Newport, Rhode Island - Twelve teenagers stared intently into the pool. There was little chatter. Even cell phones were put away, mostly.

All eyes were on a bundle of plastic tubes darting around beneath the water.

Sacramento, California - Continuing the implementation of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order to take on high prescription drugs costs, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced today that it will soon begin accepting proposals to implement a significant component of the state’s prescription drug purchasing plan. Under the proposal, DHCS will be transitioning Medi-Cal pharmacy services from its contracted managed care plans to its directly negotiated fee-for-service system; purchasing on behalf of 13 million enrollees, as opposed to the current 2 million.

Washington, DC - Yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a final guidance, “Postmarketing Safety Reporting for Combination Products,” for applicants of combination products—products composed of two or more different types of medical products (i.e., drug, device or biologic)—to further clarify how they can comply with the 2016 final rule on postmarketing safety reporting requirements (PMSR) for combination products.

Washington, DC - On July 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved multiple applications for first generics of Lyrica (pregabalin) for the management of neuropathic pain associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, for the management of postherpetic neuralgia, as an adjunctive therapy for the treatment of partial onset seizures in patients 17 years of age and older, for the management of fibromyalgia, and for the management of neuropathic pain associated with spinal cord injury.

Washington, DC - Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo: "It was with great sadness that I learned today of the passing of Yukiya Amano, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.  I join my colleagues at the State Department, in extending our deepest condolences to the Amano family and to the IAEA community.

Sacramento, California - California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced a settlement with Student CU Connect CUSO, LLC (CUSO) resolving allegations related to its involvement in an illegal private loan scheme to benefit itself at the expense of its students. CUSO provided private loans for students to attend the now-defunct, predatory ITT Technical Institute (ITT Tech). With substantial assistance from CUSO, ITT Tech conducted a coordinated scheme to misdirect student borrowers towards expensive student loans that borrowers struggled to repay.