Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
Law professor, University of Colorado Law School. Teach and research on health law and bioethics. Papers, etc: https://sites.google.com/site/govindpersad
Economics
40%
Public Health
32%
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Apr 17
Fair Allocation of GLP-1 and Dual GLP-1–GIP Receptor Agonists | NEJM
A shortage of GLP-1 receptor agonists and other drugs raises questions about how limited
supplies should be allocated. A proposed framework could guide governments, professional
societies, and ...
www.nejm.org
"Fair Allocation of GLP-1 and Dual GLP-1–GIP Receptor Agonists" is now out in NEJM (w/Zeke Emanuel, Johan Dellgren, Matt McCoy).
We propose a #bioethics framework to guide gov'ts, professional societies, & docs in allocation choices about drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) when demand > supply
We propose a #bioethics framework to guide gov'ts, professional societies, & docs in allocation choices about drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) when demand > supply
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 24
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 24
Cities with soda taxes saw sales of sugary drinks fall as prices rose, study finds
Soda taxes are meant to discourage people from drinking too much sugar, which is linked to a host of bad health outcomes. Cities that imposed the taxes saw a 33% decrease in the sale of sugary drinks.
www.npr.org
Last, while trade-offs in drug spending are inevitable, a creative strategy--#Pigouvian taxes--could lessen their sharpness
States could raise revenues for covering GLP-1s, while mitigating the need for them, by taxing sodas and other obesogenic foods
States could raise revenues for covering GLP-1s, while mitigating the need for them, by taxing sodas and other obesogenic foods
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 24
Value-Based Pricing of Prescription Drugs Benefits Patients and Promotes Innovation
Value-based pricing aligns prescription drug prices to their clinical benefits, leading to lower spending and better health outcomes.
www.americanprogress.org
Instead, we must honestly and fairly consider trade-offs.
States need to compare drugs- including across different medical conditions- based on value, not just refuse to cover later-arriving drugs like GLP-1s
Value comparisons can help negotiate prices & create incentives for effective drugs
4/5
States need to compare drugs- including across different medical conditions- based on value, not just refuse to cover later-arriving drugs like GLP-1s
Value comparisons can help negotiate prices & create incentives for effective drugs
4/5
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 24
The much-maligned ‘quality-adjusted life year’ is a vital tool for health care policy
A new bill that would ban government use of quality-adjusted life years is misguided.
www.statnews.com
Would the House's proposed ban on cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) techniques improve GLP-1 access?
No. It will make things worse.
CEA bans make refusals to cover GLP-1s, like NC’s, that only consider cost & unethically ignore value for money more likely, not less
#bioethics
3/5
No. It will make things worse.
CEA bans make refusals to cover GLP-1s, like NC’s, that only consider cost & unethically ignore value for money more likely, not less
#bioethics
3/5
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 24
Hepatitis C can be cured. So why aren't more people getting treatment?
A new CDC report finds that just a third of those diagnosed with hepatitis C have cleared the virus — a decade after a cure was made available.
www.npr.org
Blanket refusal to cover GLP-1s for obesity is wrong because GLP-1s are more cost-effective than many other drugs North Carolina covers.
States made the same mistake when they initially refused to pay for new Hepatitis C drugs
2/5
States made the same mistake when they initially refused to pay for new Hepatitis C drugs
2/5
Reposted by Lisa Larrimore Ouellette
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 24
Opinion | For Obese Patients, Wegovy Is Worth the Cost
North Carolina is wrong to deny coverage. Breakthrough treatments curb additional health risks.
wsj.com
North Carolina & other health systems are being unethical when they categorically refuse to cover GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g. Ozempic, Mounjaro) for obesity.
So I & Zeke Emanuel argue in our Wall Street Journal op-ed.
I highlight some of our points below in replies
#bioethics
So I & Zeke Emanuel argue in our Wall Street Journal op-ed.
I highlight some of our points below in replies
#bioethics
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 24
I mostly know ethics/political ones: Crooked Timber, PEA Soup, and lots of defunct ones (Public Reason, Ethics Etc, my personal fave Left2Right).
I was so looking forward to posting to Public Reason when I finished my PhD, but instead we just have social media
I was so looking forward to posting to Public Reason when I finished my PhD, but instead we just have social media
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 22
This piece made me think about how structural problems with fragmentation of support programs exacerbate disadvantage, even though the piece sometimes took a frustratingly “blame the hospital” lens.
Would’ve loved to hear more in the piece about reforms that would help undo this fragmentation
Would’ve loved to hear more in the piece about reforms that would help undo this fragmentation
Reposted by Govind Persad
Marcel Verweij
@marcelverweij.bsky.social
· Feb 17
…of a paper that determines my judgement of the paper. But the assumptions and starting points of the argument should be reasonable to anyone. In that sense I can offer a fair review of a paper even if the conclusion is something that I deeply disagree with.
Reposted by Govind Persad
Marcel Verweij
@marcelverweij.bsky.social
· Feb 17
No, I think value judgements are inevitable, even in the sciences ppl make (epistemic) value judgements all the time - though often implicitly. On top of that It seems impossible to do (and review in) ethics in a morally neutral way. But it should not be my own moral perspective on the conclusion…
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 15
Venture capital fund defends grants for Black women in US appeals court
A venture capital fund on Wednesday urged a U.S. appeals court to allow it to resume a grant program that awards funding to businesses run by Black women and reject an anti-affirmative action group's claim that it discriminates based on race.
www.reuters.com
Some of the litigation I discuss that challenges consideration of race in health grantmaking is patterned on litigation against non-health grantmakers (e.g. Atlanta's Fearless Fund) being brought by the same organization and attorneys that litigated the Harvard/UNC affirmative action cases
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 15
Suit challenges required minority appointments to Louisiana medical licensing board
A law requiring that some members appointed to the board that licenses and regulates physicians in Louisiana be from minority groups is being challenged in federal court.
apnews.com
Litigation has targeted consideration of individuals’ race in:
-grants to health trainees www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-region...
- physician recruitment litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/litigation/d...
-medical board composition litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/litigation/d...
-grants to health trainees www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-region...
- physician recruitment litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/litigation/d...
-medical board composition litigationtracker.law.georgetown.edu/litigation/d...
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Feb 15
Revised draft of “Antiracist Medicine in Colorblind Courts,” forthcoming in the Michigan Law Review papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Added material on new §1981, §1557, & Equal Protection litigation against health & other programs that consider individuals’ race
New TX & UT laws are also discussed
Added material on new §1981, §1557, & Equal Protection litigation against health & other programs that consider individuals’ race
New TX & UT laws are also discussed
Congress’s Misguided Plan to Ban QALYs
This Viewpoint discusses the flawed assumptions and potential negative impacts of a proposed federal bill that would ban government health care programs from us
jamanetwork.com
Leah Rand & @akesselheim.bsky.social have a couple of nice papers explaining the problems with QALY bans and evaluating ethical critiques of cost-effectiveness analysis:
"Congress’ Misguided Plan to Ban QALYs" (JAMA)
Review of ethical critiques of QALYs: www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1...
"Congress’ Misguided Plan to Ban QALYs" (JAMA)
Review of ethical critiques of QALYs: www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1...
QALYs are an imperfect measure of the value of a drug
But often (certainly w/Congress' QALY ban) critics aren't suggesting a better alternative--they want the US, unlike everywhere else, to pay for drugs without measuring or comparing their value
Result: no accountability for pharma, just $$$
But often (certainly w/Congress' QALY ban) critics aren't suggesting a better alternative--they want the US, unlike everywhere else, to pay for drugs without measuring or comparing their value
Result: no accountability for pharma, just $$$
What Makes American Healthcare (Un)affordable? | University of Denver
University of Denver
www.du.edu
Thanks to the University of Denver's #RadioEd podcast for featuring my research on healthcare affordability!
I analyze health affordability in depth in my "Defining Health Affordability," published (open access) in the Iowa Law Review: ilr.law.uiowa.edu/volume-109-i...
#healthlaw #bioethics
I analyze health affordability in depth in my "Defining Health Affordability," published (open access) in the Iowa Law Review: ilr.law.uiowa.edu/volume-109-i...
#healthlaw #bioethics
I was today years old when I learned that Philippa Foot (of trolley problem/virtue ethics fame) was Grover Cleveland’s granddaughter
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Jan 31
Just listened to interesting Philosophy Bites on transformative experience. Do people really think decisions about whether to become a parent are arational, as opposed to just characterized by imperfect info & value change?
Imperfect info, likelihood of change in values ≠ arationality.
Imperfect info, likelihood of change in values ≠ arationality.
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Jan 23
I listened to your episode over the holidays! Really enjoyed hearing more about ways of measuring potential benefits of #IRB .
Govind Persad
@govindpersad.bsky.social
· Jan 23
The Biounethical podcast with Sophie Gibert & @leahpierson.bsky.social has been great listening material for my New Year’s resolution to walk more.
Just finished episode w/Danielle Allen on #bioethics & public participation & now in the middle of one with Jeff Sebo on the circle of moral concern
Just finished episode w/Danielle Allen on #bioethics & public participation & now in the middle of one with Jeff Sebo on the circle of moral concern