1. FTC and seven states seek contempt finding against Martin Shkreli
On October 13, the FTC and seven states asked a federal court in New York to hold Shkreli in civil contempt, alleging he has traded pharmaceutical stocks on livestreams in breach of his 2022 lifetime industry ban [1]. They seek divestment, an auditor and a fine equal to his drug-stock trading profits since February 2022 [1]. No response from Shkreli appeared in the coverage reviewed [2]. See the lead article.
2. Study: 38% of FDA advisory meetings included a patient or consumer rep tied to a pharma-funded group
A USC analysis in Health Affairs Scholar (Kanter and Mankowitz, published October 7) examined FDA advisory committee meetings from 2013 to 2022 [3]. It found 38% of meetings included a patient or consumer representative actively involved with a pharma-funded advocacy organization, over 50% on several committees, and 11% included a representative whose organization was funded by the sponsor of the drug under review [3]. STAT, which reported the study on October 13, said most of these ties were not disclosed at the meetings; the study does not show that any votes were influenced [4][5].
3. Safety concerns grow over Neurocrine's Prader-Willi drug Vykat XR
STAT reported on October 13 that FDA case reports, obtained through a public-records request, link Vykat XR (diazoxide choline extended-release) to seven deaths and nearly 100 hospitalizations in the roughly 18 months since approval; the reports do not establish causation [6]. A former FDA medical officer is urging the agency to withdraw the drug [6]. In August, three Prader-Willi patient organizations flagged the deaths and urged careful patient selection and monitoring; Neurocrine said the drug has "a compelling risk-benefit profile" [7][8].
4. CDC sends more help to Pennsylvania as state's measles toll rises
The CDC said on October 13 it would deploy additional support to Pennsylvania, which had reported 1,136 measles cases and five outbreak-linked deaths as of October 9 [9]. A sixth death, a 39-year-old woman in Franklin County, was announced by the county coroner on October 12 [10]. National cases reached 4,080 as of October 9, the highest since 1991, and New York's governor has declared a statewide disaster emergency [9][10].
Digest references
New York State Office of the Attorney General. "Attorney General James urges court to punish Martin Shkreli for brazenly violating lifetime ban from pharmaceutical industry." Press release, October 13, 2026. Link
Fierce Pharma. "FTC alleges Martin Shkreli violated pharma ban with stock trades." Fierce Pharma, October 14, 2026. Link
Kanter GP, Mankowitz T. Study of patient and consumer representatives at FDA advisory committee meetings, 2013–2022. Health Affairs Scholar, 2026 (published October 7, 2026). doi:10.1093/haschl/qxag269. Link
STAT (Pharmalot), October 13, 2026. Link
Medical Daily, October 2026. Link
Feuerstein A. "Concerns grow on safety issues tied to Neurocrine Biosciences rare disease drug." STAT, October 13, 2026. Link
Feuerstein A. "Neurocrine Biosciences rare disease drug possibly tied to safety issues, experts say." STAT, August 12, 2026. Link
Medical Daily, 2026. Link
Reuters (via Hawaii Tribune-Herald), October 14, 2026. Link
FOX 29, October 12, 2026. Link
