Herding Cats Through A Pharmacy, UHC CEO Resigns, Nursing Workforce Faces Shortfall

Hey all,

Happy hump day. I was not at all surprised by either announcement from UnitedHealth this week. Regulators, journalists and the general public are aware of all of the shenanigans at UHC. I would bail too, especially given what I’m sure is a platinum parachute. Enjoy the rundown!

Jacob Brody (Co-Founder & CEO, ZorroRX)

(STAT News) President Trump’s Push to Raise European Drug Prices 

President Trump’s plan to cut U.S. drug prices by pushing Europe to pay more faces major obstacles due to fragmented national pricing systems and strained public health budgets. While Trump argues Americans unfairly shoulder global drug development costs, European countries are already grappling with rising pharmaceutical spending alongside increased military and energy expenditures, leaving little room to boost drug budgets. I applaud the president’s intent — but getting Europe to agree on this might be like herding cats through a pharmacy. Full Article

(CNBC) UnitedHealth CEO Resignation & Forecast Suspension

UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty has stepped down effective immediately for “personal reasons,” and the company has suspended its 2025 financial forecast, sending its stock plummeting over 10%. Witty’s tenure ended amid mounting challenges including a major cyberattack, elevated medical costs, and leadership turmoil, leading to investor unease despite the reinstatement of former CEO Stephen Hemsley. The move highlights deepening instability in the health insurance sector as companies face increased demand and financial pressure from delayed care post-Covid. Then again, maybe Witty just saw the writing on the wall—no amount of upcoding or PBM smoke and mirrors was going to save that bonus. Full Article

(WHO) Global Nursing Workforce Inequities

Despite a global increase in the nursing workforce from 27.9 million in 2018 to 29.8 million in 2023, the State of the World’s Nursing 2025 report reveals significant regional disparities that threaten progress toward universal health coverage and global health goals. While nurse shortages have declined slightly, 78% of nurses remain concentrated in countries representing only 49% of the global population, and low-income countries continue to struggle with training and retaining nurses. The U.S. alone is projected to face a shortage of over 200,000 registered nurses each year through 2031, underscoring that workforce gaps are a global challenge, not just one of lower-income nations. The report urges action on education, job creation, and workforce support—because endlessly clicking through glitchy electronic medical records probably isn't the recruitment pitch anyone was hoping for. Full Article