By Ed SilvermanJune 25, 2026
Pharmalot Columnist, Senior Writer
Top of the morning to you, and a fine one it is. Clear, blue skies and mild breezes are once again enveloping the Pharmalot campus, where the official mascots are happily snoozing in their respective corners. This gives us an opportunity to fire up the coffee kettle and brew still more cups of stimulation. Our choice today is coconut hazelnut, a refreshing change of pace. As always, you are invited to join us. Meanwhile, here are a few items of interest. Hope you have a meaningful and productive day and, of course, do stay in touch. …
Americans are seeing their doctors, getting hospital procedures, and filling prescriptions more frequently than economists and budget experts anticipated, STAT notes. And weight loss drugs, in particular, have morphed into their own special category of spending and are pushing budgets across the country to their limits. The country spent $5.7 trillion on health care in 2025, a 7.3% increase from 2024, according to the latest government figures published in Health Affairs. That amounted to almost $16,500 per person. Federal officials specifically called out prescription drug spending, which soared more than 11% in 2025.
