Healthcare Brew covers pharmaceutical developments, health startups, the latest tech, and how it impacts hospitals and providers to keep administrators and providers informed.

Healthcare Brew

Will Peischel

Healthcare Brew delivers the latest news and trends in healthcare.

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A mountain of pharmaceutical pills in front of the US capital building

Could march-in rights drive down drug costs?

The Biden administration’s quest for lower drug costs may lead to a 1980 law.

Could this federal guideline drive down drug costs?

Maia Anderson

Shelves filled with brightly covered products

Nearly a third of independent pharmacies at risk of closure in 2024 

The pharmacies are feeling the strains of a CMS rule that went into effect at the start of the year. 

Shannon Young

A pharmacist measures someone's blood pressure

How the role of pharmacist has changed

Pharmacists take on a lot more clinical responsibility today, like vaccinations and prescribing certain medications. 

Pharma

Nicole Ortiz

Serena Williams is known as many things. The GOAT in tennis. An Olympic gold medalist. A storied athlete and mother. And as of recently, an enthusiastic GLP-1 user.

This recently acquired knowledge is due to the fact that Williams was announced as the new “celebrity patient ambassador” for direct-to-consumer telehealth company Ro on Aug. 21. The goal of this multiyear 

 is to “destigmatize weight loss medication,” Saman Rahmanian, co-founder and chief product officer at Ro, told Healthcare Brew.

Williams was a patient first and then wanted to share her story with others, he added. (Her husband, Alexis Ohanian, who’s also the co-founder of Reddit, is an 

“For us, that’s really the dream, when we have a patient who turns into an advocate,” Rahmanian said. “It gives people the permission to take care of their health and see if [a certain treatment] is right for them.”

While celebrity endorsements in pharmaceutical ads isn’t exactly a new marketing trick, it’s usually seen when that celebrity has a specific condition the drug is treating. Ro’s campaign felt different, Mae Karwowski, founder and CEO of influencer marketing agency Obviously, told us.

“This just felt like it was made for social [media],” she said. “I think it’s a big leap forward for influencer marketing in the pharma space.”

On top of that, she added, it helps Ro stand out in a crowded (and 

) market. Because it isn’t just the drugmakers that stand to benefit from the booming GLP-1 business—which some 

 forecast could reach $95 billion by 2030, and which made up 98% of 

 ($22.4 billion) in 2024—but also the telehealth companies like Ro that sell them.

GLP-1s are one of Ro’s “largest categories” it can provide to its 3+ million customers, Rahmanian said, though the company also has fertility, hair loss, skin, and hair treatment offerings.

This isn’t the first time Ro has used a celebrity athlete as its GLP-1 ambassador: Former NBA player Charles Barkley was announced as one in April. Both Barkley and Williams have been outspoken about struggling to lose weight, which created more “authenticity,” Rahmanian said.

But this campaign with Williams also “sparked a conversation” about 

 Featuring Williams in such a prominent role in a GLP-1 campaign could create more of a trend within the pharmaceutical industry overall, Karwowski said, though she added many of Obviously’s pharma clients are in the “early days of influencer marketing” still.

“Pharma companies have sort of played small with influencers,” she said.

The biggest hurdle will be ensuring there’s compliance with various laws and regulations, she added. The FDA has an FAQ 

 on what an ad has to say, what qualifies as violating the law, and what’s required for a broadcast TV ad vs. an ad featured only online. (See Hims & Hers’s Super Bowl ad, which lawmakers and healthcare experts 

 earlier this year for allegedly being “misleading.”)

And while platforms like TikTok require any healthcare products to be FDA compliant, there’s also a growing movement of 

 who document their experiences using various GLP-1s. Which again gets to the “authenticity” of it all: Creators can answer viewers’ questions and track their progress along with any symptoms they may feel, all while followers watch and engage, Karwowski said.

“This is in a very public forum with someone jumping on a livestream and you’re chatting with them. So it does, I think, mark a big shift for pharma overall, and you really can’t ignore social media [for pharma marketing] anymore,” she said.

Serena Williams holding a GLP-1 sharp near the underside of her arm

Serena Williams as Ro’s celeb ambassador could mark ‘a big shift’ in pharma advertising

Pharma isn’t known for big-name celebrity appearances, but Ro’s approach could change the landscape.

Leaders from across the healthcare industry are responding to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 

 CDC Director Susan Monarez less than a month after she took the role.

HHS announced Monarez’s firing in an Aug. 27 

 on X. Following the news, four CDC leaders resigned. Though Monarez had initially 

, with her lawyers saying only the president had the authority to dismiss her, the White House on Aug. 28 

 Jim O’Neill, who was HHS’s deputy secretary, as the new CDC director.

Now, healthcare leaders and professional organizations are warning the firing and subsequent resignations threaten US public health and the country’s ability to respond to future infectious outbreaks.

A number of major healthcare organizations have made statements in light of Monarez’s firing.

Bobby Mukkamala, president of the American Medical Association, the country’s largest lobbying group for physicians and medical students, said in an Aug. 28 statement the move was “highly alarming.”

“In the wake of CDC budget cuts and the termination of hundreds of employees earlier this year, the AMA is deeply concerned that this turmoil leaves us highly susceptible to public health threats,” Mukkamala said.

Georges Benjamin, executive director of the professional organization American Public Health Association, called for Kennedy to resign, saying “his actions have sown confusion, demoralized staff, and jeopardized the very foundation of our nation’s health security.”

“What CDC desperately needs now is stability, experienced leadership, and a steadfast commitment to science,” Benjamin added in the Aug. 27 release.

A group of eight physician-led professional organizations also banded together to condemn Monarez’s firing. The American College of Physicians, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Osteopathic Association, American Psychiatric Association, and the Society of General Internal Medicine issued a joint statement Sept. 3 saying the “turmoil” at the CDC will “have harmful consequences for the health of the American public.”

“As physicians, we are extremely worried that this latest action takes place at the critical start of the flu and respiratory illness season, at a time when we should be increasing access to vaccines and encouraging their use,” the groups said, adding that they have instead received “

” and “contradictory” vaccine recommendations.

The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, a trade group that represents public health schools, released a statement Aug. 28 urging Congress to “uphold the CDC’s role as a neutral, science-led institution dedicated solely to the protection and promotion of the public’s health.” The group said the firing and resignations “jeopardize our nation’s ability to respond effectively to ongoing and emerging health threats.”

Additionally, a group of nine former CDC directors and acting directors published an opinion piece in the 

 on Sept. 1 applauding Monarez for “standing up for the agency and the health of our communities.”

 a congressional hearing during which senators questioned his actions since taking over the HHS, including changing 

 and firing Monarez. In the hearing, Kennedy claimed he fired Monarez because she allegedly told him she was “untrustworthy,” 

One day before the hearing, a group of more than 1,000 HHS staffers, both current and former, 

 to Kennedy and Congress calling on the secretary to resign.

“We believe health policy should be based on strong, evidence-based principles rather than partisan politics,” the staffers wrote. “But under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, HHS policies are placing the health of all Americans at risk, regardless of their politics.”

Andrew Nixon, HHS’s director of communications, said in a statement sent to Healthcare Brew that restoring the CDC to be “the world’s most trusted guardian of public health” requires “sustained reform and more personnel changes.”

Former Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officials Deb Houry and Demetre Daskalakis smile while employees and supporters of the CDC line up outside the CDC global headquarters to honor the three leaders who resigned in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's firing of CDC director Susan Monarez

What healthcare leaders say about the CDC director Susan Monarez's firing 

Execs and organizations across the industry have warned the move is a threat to public health. 

What healthcare leaders say about the CDC director’s firing 

illustrated headshot of caroline catherman, healthcare brew reporter

Caroline Catherman

Every year, the FDA gets 2+ million reports of deaths, injuries, and malfunctions suspected to be linked to medical devices.

Sometimes, these incidents are one-offs. But they can also be a sign of a bigger problem. In these cases, companies warn providers to change how they use these devices or stop using them altogether. The FDA categorizes many of these incidents as recalls, which range from Class III (least dangerous) to Class I (most dangerous).

Whether you’re a doctor double-checking if the devices you use are affected or someone merely curious about how multimillion-dollar technological innovations can go wrong, we’re keeping you informed on some of those Class I recalls here in our monthly (noncomprehensive) series.

Boston Scientific has issued guidance on reducing the risk of air embolisms when using its Watchman access systems. As of July 30, Boston Scientific reported 120 serious injuries and 17 deaths linked to this issue, according to an FDA release current as of Aug. 6.

 The Plum Duo Infusion System’s user interface may stop responding in certain circumstances, ICU Medical warned customers in a letter that included troubleshooting instructions.

Some handles on Flexicare Medical’s BritePro laryngoscopes aren’t illuminating like they’re supposed to. The company told users to check if their device handles light up and return them if they don’t.

Abbott has informed customers some power cords for mobile power units that connect to its HeartMate blood pump may not properly lock into place, potentially disconnecting the power source from the pump.

Medline’s medical device reprocessing program, Medline ReNewal, says some lots of its reprocessed versions of St. Jude Medical’s Response and Supreme electrophysiology catheters may be contaminated with “small residual particulates.” Medline is asking customers to notify the company and quarantine any affected lots.

Boston Scientific is removing some batches of the carotid Wallstent monorail endoprosthesis closed cell self-expanding stent and accompanying pieces, the company said in a letter after providers reported it was difficult to withdraw the stent delivery system.

 This one is simple enough: The Microbore extension set with 0.2 micron filter has a label saying it includes an air-eliminating filter. It doesn’t. It has a filter, but not an air-eliminating one, B Braun Medical said in a letter to users.

Certain serial numbers of printed circuit boards for the Hamilton-C6 ventilator need replacement. The boards have a defect that could cause the ventilator to fail before it starts up or even interrupt ventilation, according to Hamilton Medical AG.

Mashup of hospital symbol, stethoscope, IV bag, oxygen tank, and other medical devices on orange background

Recall Roundup: August 2025

Paging all providers: Change how you use these devices, stat!

Imagine you’re a doctor treating a patient’s recently reattached finger.

Should you prescribe an antibiotic? No, you already did that. Pain meds? Also done. Hint: Your treatment is slimy and squishy—and alive.

 in healthcare, but today, it’s still used in rare circumstances—like increasing blood circulation to help reattach a finger, Scott Lifchez, a plastic surgeon and interim director of the Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, told us.

Lifchez, who primarily does hand surgery, said he’s used leeches three or four times over approximately 20 years. Though an uncommon technique, it’s a trick that proves a classic principle: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Patients, however, sometimes require convincing.

“Some patients [ask], ‘Isn’t this a little medieval what we’re doing here?’ And I certainly understand that,” Lifchez said. “There’s a lot of education that you need to do.”

 medicinal leeches in June 2004 to treat venous congestion—a rare condition where blood pools and swells in the veins—in graft tissue. This congestion, if untreated, can cause necrosis.

The first line of treatment for this occasional issue is additional surgery, Lifchez said. If that doesn’t work, there are other tools, like anticoagulants, administered via IV. But if none of the frontline treatments work, it may be time to call in the leeches.

“It is hardly a commonplace thing, but it’s still part of what we do,” Lifchez said.

A 2018 study found that, over a six-year period, 16 out of 145 patients who got finger reattachment surgery were treated with leeches afterward for venous congestion. About 44% of the leech-treated fingers recovered.

The theory is leeches treat venous congestion in two ways. First, they suck some blood out of the swollen veins. Second, and more importantly, their saliva contains a blood thinner called hirudin.

As opposed to an IV that pumps an anticoagulant through a patient’s entire body—potentially increasing the chance of hemorrhage by thinning blood that didn’t need thinning—hirudin from a leech goes directly into the damaged tissue, Lifchez said.

A 2022 review of 10 studies found about 61% of 298 patients who received leech therapy saw their tissue “entirely or partially salvaged.”

“The good news is, the patient can’t feel it,” Lifchez said.

Speaking of good news, the process isn’t very different from ordering other treatments.

“Despite the fact that it’s a living thing, it’s still an order that we put in the chart and we go through pharmacy,” Lifchez said.

These aren’t run-of-the-mill leeches from a random lake, though. They’re bred and raised in labs specifically to be used for medicine, delivered to doctors when needed.

This treatment differs from other drugs, however,

because it has a mind of its own (literally). Medical staff have to use barriers like vaseline or gauze to physically trap the leech on the specific part of tissue they want it to bite.

Getting medical staff on board with this treatment also takes a little more work than, say, asking them to administer an antibiotic.

“I [have] had to explain to the nurse at the patient’s bedside, ‘No, this is a real thing. I’m not making stuff up here,’” Lifchez said.

Once a leech starts sucking up blood, it takes about 20–30 minutes for it to fill up and fall off, he said. Staff then wait between six to 12 hours and apply another leech.

As for where the leeches go after use? Very well-behaved leeches are taken home by patients as pets, and the others are set free to crawl around the hospital, of course! 

Just kidding. The leech is put in an alcohol solution, dies, and then is 

So, if you’re looking for a pet leech, it might be easiest to check out your local pond.

A photo composite of rear view of a surgeon wearing sterile clothes, a patient with an IV in hand and leeches. Photos: Getty Images

How leeches (yes, leeches!) are used in medicine today

Leeches. Why did it have to be leeches? 

HCBR-GLP-1s-audio embed

Ozempic vs. Wegovy, Mounjaro vs. Zepbound, semaglutide vs. tirzepatide—there are a lot of names and terms to keep straight in the GLP-1 world.

 the obesity treatment market will hit $95 billion by 2030, now may be the time to learn the difference.

So if you’re confused about what’s what and who’s who, never fear: Healthcare Brew has put together a handy guide giving a rundown of the key players.

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in brand-name drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus. It’s a single-hormone agent that mimics glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, according to Chika Anekwe, obesity medicine clinical director at Massachusetts General Hospital’s weight center.

GLP-1 is a hormone naturally released by the gut after meals, Anekwe told Healthcare Brew. While the organic version lasts just a few minutes, the medication version is altered to be more stable and last for several days.

The hormone “helps with regulating glucose, and it delays how quickly food empties out of your stomach so you feel fuller for longer,” Anekwe said. “Overall, it’s really beneficial for appetite suppression and blood sugar control and, ultimately, weight loss.”

Semaglutide was developed by Novo Nordisk and received FDA approval in December 2017 under the name Ozempic as a Type 2 diabetes treatment. An alternate version called Rybelsus was approved in September 2019, also as a Type 2 diabetes treatment, and semaglutide received approval for weight loss in June 2021 under the brand name Wegovy.

While semaglutide works on a single hormone, tirzepatide—the active ingredient in brand-name drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound—is a dual-hormone medication, according to Anekwe.

That means, in addition to GLP-1, it targets a hormone called glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, or GIP, which “increases insulin secretion and stimulation, improves fat metabolism and energy expenditure, and helps suppress appetite,” Anekwe said.

Tirzepatide was developed by Eli Lilly and received FDA approval in May 2022 under the name Mounjaro as a Type 2 diabetes treatment. It was 

 in November 2023 as Zepbound for obesity treatment.

You may be wondering why semaglutide and tirzepatide have multiple brand names.

Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus are all semaglutide. Rybelsus is the standout among the three because it comes in pill form while the other two are injectables—plus, it’s not prescribed as often for weight loss, as it’s currently only approved as a diabetes treatment and isn’t available in doses as strong as Ozempic’s.

But Ozempic and Wegovy are the exact same drug, according to Brian Wojeck, assistant professor of endocrinology at the Yale School of Medicine.

The only difference between the two is what they’re approved to treat (diabetes vs. obesity) and the dosages they come in, Wojeck said. For instance, the max dosage of Ozempic is 2mg while Wegovy’s is 2.4mg.

Mounjaro and Zepbound are also the same but approved to treat different things—even though they come in the same dosages, according to Wojeck.

The difference between semaglutide and tirzepatide, besides the fact that one is a single-hormone and the other is a dual-hormone agonist, is how effective they are, Anekwe said. Studies have shown that tirzepatide is more effective when it comes to weight loss compared to semaglutide.

 last year, patients taking the highest dose of semaglutide lost an average of 15% of their body weight compared to 21% on the highest dose of tirzepatide.

Semaglutide and tirzepatide also have treatment indications for conditions aside from obesity and diabetes, Wojeck said. Wegovy is approved to reduce the risk of 

, and Zepbound is approved to treat obstructive sleep apnea.

In their most recent earnings reported in early August, Eli Lilly said Mounjaro and Zepbound brought in a combined $8.6 billion in Q2, and Novo Nordisk reported Ozempic and Wegovy brought in a combined $8 billion for the quarter.

While semaglutide and tirzepatide are generally the most talked about, they’re not the only GLP-1s on the market. There’s also liraglutide and dulaglutide.

Liraglutide was approved by the FDA under the name Victoza as a Type 2 diabetes treatment in January 2010 and then rebranded as Saxenda for obesity treatment in December 2014. They are both made by Novo Nordisk. Eli Lilly’s dulaglutide was approved in September 2014 under the name Trulicity as a Type 2 diabetes treatment.

The difference between these older GLP-1s versus semaglutide and tirzepatide is that they’re not as effective in terms of weight loss and diabetes, according to Wojeck. They’re also mostly prescribed to treat diabetes instead of obesity, Anekwe added.

There are “a lot of advancements” coming in the world of GLP-1s and obesity treatments in general, Wojeck said.

One is retatrutide, an injectable drug Eli Lilly is developing that’s a triple agonist, meaning that in addition to GLP-1 and GIP, it also targets glucagon. Experts think this means it’ll be even more effective in terms of weight loss, Wojeck said. Eli Lilly is expected to release Phase 3 results on the drug in late 2025 or early 2026.

 more effective oral GLP-1s to the market, which Wojeck said he believes will “make things easier for a good deal of patients.”

Eli Lilly reported in Q2 2025 earnings on Aug. 7 that its revenue increased 38% compared to the same quarter last year, thanks to growth in Mounjaro and Zepbound sales. Novo Nordisk reported in its Q2 earnings on Aug. 6 that diabetes and obesity treatment drug sales increased 16% YoY.

A hand with a medical glove holding up pharma pills next to a measuring tape and GLP-1 injectionables

What’s the difference between the GLP-1s on the market?

From semaglutide vs. tirzepatide to Ozempic vs. Wegovy.

One of the most expensive problems facing the healthcare industry is drug shortages. They cost US hospitals roughly $900 million and 20 million hours of labor annually, according to a June 2025 survey from healthcare services firm Vizient.

A Florida-based nonprofit, Angels for Change, is trying to solve that problem.

Laura Bray, a former business professor, founded the organization in 2019 after being told that a life-saving medicine her young daughter undergoing cancer treatment needed was unavailable. Though she was eventually able to get it, Bray made it her goal to help prevent other families from going through a similar scenario.

“Our mission is to end drug shortages through advocacy, awareness, and a resilient supply chain,” Bray told Healthcare Brew. “Nobody was prioritizing it because of lack of awareness, and nobody was providing solutions like they were in every other supply chain, so we have to build that solution.”

In April, the Government Accountability Office 

 a report stating drug shortages are “a serious public health problem” and recommended the Department of Health and Human Services collaborate with other federal agencies to mitigate the issue.

Angels for Change is funded by various grassroots efforts, including an annual gala, grants, and donations, as well as partnerships with healthcare companies including Pfizer, Fresenius Kabi, and McKesson.

Angels for Change comprises four employees, including Bray, plus volunteers. Since 2022, the nonprofit has worked on more than 100 drug shortages—including for insulin, growth hormone, and the chemotherapy drug carboplatin—and has helped patients access more than 750,000 medicines, according to the organization’s 2024 impact report.

Angels for Change operates a “drug shortage hotline,” which anyone can contact for assistance navigating shortages.

The nonprofit typically hears from about 10 patients per week, Bray said, though it varies. For instance, in late 2024 when 

 wiped out a Baxter manufacturing plant that made IV fluids and caused a 

, Angels for Change received 60 to 100 calls every day at that time, Bray said, adding that they respond to everyone.

By the time a patient calls, Bray is usually already aware of the shortage, she said. But “if they’re the first one to notify me, the very first thing I do is I tell them that they deserve better, and I also validate that this is real,” she added.

Angels for Change staff and volunteers at a red table with pill bottles and pamphlets explaining their mission

Sometimes the process of getting a patient connected to their medication takes just minutes while others can take hours, Bray said. When a shortage is more complex, she spends time educating the patient on the circumstances of the shortage and gives them steps they can take to ensure they’re still getting treatment.

For instance, sometimes only one dosage or formulation of a drug is in short supply, so Bray advises the patient to ask their doctor if they can switch to an available option.

“There might be a shortage, but that doesn’t mean there’s an outage, and that is a big difference,” she said. “I’m showing them where they can find real-time, government-approved data that they can share with their physicians and pharmacists to advocate for themselves.”

The nonprofit has been successful at getting patients back on treatment 98% of the time, according to Bray.

In addition to helping patients access medicines already in low supply, Angels for Change tries to prevent shortages from happening in the first place.

Marta Wosińska, a senior fellow in economic studies at Brookings Center on Health Policy, told Healthcare Brew that much of the work Angels for Change does centers on building buffer inventory of critical medicines in case a supply chain disruption occurs and setting up systems to allocate medicines to patients who need them most.

“I think that’s a niche place that Laura has been very effective in getting industry to collaborate on,” Wosińska said.

Hospitals reach out to Angels for Change to alert them of a supply disruption, and the organization works with various stakeholders to try to mitigate the problem before a shortage reaches patients, according to Bray. The nonprofit works on about three disruptions in an average week, she said.

Angels for Change also runs two programs, called Project Protect and Project GOLD (Generic Oncology Lifesaving Drugs), focused on tackling some of the biggest challenges in the drug supply chain.

Project Protect provides grants to US-based manufacturers to help them build flexible capacities related to drugs vulnerable to shortage, according to Bray. That way, when a shortage does happen, the manufacturer can start producing those drugs onshore and get them to hospitals, she said. The organization has so far given out 13 such grants totaling $434,599.

Project GOLD works with manufacturers to create buffer stock of medicines. So far, three drug companies (Cencora, McKesson, and Fresenius Kabi) have created additional supplies of six oncology drugs via the project, according to Bray, who said she hopes this kind of proactive work will put her drug shortage hotline “out of business.”

“One of the six [oncology drugs] has gone short, and so far there’s been zero interruptions during this shortage and zero patient impact because we were able to engage, and we had additional time and flexibility for that medicine,” she said.

Employees and volunteers from Angels for Change

How nonprofit Angels for Change is working to end drug shortages 

After her daughter was unable to find a life-saving drug, founder Laura Bray made it her mission to mend the pharmaceutical supply chain. 

How a nonprofit is working to end drug shortages 

It’s time yet again for pharma companies to report their earnings. And while it’s sure to be a mixed bag, one thing is certain: 

That’s because the White House on July 28 announced 15% tariffs on pharmaceutical products imported from Europe to the US. Though this is much lower than the previously threatened 200% tariffs, analysts reportedly told 

 the trade deal could still cost the pharma industry as much as $19 billion.

“Every dollar spent on tariffs is a dollar that cannot be invested in American manufacturing or the development of future treatments and cures for patients,” Alex Schriver, SVP of public affairs at drug industry group PhRMA, said in an emailed statement. “Placing tariffs on medicines would be counterproductive to these efforts.”

 at the end of July to top execs at 17 pharma companies like Pfizer, AbbVie, Novo Nordisk, Bristol Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson, and more, giving them 60 days to 

Here’s what some execs in Big Pharma had to say about tariffs this quarter.

The first half of the year has looked relatively positive for New Jersey-based J&J. The company saw $23.7 billion in overall revenue, it reported on its Q2 earnings call on July 16, with a little over $15 billion of that coming from medicine sales (cancer meds, in particular).

In its Q1 earnings, J&J predicted the impact from tariffs would be approximately 

. But a quarter later, it halved that to $200 million instead and predicted tariffs would only impact its medtech division, EVP of Innovative Medicine and R&D John Reed said on the call, which took place before the 15% tariffs were announced.

CEO Joaquin Duato reiterated J&J’s $55 billion investment to build out US-based manufacturing, R&D, and tech efforts, including four new facilities.

“Our goal is to be able to manufacture in the US all the medicines that are consumed in the US,” he added.

Following the call, J&J’s stock increased more than 6%.

The UK-based pharmaceutical showed a positive trajectory, with total revenue up 11% to $28 billion for H1 2025. Its stock has also continued on an 

Group CFO and Executive Director Aradhana Sarin said in the company’s July 29 earnings call that AstraZeneca “will not be significantly impacted by tariffs” largely because the company already has “capacity” to sell its drugs in the US and it only imports “a handful of products” from Europe.

Sarin also pointed to new and expanded manufacturing efforts the company is making across the US, which it had announced a week before its Q2 call, to produce its 

 and other weight loss drugs. The company plans to invest $50 billion through 2030 into bolstering US operations, according to a press release.

Merck has struggled in earnings so far this year. After lowering its full-year guidance during Q1, EVP and CFO Caroline Litchfield said on its July 29 Q2 earnings call that the company plans to cut $3 billion in costs by 2027. That also comes after the New Jersey-based company announced in March it would shut down a manufacturing site in Pennsylvania, 

 that tariffs would cost it roughly $200 million this year. Chairman and CEO Robert Davis said tariff impacts for the year should be “minimal,” thanks to work the company has done moving manufacturing to the US.

But Davis added he needs more clarity from the Trump administration on how tariffs are going to play out before he can comment on how they’ll affect business in 2026 and beyond. It’s not clear, for example, when the 15% pharma tariffs will go into effect, he said.

 the tariffs wouldn’t go into effect until the Trump administration concludes a Section 232 

, initiated in April, which looks into the national security implications of importing goods, including pharmaceutical products, from other countries.

Merck’s shares fell about 6% following the earnings call.

Unlike Merck, AbbVie reported pretty positive Q2 earnings on July 31, raising full-year adjusted earnings per share guidance to $11.88–$12.08, up from $11.67–$11.87. Shares increased about 3.3% after the earnings call.