The battle between CVS and Express Scripts for ownership of Caremark has made little impact on drug-company executives. But there is an important implication for pricing in the Medicare Part D world: CVS wants to use Caremark to help it get higher payments for providing pharmacy services. But in the zero-sum game of reimbursement, any additional profits for chains will likely come from reduced prices on drugs.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has agreed to provide national Medicare coverage for mitral valve transcatheter edge-to-edge repair under a new coverage with evidence development policy. See what Neil Moat, chief medical officer for Abbott’s structural heart business, said about it here.

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration will transition from ICCR observers to full members, joining regulatory authorities from the US, Europe, Japan, Canada and Brazil. PCPC’s Francine Lamoriello, EVP of global affairs, discusses.