In this Vital Health Podcast, Duane Schulthess speaks with Rachel King, the Interim CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), who is steering the organization through the increasingly choppy waters of the DC drug pricing debate. With mounting regulatory pressure from all angles towards the global biopharma sector, Washington DC’s BIO sits at the center of the tempest.
Rachel King comes to BIO with a wealth of experience as the former Chair of BIO’s Board of Directors. She has worked as a VC, and was both the co-founder and CEO of GlycoMimetics. She was also a senior VP at Novartis.

In this Vital Health Podcast, Duane Schulthess speaks with Rachel King, the Interim CEO of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), who is steering the organization through the increasingly choppy waters of the DC drug pricing debate. With mounting regulatory pressure from all angles towards the global biopharma sector, Washington DC’s BIO sits at the center of the tempest.
<ul>
<li>Rachel King comes to BIO with a wealth of experience as the former Chair of BIO’s Board of Directors. She has worked as a VC, and was both the co-founder and CEO of GlycoMimetics. She was also a senior VP at Novartis.</li>
</ul>

Duane Schulthess is the CEO of Vital Transformation, host and producer of Vital Health Podcast.  Vital Transformation understands the implications of new medical procedures, technologies and regulations. We measure their impact upon treatment pathways and the biopharma innovation ecosystem in collaboration with health care professionals, researchers, and regulators. Through our web platform and client network, we are able to communicate our findings with international decision makers and stakeholders.

Duane Schulthess is the CEO of Vital Transformation, host and producer of Vital Health Podcast.  Vital Transformation understands the implications of new medical procedures, technologies and regulations. We measure their impact upon treatment pathways and the biopharma innovation ecosystem in collaboration with health care professionals, researchers, and regulators. Through our web platform and client network, we are able to communicate our findings with international decision makers and stakeholders.

Duane Schulthess, Managing Director of Vital Tran…

Vital Health Podcast

Taking the Helm Mid Drug Pricing Maelstrom

In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with Michael Penn, US Head of Reimbursement and Public Policy at Sanofi, to discuss how pricing policy, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), small-molecule incentives, orphan drug provisions, and Most Favored Nation (MFN) proposals could shape oncology innovation, patient access, and U.S. biopharmaceutical competitiveness.

Key Topics:
IRA and Oncology: Late-stage research shifts, follow-on studies, lead asset selection.
Small-Molecule Incentives: Pill penalty concerns, portfolio reassessment, biologic comparisons.
Orphan Drug Policy: Orphan Cures Act provisions, rare disease investment, post-market indication development.
Patient Access Risks: Fewer treatment options, affordability questions, unmet needs in oncology.
U.S. Competitiveness: MFN proposals, global R&D incentives, comparisons with China and Europe.

Our new preprint on the IRA’s impact on late-stage R&D is available on our website and examines declines in small-molecule oncology research and orphan oncology studies.

Opinions expressed are those of the speakers. Recorded at ASCO 2026 on 5/31/26. The Vital Health Podcast is a production of Vital Transformation LLC © 2026.

In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/duane-schulthess-66ba39b7/">Duane Schulthess</a> speaks with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-d-penn/">Michael Penn</a>, US Head of Reimbursement and Public Policy at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/sanofi/">Sanofi</a>, to discuss how pricing policy, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), small-molecule incentives, orphan drug provisions, and Most Favored Nation (MFN) proposals could shape oncology innovation, patient access, and U.S. biopharmaceutical competitiveness.
Key Topics:
<ul>
<li>IRA and Oncology: Late-stage research shifts, follow-on studies, lead asset selection.</li>
<li>Small-Molecule Incentives: Pill penalty concerns, portfolio reassessment, biologic comparisons.</li>
<li>Orphan Drug Policy: Orphan Cures Act provisions, rare disease investment, post-market indication development.</li>
<li>Patient Access Risks: Fewer treatment options, affordability questions, unmet needs in oncology.</li>
<li>U.S. Competitiveness: MFN proposals, global R&amp;D incentives, comparisons with China and Europe.</li>
</ul>
Our new preprint on the IRA&rsquo;s impact on late-stage R&amp;D is available on <a href="https://vitaltransformation.com/2026/05/preprint-new-research-the-inflation-reduction-acts-impact-upon-late-stage-rd/">our website</a> and examines declines in small-molecule oncology research and orphan oncology studies.
Opinions expressed are those of the speakers. Recorded at ASCO 2026 on 5/31/26. The Vital Health Podcast is a production of Vital Transformation LLC &copy; 2026.

Michael Penn: What The IRA Means For Oncology Innovation

Across Europe and around the world, demographic change is reshaping our societies. Longer life expectancy, aging populations, and evolving workforce dynamics are creating both new opportunities and growing pressure on healthcare systems, economies, and public policy.

Against this backdrop, health and innovation play an increasingly important role in building resilient societies and supporting healthier, more productive lives. Investing in prevention, early intervention, innovative healthcare solutions, and forward-looking health policies is becoming essential to meeting these challenges.

In this Early Bird edition of the Vital Health Podcast, Duane Schulthess sits with Mike Hodin (Global Coalition on Aging - GCOA; CEO) and Francesca Colombo (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - OECD; Head, Health Division) to explore how strategic investment in health and innovation can help address demographic change and contribute to sustainable social and economic outcomes. They highlight the value of prevention, including adult vaccination, the importance of cardiovascular health, and the critical role of early detection, diagnosis, and timely treatment in cancer care.

Opinions expressed are those of the speakers. Recorded on 6/17/26. This podcast was made with the support of Merck Sharp & Dohme. The Vital Health Podcast is a production of Vital Transformation LLC © 2026.

Across Europe and around the world, demographic change is reshaping our societies. Longer life expectancy, aging populations, and evolving workforce dynamics are creating both new opportunities and growing pressure on healthcare systems, economies, and public policy.
Against this backdrop, health and innovation play an increasingly important role in building resilient societies and supporting healthier, more productive lives. Investing in prevention, early intervention, innovative healthcare solutions, and forward-looking health policies is becoming essential to meeting these challenges.
In this Early Bird edition of the Vital Health Podcast, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/duane-schulthess-66ba39b7/">Duane Schulthess</a> sits with <a href="linkedin.com/in/hodin">Mike Hodin</a> (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-coalition-on-aging/">Global Coalition on Aging - GCOA</a>; CEO) and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/francesca-colombo-a662a51/">Francesca Colombo</a> (<a href="linkedin.com/company/organisation-eco-cooperation-development-organisation-cooperation-developpement-eco">Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - OECD</a>; Head, Health Division) to explore how strategic investment in health and innovation can help address demographic change and contribute to sustainable social and economic outcomes. They highlight the value of prevention, including adult vaccination, the importance of cardiovascular health, and the critical role of early detection, diagnosis, and timely treatment in cancer care.
Opinions expressed are those of the speakers. Recorded on 6/17/26. This podcast was made with the support of <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/msd-global">Merck Sharp &amp; Dohme</a>. The Vital Health Podcast is a production of <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/vital-transformation/">Vital Transformation LLC</a> &copy; 2026.

MSD Early Bird Podcast: Changing Demographics and the Case for Renewed Investment in Health

In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host Duane Schulthess speaks with Bill Smith (Senior Fellow and Director, Life Sciences Initiative at The Pioneer Institute) to discuss how the 340B program has evolved from a safety net drug discount program into a major source of hospital revenue, what new research suggests about charity care and Medicaid access, and why transparency, hospital consolidation, and broader drug pricing policy are reshaping incentives across oncology and biopharma.

Key Topics:
340B Origins: Medicaid best price, safety net intent, clinic and hospital eligibility.
Hospital Arbitrage: Buy-low sell-high incentives, affluent satellite sites, oncology drug spreads.
Charity Care: Lower reported charity care, Medicaid access concerns, variation across hospital systems.
Transparency Reforms: State reporting laws, separate audited accounts, minimum charity care requirements.
Policy Collisions: Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) price controls, Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) pressure, oncology consolidation, biopharma investment risks.

Opinions expressed are those of the speakers. Recorded 6/5/26. The Vital Health Podcast is a production of Vital Transformation LLC © 2026.

In this episode of the Vital Health Podcast, host <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/duane-schulthess-66ba39b7/">Duane Schulthess</a> speaks with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-smith-phd-54628b18/">Bill&nbsp;Smith</a> (Senior Fellow and Director, Life Sciences Initiative at <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/pioneer-institute-for-public-policy-research/">The Pioneer Institute</a>) to discuss how the 340B program has evolved from a safety net drug discount program into a major source of hospital revenue, what new research suggests about charity care and Medicaid access, and why transparency, hospital consolidation, and broader drug pricing policy are reshaping incentives across oncology and biopharma.
Key Topics:
<ul data-start="982" data-end="1512">
<li data-start="982" data-end="1074" data-section-id="1peq6hi">340B Origins: Medicaid best price, safety net intent, clinic and hospital eligibility.</li>
<li data-start="1075" data-end="1179" data-section-id="crugk7">Hospital Arbitrage: Buy-low sell-high incentives, affluent satellite sites, oncology drug spreads.</li>
<li data-start="1180" data-end="1289" data-section-id="1md5czd">Charity Care: Lower reported charity care, Medicaid access concerns, variation across hospital systems.</li>
<li data-start="1290" data-end="1401" data-section-id="1mugpb2">Transparency Reforms: State reporting laws, separate audited accounts, minimum charity care requirements.</li>
<li data-start="1402" data-end="1512" data-section-id="1e21uam">Policy Collisions: Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) price controls, Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) pressure, oncology consolidation, biopharma investment risks.</li>
</ul>
Opinions expressed are those of the speakers. Recorded 6/5/26. The Vital Health Podcast is a production of Vital Transformation LLC &copy; 2026.

Taking the Helm Mid Drug Pricing Maelstrom

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