Wears Prada’ sequel is “tempting” – but unlikely. Despite there being another book, ‘Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns’, released in 2013, seven years after the comedy-drama flick’s release, the Hollywood star doesn’t believe a follow-up could be made today. Appearing on ‘The View’ this week, she said: “I don’t know if there can be [a sequel movie]. “I just think that movie was in a different era, you know? Now, everything’s gone so digital, and that movie centered around the concept of producing a physical thing. It’s just very different now.” Anne would love to see where her character Andy and Emily (Emily Blunt) would be now, the assistants to Meryl Streep’s hellish magazine editor alter ego Miranda. She continued: “Although, it is tempting to think about Andy and Emily needing to get Miranda her coffee and she’s somewhere in Europe. And then along the way they pick up Stanley Tucci [Nigel] in Italy, who’s at a restaurant. It’s tempting, but I don’t think it’s gonna happen.” The 39-year-old star could, however, see it being rebooted with a new cast. She suggested: “But they could relaunch it. They could find new people and do it. Do you think they’d let us do that?” View the full article

Published by AFP Re-enactment of a treatment session for depression using psilocybin in an image from the company COMPASS Pathways, which is developing such a treatment Washington (AFP) – For years, scientists have been looking ever more seriously at the therapeutic effect of psychedelics, which are not legal under US federal law. However, despite this renewed interest, large-scale studies are still lacking. On Wednesday, researchers took an important step to fill this gap. Their work, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, is the largest clinical trial ever conducted to evaluate the effect of psilocybin, a psychoactive substance found naturally in “magic” mushrooms. A single dose of 25 milligrams reduced symptoms of depression in people for whom several conventional treatments had failed, they showed. An estimated 100 million people worldwide suffer from treatment-resistant depression. Some experts view psychedelics as a possible way to help them. The researchers tested a synthetic version of psilocybin developed by the start-up Compass Pathway, which also funded the trials. A total of 233 people in 10 countries took part in the study, during which they halted ongoing treatment but received psychological support. They were divided into three groups, randomly receiving 1 milligram, 10 milligrams or 25 milligrams of the treatment. The sessions, in a dedicated room, lasted between six and eight hours during which the participants were never left alone. Some described being immersed in “a dream-like state” that could be remembered, study co-author James Rucker told a news conference. One participant required a sedative during the session because of anxiety. But the side effects observed — headaches, nausea, anxiety — were generally moderate and disappeared quickly. Larger trials needed Three weeks later, patients who received 25 mg showed significant improvement compared to lower doses on a baseline measure for depression. Just under 30 percent were in remission. “It is the strongest evidence so far to suggest that further, larger and longer randomized trials of psychedelics are justified, and that psilocybin may (one day) provide a potential alternative to antidepressants that have been prescribed for decades,” said Andrew McIntosh, professor of psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh. McIntosh was not involved in the study. The phase 2 trials were designed to determine the dosage and confirm the existence of an appropriate effect. Phase 3 trials, involving more participants, are scheduled to begin this year and run until 2025. The startup is already in touch with the US Food and Drug Administration and regulators in Europe. Another expert offered caution. “We don’t yet know enough about the potential side effects, particularly whether some people may experience a worsening of some symptoms,” said Anthony Cleare, a professor of psychopharmacology in London, who was not involved in the study. In the trials, three participants showed suicidal behavior among those who received 25 mg, compared with none in the other groups. These events, however, occurred more than 28 days after treatment, noted Guy Goodwin, professor of psychiatry at Oxford and chief medical officer of Compass Pathways. “Our hypothesis is that the differences are by chance… but we can only settle this by doing further experiments,” he said. The matter of long-term impact also remains open, as it faded when the participants were followed up three months later. Repeated doses may be necessary. Two doses will be tested in future trials, Goodwin said. ‘More flexible state’ Taking psilocybin leads to an increase in dopamine (known to regulate mood) and another neurotransmitter that may promote brain plasticity, Rucker said. “When the brain is in a more flexible state, it opens what we consider to be a therapeutic window of opportunity, in which –in the context… of psychotherapy — you may be able to elicit positive changes in the minds of people,” Rucker said. Psilocybin promotes “more communication between brain regions,” added Nadav Liam Modlin, also a co-author of the study. Psilocybin, which is not addictive, is also studied for other pathologies including post-traumatic stress, anorexia, anxiety and addictions. In 2020, the state of Oregon voted in favor of the therapeutic use of psilocybin. Exemptions have also been granted in Canada. But at the US federal level, psilocybin is treated as a dangerous drug in the same category as heroin. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Matthew Perry‘s Friends are there for him. Despite the actor airing out his dirty laundry in his bombshell tell-all, his Friends costars weren’t bothered by his honesty. “[They’re] all very supportive and proud of him to be coming clean and giving himself closure in so many areas,” an insider spilled of his former castmates, Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox and David Schwimmer. “There was a wariness in the build-up to the release for sure, that he may have spilled a lot more embarrassing secrets than he did.” mega As OK! previously reported, Perry had his former costars shaking in their boots ahead of the release of his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing. And while he shared behind-the-scenes anecdotes about his time on the beloved ’90s sitcom, most of his pages were filled with his struggle with drug and alcohol abuse. JENNIFER ANISTON LOOKS BACK ON ‘FRIENDS’ DAYS AHEAD OF MATTHEW PERRY’S BOMBSHELL MEMOIR RELEASE And while Perry left it all on the table when it came to sharing his personal battles and failed relationships, being so vulnerable for the world to judge was no easy task. “Despite his upbeat attitude, there’s still a sense of underlying nervousness since he’s thrown his heart and soul into this project,” the source continued of Perry. “Going into so much detail about his darkest days and sharing those secrets he held onto for all these years has been no easy process. But he’s very happy with how it’s all turning out.” Perry revealed in his tell-all that he was only sober for one season of Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004. “You can track the trajectory of my addiction if you gauge my weight from season to season — when I’m carrying weight, it’s alcohol; when I’m skinny, it’s pills,” the 17 Again actor wrote. “When I have a goatee, it’s lots of pills.” mega Before his book hit the shelves, Perry revealed some of his costars already reached out about his project with kind words. MATTHEW PERRY BELIEVED HIS ‘PENIS DIDN’T WORK’ UNTIL SEX WITH TRICIA FISHER WAS ‘SHEER GLORY FOR 2 WHOLE MINUTES’ “I’ve gotten some really nice texts from a few of them already, and the book isn’t even out yet,” Perry told George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America during his Monday, October 31, appearance — while not naming which specific stars reached out. mega “So hopefully, [I get] more,” he continued. “It’s very important to me that I didn’t go after anyone and I wasn’t gossipy [in the book].” Perry also detailed his long-standing crush on Aniston, revealing that before they were even cast in the series, he asked her out knowing she had no interest in him. Despite the hard rejection, Perry and Aniston were “able to sail right past the past” once they landed their roles, “and focus on the fact that we had both gotten the best job Hollywood had to offer.” Us Weekly spoke to an insider about the Friends cast’s reaction to Perry’s memoir. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden traveled to the western United States on Thursday as part of his final major campaign swing ahead of midterm elections that the White House seeks to turn into a referendum on Republicans, and Republicans into a vote on Biden. Biden’s three-day campaign swing will take him to New Mexico, California and Illinois and will conclude in Pennsylvania on Saturday. He will appear at a rally in Maryland on Monday ahead of Tuesday’s congressional elections. Biden, whose percentage job approval rating in the low 40s is a drag on Democratic candidates, is fighting to help his party hold off a strong challenge mounted by Republicans for control of the U.S. Congress. Polls show Republicans have the edge among voters, many of whom are worried about the U.S. economy and inflation, and they are widely expected to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives and perhaps the Senate as well. Opposition parties historically fare better in midterm elections, providing a balance for new presidents in the second half of their terms. At his first stop, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Biden will tout the benefits of his student loan debt relief plan and then headline a rally for the state’s Democratic governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, who is trying to fend off Republican nominee Mark Ronchetti. He will move on to San Diego, California, to participate in an event for Democratic congressional candidate Mike Levin. On Friday and Saturday he will spend time in Chicago before campaigning for Democrats in Philadelphia with former President Barack Obama. Biden warned on Wednesday night that Republican loyalists to former President Donald Trump are a threat to democracy by refusing to say they will accept the results of elections if they are defeated on Tuesday. (Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Heather Timmons and Alistair Bell) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Marjorie Taylor Greene was spotted with a right-wing reporter despite the man denying the two were ever together, RadarOnline.com has learned. In photos taken exclusively by Daily Mail, the 48-year-old controversial GOP congresswoman was seen spending the day with Republican reporter Brian Glenn. Mega According to the outlet, the photos of the pair “schmoozing” were taken last week while MTG was campaigning in her adopted hometown of Rome, Georgia. Glenn, who serves as program director for the online outlet Right Side Broadcasting Network, was seen in the series of photos climbing into Greene’s SUV before the pair had dinner at a local restaurant and then returned to the Georgia House Representative’s home. The photos of the two together also came just days after Glenn filed for divorce from his wife, although the right-winger denied he and Greene were entangled in a romantic affair. He also denied the two were together on last Thursday in Rome, Georgia. “My divorce has nothing to do with Marjorie Taylor Greene,” he told Daily Mail. “No, I do not have a romantic relationship with Marjorie Taylor Greene.” “We have video stuff we do,” he continued. “She’s in politics, I’m in politics. That’s what’s going on.” Mega The two were previously seen together on a number of separate occasions, including posing for a photo together alongside Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak in September, and as Glenn interviewed Greene outside the United States Supreme Court building in June following the court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. “Oh my God, Brian,” she cried before throwing her arms around his neck. “I’m thrilled. I think it’s a miracle. I’m so thrilled. I’ve cried about this. I’ve prayed.” As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the sighting of Greene and Glenn together also comes just a few weeks after the congresswoman’s own husband, Perry Greene, filed for divorce in September. According to the court documents filed by Perry, the couple was already separated at the time he filed and he requested their marital assets be divided equally. Mega “Marjorie has been my best friend for the last 29 years and she has been an amazing mom!” he said in a statement following news of the split, although he also requested the divorce records be sealed from public view. “Our family is our most important thing we have done.” “As we go on different paths we will continue to focus on our 3 incredible kids and their future endeavors and our friendship,” he added. MTG also released a statement after the news of the couple’s divorce broke, thanking Perry for providing her with the “best job title you can ever earn: Mom.” “I’ll always be grateful for how great of a dad he is to our children,” she added. View the full article

Published by Reuters By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A push in the U.S. Congress to make daylight-saving time permanent, which was unanimously passed by the Senate earlier this year, has stalled in the House, with a key lawmaker telling Reuters they have been unable to reach consensus. In March, the Senate voted to put a stop next year to the twice-annual changing of clocks, which supporters say will lead to brighter afternoons and more economic activity. U.S. Representative Frank Pallone, who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee that has jurisdiction over the issue, said in a statement to Reuters the House is still trying to figure out how to move forward. “We haven’t been able to find consensus in the House on this yet. There are a broad variety of opinions about whether to keep the status quo, to move to a permanent time, and if so, what time that should be,” Pallone, a Democrat, said, adding that opinions break down by region, not by party. Legislative aides told Reuters they do not expect Congress to reach agreement before the end of the year. Supporters in the Senate would need to reintroduce the bill next year if it is not approved by the end of the year. Daylight-saving time has been in place in nearly all of the United States since the 1960s. Year-round daylight-saving time was used during World War Two and adopted again in 1973 in a bid to reduce energy use because of an oil embargo and repealed a year later. “We don’t want to make a hasty change and then have it reversed several years later after public opinion turns against it — which is exactly what happened in the early 1970s,” Pallone said. On Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT), the United States will resume standard time. Pallone previously said he backs ending the clock-switching but has not decided whether to support daylight or standard time as the permanent choice. Supporters also argue that if approved, the so-called Sunshine Protection Act would allow children to play outdoors later, and reduce seasonal depression. It would also prevent a slight uptick in car crashes that typically occurs around time changes — notably crashes with deer. They also point to studies suggesting a small increase in heart attacks and strokes soon after the time change and argue the measure could help businesses like golf courses draw more customers into the evening. Critics, including the National Association of Convenience Stores, say it will force many children to walk to school in darkness during the winter, since the measure would delay sunrise by an hour in some places. On Sunday, Mexico rolled back its clocks one last time after the passage of a law last week to abolish daylight-saving time. Some northern towns will continue to practice the time change come spring, however, likely due to their ties with U.S. cities across the border. The move, long sought by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, was based on backing by voters as well as negligible energy savings and negative health effects from the time change, officials said. The White House declined to say earlier this year if Biden supports making daylight-saving time permanent. Since 2015, about 30 states have introduced or passed legislation to end the twice-yearly changing of clocks, with some states proposing to do it only if neighboring states do the same. The bill would allow Arizona and Hawaii, which do not observe daylight-saving time, to remain on standard time as well as American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; additional reporting by Kylie Madry in Mexico City; editing by Diane Craft) View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Alongside Charles’ alleged affair with Camilla Parker Bowles and other royal drama, it seems sex served as a notably contentious topic amid King Charles III and the late Princess Diana’s “highly combustible” marriage, according to royal biographer, Christopher Andersen. In his new book, The King: The Life of Charles III, the author alleges that the pair once got into a spat surrounding their seemingly non-existent sex life, a fight that one royal valet recalled involving Diana “literally” pursuing the future monarch “down hallways, up staircases and from room to room” at the ruler’s Highgrove House estate in Gloucestershire, England. After allegedly “hurling epithets and mocking her husband’s obsession with the dreary-looking Camilla,” Diana reportedly asked Charles about their waning sex life, which the ruler “for all intents and purposes unilaterally called a halt” after the pair welcomed their youngest son, Prince Harry, in 1984. mega “Why won’t you sleep with me?” the princess reportedly quipped towards Charles, according to the upcoming biography, set to hit shelves on Tuesday, November 8. THE NIGHT A HUMILIATED DIANA CONFRONTED PRINCE CHARLES’ LOVER – AND THE ‘RUTHLESS CAMPAIGN’ TO REHABILITATE CAMILLA’S IMAGE AFTER HER DEATH “I don’t know, dear. I think I might be gay,” the monarch allegedly joked back to his then-wife. mega Yet it seems this incident is far from the only time in which the famous couple exchanged heated words amid their nearly 15-year spanning relationship, the King once reportedly demanding that Diana approach him with the respect “he felt his position warranted.” PRINCE CHARLES WAS SECRETLY QUESTIONED OVER PRINCESS DIANA’S CRYPTIC NOTE: ‘MY HUSBAND IS PLANNING AN ACCIDENT‘ “‘Do you know who I am?’ he allegedly snapped, according to Anderson. It seems his wife was not too thrilled about her husband’s grandiose question. “Diana answered that he was a ‘f**king animal,’” Anderson said, adding that the princess then took aim at the royal succession. mega “You will never be King!” Diana allegedly yelled amid their spat, adding that “William will succeed” Charles’ mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. “I will see to that,” she reportedly shouted. Considering the nature of these arguments, it seems several royal staffers had worries surrounding the couple’s safety. “The detectives in charge of protecting members of the royal family were deeply concerned that ‘in the heat of anger,’ any one of these could be used to commit suicide, homicide or both,” the author noted, adding that the “sheer firepower” in the vicinity only exacerbated the issue. Page Six previously reported on Andersen’s recent comments. View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega Harry Potter and the Vocal Ally! Harry Potter alum Daniel Radcliffe got candid about his continued support for the trans community this week, detailing how the wizarding franchise partially inspired him to speak out against author J.K. Rowling ’s inflammatory comments targeting transgender people. “The reason I was felt very, very much as though I needed to say something when I did was because, particularly since finishing Potter, I’ve met so many queer and trans kids and young people who had a huge amount of identification with Potter on that,” the actor explained in an interview published earlier this week. mega Upon seeing how “hurt” many LGBTQAI+ fans felt due to Rowling’s remarks, Radcliffe said he decided to take a stand, reiterating his support. J.K. ROWLING NOTICEABLY ABSENT FROM ‘HARRY POTTER’ 20-YEAR REUNION SPECIAL FOLLOWING AUTHOR’S TRANSPHOBIC REMARKS “I was like, I wanted them to know that not everybody in the franchise felt that way,” the star recalled. “And that was really important.” mega In June 2020, Rowling, who penned the Harry Potter books, received major backlash after sharing a tweet slamming the gender-inclusive phrase: “people who menstruate.” WATCH PETE DAVIDSON BLAST J.K. ROWLING’S ‘DISAPPOINTING’ TRANSPHOBIC REMARKS Despite sparking ire among fans and celebrities alike, Rowling doubled down on her inciting remarks, a move that prompted Radcliffe to issue a statement rebutting the writer’s apparent beliefs. mega “Transgender women are women,” the now 33-year-old star wrote in a response to Rowling’s remarks. “Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I.” Beyond showing solidarity with Harry Potter fans, Radcliffe also cited his long-running work with The Trevor Project — a non-profit suicide prevention organization aimed at aiding members of the LGBTQAI+ community — as another factor that provoked him to speak out. “It was really important as I’ve worked with the Trevor Project for more than 10 years, and so I don’t think I would’ve been able to look myself in the mirror had I not said anything,” Radcliffe recalled. “But it’s not mine to guess what’s going on in someone else’s head.” Radcliffe’s comments first appeared in IndieWire. View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mega Ice queen Reese Witherspoon is freezing out her ex-husband Ryan Phillippe because the successful Morning Show star refuses to be dragged down by his personal drama, RadarOnline.com has learned. The Cruel intentions co-stars cordially co-parented their kids following their 2008 divorce. But tipsters dished they now rarely speak as their daughter Ava, 23, and son Deacon, 19, are on their own. “Reese and Ryan maintained a civil relationship when they were making decisions about their children — but that’s gone now,” an insider squealed. Reese Witherspoon’s Daughter Ava Spotted Out With Boyfriend Who Is A Dead Ringer For Her Dad Ryan Phillippe Mega The spy added that Reese, 46, is still peeved about being subpoenaed to testify in 2019 when Ryan’s ex-girlfriend, model Elsie Hewitt, 26, accused him of battering her and slapped the actor with a $1 million lawsuit. The movie hunk, 48, denied abusing Elsie but settled the case out of court. “Reese still sees Ryan’s life is messy, and she doesn’t want to be drawn into it,” the source said. “She doesn’t care for him — or see the need to be buddies.” As RadarOnline.com reported, Elsie sued Ryan for $1 million in 2017 after accusing him of assaulting her at his Los Angeles home. According to her, the I Know What You Did Last Summer star “braced his body and violently threw her down his staircase as hard as he could” after the two got into a fight. She also provided bruises of her injuries. Mega In the lawsuit, Elsie accused the actor of abusing “cocaine, ecstasy, psychedelic mushrooms, and steroids.” She even added Ryan’s ex-wife to her witness list — which didn’t sit well with the actor. Ryan desperately tried to keep Reese out of it. He ended up settling with Elsie in 2019, just days before they were set to face off in court. He denied all allegations of assault and accused Elsie of trying to extort him. Mega Reese and Ryan said “I do” in 1999 on the heels of their Cruel Intensions success. Despite being one of America’s sweetheart couples, the duo called it quits nearly two decades ago, with Reese filing for divorce in November 2006 after 7 years of marriage. She remarried in 2011, exchanging nuptials with talent agent Jim Toth. They have one son, Tennessee, 10. View the full article

Published by Radar Online @marianajvarela/Instagram Two Miss Universe contestants revealed they were both crowned winners when they exchanged vows in secrecy. Miss Argentina and Miss Puerto Rico confirmed they are married after meeting at a pageant in 2020, RadarOnline.com has learned. The global beauty pageant featuring winners from around the world to compete for the ultimate title, welcomed its first openly gay contestant in 2019. The pageant was formed in 1952 and has received criticism before for archaic portrayal of stereotypes and gender roles. @marianajvarela/Instagram Mariana Varela, 26, of Argentina and Fabiola Valentín, 22, of Puerto Rico shared the news of their secret nuptials on Instagram. The announcement effectively ended their future chances of competing for the Miss Universe title, as contestants must not be married or have ever been married prior to competing in the pageant. Miss Universe also restricts pregnant women and mothers from competing, even if they are within the 18 to 27 age requirement. “Mrs” is the ultimate title, however, for Varela and Valentín, who revealed they had to keep their relationship a secret for two years in a post on Instagram. “After deciding to keep our relationship private, we opened the doors to them on a special day,” read the caption of the Instagram post that was shared by the couple. The announcement shared details on their romance and its pageant origin. @marianajvarela/Instagram The duo revealed that their love story began after meeting at the Miss Grand International competition in 2020, where they were both representing their home countries. Few could have predicted the two were more than friends, due to the couple never before confirming their relationship. Nonetheless, an Instagram reel shared by both beauty queens gave an intimate look into their life as a couple, including travels together, cozy moments cuddling and lots of smiles from each woman. The reel racked up more than 1.8 million views within the first three days of being shared by the newlyweds. It also showed the night of their engagement in a rose and candled-filled moment at home. @marianajvarela/Instagram Fairy string lights and rose petals adorn the couple’s apartment that’s seen in the reel. Red and white balloons, along with several gold balloons spelling out the big question, “Will You Marry Me?” can also be seen in the sweet clip. Miss Puerto Rico then slips an engagement ring on the finger of Miss Argentina. The newlyweds wore almost identical rings both set in silver and featuring diamond-encrusted bands cushion-cut setting with an additional halo of diamonds wrapped around the center. The reel concluded with a quick shot of the couple on the steps of a building, both dressed in white. One beauty queen wore a chic belted mini dress featuring whimsical feather accents. The other bride matched her significant other in a sophisticated white suit set. View the full article

Published by The Sacramento Bee What you think you know about how rape victims act is probably wrong, and there’s a reason for that: It seems intuitive that anyone violated in that way would scream, run and only ever see the perp again in court. Only, not one of those responses is common. In the decade that I’ve been writing about rape and sexual assault, I’m not sure I’ve covered a single victim who either screamed or ran. The only one who never saw the perp again completed suicide 10 days later. Dr. Barbara Ziv, a forensic psychiatrist in Pennsylvania since 1997, testified on Tuesday at Harvey Weinstein’s Los Angeles rape … Read More View the full article

Published by BANG Showbiz English Julie Bowen fell in love with a gay woman who didn’t like her “in that way”. Opening up about her sexuality, the mum-of-three ‘Modern Family’ actress, 52, added she identifies as straight despite being once interested in a female. She told Becca Tilley, 34, on the latest episode of her ‘Quitters’ podcast, released on 1 November: “I’m straight. I’ve always been straight. I was in love with a woman for a while but she didn’t love me back. “She liked women, but she didn’t like me in that way. “It never really took off so I never really had to challenge my concept of my sexuality.” Julie – who shares sons Oliver, 15, and 13-year-old twins John and Gus with her ex-husband Scott Phillips – added to the former ‘The Bachelor’ competitor about keeping sexuality private: “I hope people don’t always have to come out. What you do with your body should not be the first thing we know about people, or care about – that’s your business. Becca responded she has “never thought about a label” when it came to defining her sexuality. Julie said in January on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ she has “retired” from dating and is “very single” – though admitted she would come out of retirement for Harry Styles. Guest host Adam DeVine said while mentioning Julie was at the former One Direction singer’s ‘Fine Line’ tour in 2021: “Word on the street is that you have a little bit of a crush, girl.” Julie replied: “You’re asking me if I’d come out of (dating) retirement for Harry Styles? Oh, hell yeah. Him? Look at him!” Julie added during the show’s ‘Five Second Rule’ game her three celebrity crushes were Harry, 28, Timothée Chalamet, 26, and guest host Adam DeVine, 38. The actress’ marriage to real estate developer Scott lasted 13 years before they split, with Julie ending her divorce filing in February 2018, before it was finalised in September that year. View the full article

Published by Radar Online ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA An anonymous woman is standing by her claims that GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker pressured her to have an abortion during their alleged six-year affair, RadarOnline.com has discovered. The accuser, whose name is being withheld for privacy concerns, came forward on Tuesday with bombshell new allegations while appearing on Good Morning America following her headline-making news conference last week. ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA “He was very clear that he did not want me to have the child and he said that — because of his wife’s family and powerful people around him, that I would not be safe and that the child would not be safe,” she, using the pseudonym Jane Doe, claimed. “It is very menacing, and I felt threatened, and I thought I had no choice,” Doe alleged, stating she had been on birth control before finding out she was expecting. After having second thoughts about getting rid of her child, she claimed Walker drove her to the clinic and paid for the procedure with cash back in April 1993, alleging their tryst began while he was a married man. Doe unveiled her face in the television interview, claiming she kept the secret withheld for 30 years to protect the former football player. She said they met in the late 80s and saw each other several times a week — usually in the mornings as well as before games. Doe shared hotel receipts from that era, in addition to an alleged voicemail from Walker, claiming he showered her with love notes when their romance was at its peak. After the abortion, she said he “distanced himself from me almost immediately,” claiming he only reached out occasionally over the years. Doe said she has no political motivation for coming forward, noting that she voted for Donald Trump twice and wanted to give the “truth” to the American people. Walker, known for being an avowed abortion opponent, denied the claims. “This was a lie a week ago and it is a lie today,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Doe came forward months after another woman said Walker had paid for her to have an abortion in 2009 and urged her to terminate a second pregnancy two years later. He shut down the allegations as “a flat-out lie.” View the full article

Published by OK Magazine mega It seems Billie Eilish and her newly Instagram official flame, The Neighbourhood frontman Jesse Rutherford, have been made out to be the “bad guy” this week, facing backlash for their Halloween costumes: a baby and an old man. On Tuesday, November 1, the 20-year-old artist took to social media, sharing several photos depicting her Halloween celebrations, including one showing her and Rutherford, 30, posing side-by-side in their holiday getup. “Life is craaaaaaaaaaaaaaazy,” Eilish captioned the carousel, which also included a snap of the “Sweater Weather” artist sporting a clown getup. “Happy halloween.” @billieeilish/instagram With Eilish sporting a bright pink bonnet and a matching bib and Rutherford rocking seemingly complex age makeup, the pair’s joint costume and subsequent post appears to be a dig at critics who have condemned their 10-year age gap. Yet it seems several fans were less than amused with Eilish’s seemingly tongue-in-cheek approach to the late October holiday, flooding the post’s comments section with pointed and concerned messages about the “Ocean Eyes” songstress’ new romance. “Girl do yourself a favor and delete the last photo,” wrote one fan. “That last slide is gonna haunt her in a few years when she’s older and realizes that a 31 year old has no business with someone that young,” quipped another. “Honestly yikes on the last photo,” added a third. mega First spotted smooching last month, the pair seemingly go way back, allegedly first meeting in 2017 when Eilish would have been 15 or 16 years old, perElle, a sentiment that has sparked alarm among fans. BILLIE EILISH & MATTHEW TYLER VORCE SPLIT, ACTOR ADDRESSES CHEATING ACCUSATIONS Yet this isn’t the only instance in which Eilish has dated someone a decade her senior. Earlier this year, the star made headlines after calling it quits with former flame Matthew Tyler Vorce. @billieeilish/instagram Despite rumors that Vorce had cheated on Eilish, the actor took to social media to set the record straight following their split. “The fact that thousands of people take time out of their day to write the most heinous things on someone they will never know posts is the most cowardly thing you can do. Live your own life,” he wrote in an Instagram Story at the time. “Nobody cheated on anyone. Relationships end. Simple as that. Creating rumors and LYING on the internet is dangerous.” View the full article

Published by Reuters By Jason Lange WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden’s approval rating edged higher with just a week to go before U.S. midterm elections when his Democratic Party is expected to lose control of the House of Representatives, a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll completed on Tuesday found. The two-day national poll found that 40% of Americans approve of Biden’s job performance, a percentage point higher than a week earlier. Despite the increase, Biden’s approval rating remains near the lowest levels of his presidency, and his unpopularity is helping drive the view that Republicans will win control of the House and possibly also the Senate on Nov. 8. Control of even one chamber of Congress would give Republicans the power to bring Biden’s legislative agenda to a halt. Taking office in January 2021 in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Biden’s term has been marked by the economic scars of the global health crisis, including soaring inflation. This year, his approval rating drifted as low as 36% in May and June. In this week’s Reuters/Ipsos poll, about a third of respondents picked the economy as the country’s biggest problem, a much larger share than the one in 10 who picked crime or the end of national abortion rights following the Supreme Court’s June decision. The poll, conducted online in English throughout the United States, gathered responses from 1,004 adults, including 455 Democrats and 355 Republicans. It has a credibility interval – a measure of precision – of 4 percentage points either way. (Reporting by Jason Lange; editing by Jonathan Oatis) View the full article

Published by Radar Online Mirrorpix / MEGA Leslie Jordan‘s legacy lives on. A photo of the beloved actor and comedian has been placed in the front lobby of the picturesque Los Angeles condo he purchased just weeks before his death, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned. “As far as I’m concerned Leslie Jordan still lives in our building,” read a Facebook post from Vintage Los Angeles, showing a portrait of the star smiling as a greeting for residents in the iconic building overlooking Sunset Plaza and Hollywood Hills. Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / MEGA “Leslie had just moved to a condo in the same building I live in,” wrote the author, revealing they heard he was “moving in his furniture the day he passed.” As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Jordan had spent $1.75 million for the place at the beginning of August. “We were so looking forward to knowing him better and just seeing his smiling face in the elevator,” the author gushed about Jordan via social media. “What an incredibly talented, unique, positive individual that can never be replaced.” Fans were devastated to learn that Jordan died on October 24. He was 67. The cherished performer was tragically involved in a car accident in Hollywood and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County coroner. At this time, it’s unknown if Jordan suffered some sort of medical emergency beforehand. Rod Lamkey – CNP / MEGA Prior to his death, Jordan made a name for himself in Tinseltown thanks to his work on popular TV shows including Will & Grace, Hearts Afire, and American Horror Story. He also garnered a large following on social media during the pandemic. RadarOnline.com has since learned that Jordan’s life was celebrated by those near and dear to him during a recent event. Over the weekend, the Chattanooga, Tennessee, native had been scheduled to join his costars in Palm Springs, California, to ring in the 22nd anniversary of the cult-favorite film Sordid Lives, and they used the opportunity to pay homage to his memory. MEGA “We’re not so great,” writer and director Del Shores said. “But we’re here, and y’all make everything better. It’s been a sad week for us.” “There was a discussion for a while that we were gonna cancel because I was just so ‘tore up,’ as we say in the South, over Leslie’s death,” Shores added. “As this became an impromptu memorial service of sorts, we figured there was no better way than to kick it off than with a special message in song by Rosemary and Newell Alexander.” View the full article

Published by AFP After the US Supreme Court's controversial decision to overturn the nationwide right to abortion, more women have sought out abortion pills online Washington (AFP) – Requests by Americans for abortion pills from outside the United States have surged since the US Supreme Court’s explosive decision last summer to overturn the nationwide right to the procedure, according to a study published Tuesday. Researchers, whose work was published in the medical journal JAMA, analyzed the number of requests submitted to telemedicine service Aid Access, which delivers abortion pills from abroad to 30 US states. Aid Access was purposefully set up to help women “self-manage” their abortions at home, circumventing local bans or other barriers. After the Supreme Court’s controversial decision in late June, many Republican-led states severely restricted or outright banned abortions. According to the study, Aid Access received an average of 83 requests per day before the Supreme Court’s decision from the 30 states in which it operates. But in the two months after, that number jumped to 213 per day — an increase of about 160 percent. Proportional to the number of women in each state, the increase in Aid Access requests were highest in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama and Oklahoma — all of which completely banned abortions. In the states that outlawed abortions, “current legal restrictions” was cited as women’s motivation for using the service in about 62 percent of cases after the Supreme Court decision, compared to 31 percent before. The study did analyze requests for the pills on other sites, where they are easily available for a few hundred dollars — but without medical supervision. Another study, also published Tuesday in the journal JAMA, looked at the average travel time for women to reach an abortion clinic in the United States. The average time was 28 minutes before the Supreme Court’s decision, and it increased significantly to 1 hour and 40 minutes afterward. The national average however masks wide local disparities. In states that implemented a total abortion ban or limits after six weeks of pregnancy, the average travel time increase was four hours, according to the study, which added that the lack of access was especially a problem for those with fewer resources. In the 100 days following the Supreme Court ruling, at least 66 clinics stopped performing abortions, according to a report in early October by the Guttmacher Institute. View the full article

Published by AFP A rare original copy of the 1787 U.S. Constitution, photographed at Sotheby's in New York on October 31, 2022 prior to its auction on December 13 for an estimated $20 million to $30 million New York (AFP) – An original copy of the US Constitution — one of only two known to be in private hands — will be auctioned off in December with bidding estimated to go as high as $30 million, Sotheby’s announced Tuesday. Five hundred first printings were made of the US Constitution’s final text and provided to participants at the 1787 Constitutional Convention, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and Ben Franklin, but almost all have been lost to history. Of the 13 that are known to have remained, 11 are owned by governments and institutions. Last year, one of the two privately held copies was bought for $43.2 million by US hedge fund manager Ken Griffin, who outbid a group of 17,000 cryptocurrency investors who had raised $40 million to try to buy the document, vowing to exhibit it in the public digital domain. Griffin’s purchase, which he has since lent for display at a free public museum, set a record for the highest price ever paid for a historical document at auction, according to Sotheby’s. The second copy will be auctioned off on December 13 for up to $30 million dollars, but bidding could soar even higher, according to Richard Austin, an expert in manuscripts and old books at Sotheby’s New York auction house. Austin told AFP he would “like to see another private individual or perhaps a group being responsible for the care of this very important document.” The artifact will be on public display at Sotheby’s New York starting on November 4. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Brendan Pierson (Reuters) -CVS Health Corp, Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc and Walmart Inc have agreed to pay about $13.8 billion to resolve thousands of U.S. state, local and tribal government lawsuits accusing the pharmacy chains of mishandling opioid painkillers. CVS said Wednesday it had agreed to pay about $5 billion over 10 years, and Walgreens disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that it had agreed to pay about $5.7 billion over 15 years. Neither company admitted wrongdoing. Walmart has agreed to pay $3.1 billion, mostly up front, according to two people familiar with the matter. Paul Geller, one of the lawyers who negotiated for the governments, said that settlements with pharmacies “will bring billions of additional dollars to communities that are desperate for funds to combat the epidemic” of opioid addiction. “We know that reckless, profit-driven dispensing practices fueled the crisis; but we know just as surely that with better systems in place and proper heeding of red flag warnings, pharmacies can play a direct role in reducing opioid abuse and in saving lives,” Geller said. CVS general counsel Thomas Moriarty said in a statement the company was pleased to resolve the claims and the deal was “in the best interest of all parties, as well as our customers, colleagues and shareholders.” Walgreens said in its SEC filing that it “continues to believe it has strong legal defenses” and will defend itself vigorously against any future lawsuits not covered by the settlement. Both CVS and Walgreens said their agreements would not be final until certain non-monetary terms were worked out, and that the total amount could be reduced if not enough government plaintiffs sign on. Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The proposed settlement, which would be the first nationwide deal with retail pharmacy companies, follows nationwide opioid settlements with drugmakers and distributors totaling more than $33 billion. In more than 3,300 lawsuits, beginning in 2017, state and local governments accused drugmakers of downplaying the risks of their opioid pain medicines, and distributors and pharmacies of ignoring red flags that prescriptions were being diverted into illegal trafficking. They said the resulting human toll, as well as strain on public health services and law enforcement, was a public nuisance that the companies must pay to fix. CVS, Walgreens and Walmart are the three largest retail pharmacies in the country by market share. If their settlement becomes final, it will put much of the sprawling, years-long litigation over opioids to rest, though cases are still pending against smaller, more regionally focused pharmacy operators including Rite Aid Corp and Kroger Co. Plaintiffs had scored some significant trial victories against pharmacy chains, including a $650.6 million judgment in favor of two Ohio counties against CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, and a ruling that Walgreens contributed to the opioid epidemic in San Francisco. Previous settlements netted $21 billion from the three largest U.S. drug distributors, $5 billion from Johnson & Johnson, $4.35 billion from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, $2.37 billion from AbbVie Inc and $450 million from Endo International Plc. Purdue Pharma LP, whose prescription pill OxyContin is widely blamed for sparking the addiction and overdose crisis, and its Sackler family owners are seeking to resolve opioid claims against them through a $6 billion settlement in bankruptcy court. State and local authorities have said they will use the money from the settlements to combat the opioid crisis, which according to federal government data has caused nearly 650,000 overdose deaths since 1999 and is continuing to worsen. Prescriptions for opioids rose sharply in the 1990s as companies aggressively promoted the drugs, long used primarily in cancer patients, as a safe way to treat all kinds of chronic pain. Overdoses involving opioids, including prescription pills and heroin, surged further during the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing 38% in 2020 over the previous year and another 15% in 2021, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency has attributed much of the recent rise in overdose cases to illegally manufactured fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid. A congressional report last month put the economic toll of the opioid crisis in 2020 alone at $1.5 trillion. (Reporting by Baranjot Kaur in Bengaluru, Brendan Pierson in New York and Nate Raymond in Boston; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Kenneth Maxwell and Mark Potter) View the full article

Published by AFP White House national security spokesman John Kirby says Washington has grown increasingly concerned by Moscow's repeated mention of the possibility of using nuclear arms in Ukraine Washington (AFP) – The White House said Wednesday it was increasingly concerned over Moscow’s talk of using a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, after a media report said top Russian military officials had discussed how and when to use such a weapon. “We have grown increasingly concerned about the potential as these months have gone on,” said White House national security spokesman John Kirby. Kirby did not confirm a New York Times report that said high-level Russian military officials recently discussed when and how they might use tactical nuclear weapons on the battlefield. The report, which cited unnamed US officials, said Russian President Vladimir Putin did not take part in the discussions, and there was no indication that the Russian military had decided to deploy the weapons. But Kirby said any comments on the use of nuclear weapons by Russia are “deeply concerning,” and said the United States takes them seriously. He pointed to recent Putin comments talking about nuclear weapons and referencing the bombs US forces dropped on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of World War II. “We take note of that,” Kirby said. “It increasingly is unsettling in terms of the degree to which he feels he has to continue to stretch to prosecute this war,” he said. At the same time, Kirby reiterated, Washington sees no indications that Russia is making preparations to use nuclear weapons, adding that US intelligence does not necessarily see or know everything. The United States has been warning Moscow for weeks over public comments from top Russian officials that they could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine in certain cases, particularly if they felt there was a threat to Russian territorial integrity. The most recent threat came from former Russian president and senior security council official Dmitry Medvedev. Medvedev said on Tuesday that Ukraine’s objective to reclaim all its territories occupied by Russia, which include the Donbas region and Crimea, would be a “threat to the existence of our state.” That, Medvedev said, would be “a direct reason” to invoke nuclear deterrence. However, early Wednesday Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Western media was “deliberately pumping up the topic of the use of nuclear weapons.” Moscow does “not have the slightest intention to take part in this,” he said, calling the Times report “very irresponsible.” In September, Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden’s national security advisor, said that the United States has warned Russia at “very high levels” of “catastrophic consequences” for using nuclear arms. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned on October 13 that Russian forces would be “annihilated” by the West if Putin uses nuclear weapons against Ukraine. View the full article

Published by Reuters By Sheila Dang (Reuters) – Banned accounts will not be allowed back onto Twitter until the social media platform has “a clear process for doing so,” Elon Musk tweeted in the early hours on Wednesday, giving more clarity about the potential return of Twitter’s most famous banned user, former U.S. President Donald Trump. Creating such a process would take at least a few more weeks, Musk tweeted. The new timeline implies Trump will not return in time for the midterm elections on Nov. 8. Twitter users, advertisers and its own employees have been watching closely for signs of what Musk will do in his first week as Twitter’s owner. The Tesla chief executive has previously said Twitter should not permanently ban users and that he would reverse the ban on Trump, who was suspended for risk of further incitement of violence after the U.S. Capitol riot last year. Musk’s tweets came after he held a call with several civil rights organizations including Color of Change, the Anti-Defamation League and the NAACP on Tuesday. During the call, Musk committed to uphold Twitter’s content moderation policies and enforcement around election integrity, said Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change, in an interview. Musk also reiterated in his tweet on Wednesday that Twitter will create a content moderation council composed of representatives with “widely divergent views.” The billionaire expressed during the call that he would like the civil society groups to join the council, Robinson said, adding the discussions were still at an early stage. “Actions will speak louder than words,” he said. “The issues that were addressed in this meeting were just the tip of the iceberg.” (Reporting by Sheila Dang in Dallas; Editing by Nick Zieminski) View the full article

Published by Reuters By Deena Beasley (Reuters) – The annual price of a newly-launched cancer drug in the United States averaged $283,000 last year, a 53% increase from 2017, according to a new report from U.S. Democratic Representative Katie Porter, a consumer bankruptcy law professor running for re-election in California. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, oncology treatments are nearly four times as costly as other therapies and are largely paid for by taxpayer-funded programs like the government’s Medicare plan for people over age 65, the report notes. Reuters reported in August on the record-high launch prices of new drugs in 2022 versus 2021 – an area that has driven drugmaker profits as they limited year-over-year price increases on existing drugs due to pressure from lawmakers and the public. This new analysis is a first look at the degree to which cancer drugmakers rely on high launch prices, an area left out of the Medicare pricing limits set out in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) signed by U.S. President Joe Biden in August. The IRA focuses on Medicare price negotiation for older drugs and caps on price increases. It also limits annual out-of-pocket drug costs for beneficiaries to $2,000, which means the Medicare plan will be responsible for costs over that amount. By law, Medicare is required to cover all cancer medications. “Launch prices are an important issue and one that is not touched by the IRA,” Stacie Dusetzina, an associate professor of health policy at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center who studies drug costs told Reuters. “I do think there is a possibility we see launch prices go up,” she said. Cancer drugs set to get costlier https://graphics.reuters.com/US-DRUGS/xmpjkgqnrvr/chart.png Porter, who championed inflation-based caps on drug prices, is calling for additional national legislation to link launch prices to how well a drug works. And, in the case of drugs approved under the Food and Drug Administration’s accelerated pathway, limiting prices until there is sufficient data to show the drugs are effective. “The trend toward ever higher launch prices is ongoing and accelerating. And I think we should expect it to continue unless we do something about it,” Porter told Reuters. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the drug industry’s main trade group, has maintained that “government price setting has a devastating impact on biopharmaceutical research and development and places an additional barrier between patients and innovative medicines.” CANCER PILLS ROSE NEARLY 26% IN FIVE YEARS Many of the newer cancer drugs are biologics that need to be given as an infusion by a healthcare professional, but an increasing number are self-administered pills or tablets. The report found that the average launch price of a self-administered cancer drug, after adjusting for inflation, rose by nearly 26% to $238,000 between 2017 and 2021. U.S. cancer drug launch prices in 2017 https://graphics.reuters.com/US-DRUGS2017/akpeqgygjpr/chart.png U.S. cancer drug launch prices in 2021 https://graphics.reuters.com/US-DRUGS2021/lbpggryrdpq/chart.png The analysis excluded an ultra-expensive class of treatments called CAR-T, which involve drawing white blood cells from a patient, processing them in the lab to target cancer and infusing the cells back into the patient. In 2017, the most expensive new cancer tablet was Celgene’s Idhifa at $298,465 a year. Celgene was later acquired by Bristol Myers, which said in 2020 that a study of Idhifa, approved to treat a subset of leukemia patients, failed to show that it improved survival compared to standard care. No other new drug launched in 2017 had an annual price over $200,000. By 2022, six out of the eight newly-launched oral cancer drugs had prices over $200,000 per year. These included lung cancer pills such as Takeda Pharmaceutical’s Exkivity at $299,995, Merck KGaA’s Tepmetko at $250,775 and Amgen Inc’s Lumakras at $214,800. Based on current trends, the report calculated that by 2026, when Medicare will first be able to negotiate drug prices, the average self-administered cancer drug launch price will be nearly $325,000 per year and over $525,000 for pills and biologics. (Reporting By Deena Beasley; Editing by Caroline Humer and Josie Kao) View the full article