In this week's Pharma Pulse, Cencora agrees to acquire American Oncology Network, five major employers back electronic prior authorization for self-funded health plans and FDA finalizes its guidance on prescription drug apps and software.
Commentary|Podcasts|February 3, 2026
Pharma Pulse: Onshoring the Supply Chain
Author(s)Nicholas Saraceno, Senior Editor
In today’s Pharma Pulse, the FDA launches its "PreCheck" pilot to speed up domestic factory approvals, while new SELECT trial data shows that semaglutide significantly slashes hospital admission rates.
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Welcome to Pharma Pulse, a Pharmaceutical Commerce podcast where we bring you the latest insights shaping patient access, supply chain/logistics, data & tech, and healthcare innovation. I’m your host, and let’s get into today’s headlines.
- The FDA is taking what Commissioner Marty Makary calls a "bold step" to bring drug manufacturing back to US soil. The agency just launched the
PreCheck Pilot Program , a two-phase initiative designed to eliminate regulatory guesswork for domestic facilities. For the first time, manufacturers can get early technical advice and pre-operational reviews before they even file a formal drug application. By streamlining the path for critical medications, the FDA aims to shore up the supply chain and end decades of reliance on overseas production. - Meanwhile, semaglutide is proving to be a powerful tool for hospital resource management. New
exploratory data from the SELECT trial—published in JAMA Cardiology—reveals that Wegovy significantly cuts total hospital admissions and length of stay for patients with heart disease, a massive win for healthcare systems and payers looking to curb the multi-billion-dollar costs associated inpatient care.
That’s it for this episode of Pharma Pulse. For more insights on trends transforming pharmaceutical access and care delivery, visit
Thanks for listening—until next time, stay well and stay informed.
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