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Today in healthcare news: a lot of updates from Capitol Hill from our very own senior reporter Kimberly Leonard, who's spending the week chasing down senators.
Top Republicans share details about the next coronavirus rescue package, including more checks for people, loans for small businesses, and $105 billion to reopen schools
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the next coronavirus rescue package would focus on "kids, jobs, and healthcare."- He promised more checks to people and forgivable loans for small businesses.
- Democrats slammed Republicans, saying they were being left out of planning talks.
Read the full story from Kimberly Leonard here>>
Moderna and other top coronavirus drugmakers are boosting their lobbying as they compete for government cash to fuel vaccine work
- The biotech Moderna increased its
lobbying spending seven-fold as it races to develop a coronavirus vaccine. - Moderna spent $70,000 on lobbying in Washington in the second quarter of this year, up from $10,000 over the same period last year.
- Business Insider combed through lobbying records companies working on coronavirus vaccines and treatments, including AstraZeneca, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi.
Read the full story from Kimberly Leonard here>>
This CEO bypassed VCs and raised $20 million for his prescription delivery startup on a crowdfunding site. Here's the pitch deck NowRx used.
- NowRx recently crowdfunded $20 million in series B funding on SeedInvest, the most ever for that platform.
- CEO Cary Breese said he was attracted to crowdfunding because it allows him more control over the company than typical VC funding, which "doesn't have a great track record in health care."
- The coronavirus pandemic has brought an uptick in business for many medication delivery startups like NowRx from patients looking to avoid contact with other people.
See the full presentation here>>
More stories we're reading:
- Caroline Chen and Ash Ngu at ProPublica have a great explainer about how to understand the sea of coronavirus stats (ProPublica)
- Mitch McConnell says the GOP backs a 2nd round of stimulus checks in its coronavirus relief bill (Business Insider)
- NYC set up a temporary hospital at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens. It treated 79 coronavirus patients. (The New York Times)
- I stayed at a hotel for the first time since the end of coronavirus lockdown, and it was so eerily quiet I felt like I was in 'The Shining' (Insider)
See you tomorrow! You can find me in the meantime at lramsey@businessinsider.com.
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- Lydia