FDA Issues COVID Vaccination Warning Directive; 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Meeting With South African President Ramaphosa
RJ Hamster
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May 22, 2025
WORDS OF WISDOM
“Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful.”
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, “MEASURE FOR MEASURE”
Good morning! Today we’re covering progress on the bill to enact President Donald Trump’s agenda, the renewed push to lower prescription drug costs, and Taiwan getting ready for war while hoping for peace.
Republican leaders unveiled an amendment to the megabill on Wednesday evening, tailored to address objections from fiscal conservatives and moderates in the Republican conference. Its release followed a day of hurried negotiations between Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), and conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus.
The amendment makes consequential changes to several key components of the bill, including the State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction and Medicaid. It would accelerate the start date of Medicaid work requirements—which are strengthened under the bill—from 2029 to 2026. It also speeds up the phasing out of Inflation Reduction Act energy tax credits for wind, solar, and battery storage in 2028, with some exceptions. (More)
FTC Renews Push to Remove Improper Drug Patents That Block GenericsThe Federal Trade Commission (FTC) escalated its efforts to lower prescription drug costs, renewing challenges to more than 200 patents it says were improperly listed to prevent generic versions of brand-name drugs from reaching the market.
The commission sent warning letters to seven pharmaceutical companies: Novartis, Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Mylan Specialty, Covis Pharma, and three Teva entities. The agency accused the drugmakes of using invalid or misclassified patents to delay generic competition for 17 drugs, including asthma inhalers, diabetes treatments, and epinephrine autoinjectors (EpiPen). These patents are listed in the FDA’s Orange Book, a database that helps determine which products are eligible for generic approval and exclusivity protections.
“Improper patent listings can delay generic alternatives from entering the market, keeping drug prices artificially high and preventing patients from accessing lower cost drugs,” the FTC on Wednesday. FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said the enforcement is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to reduce prescription drug costs. (More)
Beijing responded by saying that any discussions must be based on its “One China” principle, which claims that the communist regime is the only legitimate ruler on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has never governed Taiwan, but views the self-ruled democracy as a renegade province. It pledged to “unite” Taiwan with the mainland and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of using force to absorb the island.
Since Lai took office last year, the Chinese regime has stepped up its rhetoric against those it calls Taiwan separatists and ramped up military and patrol activities in the Taiwan Strait. According to U.S. intelligence, Chinese leader Xi Jinping had ordered the Chinese military to be ready to invade Taiwan by 2027. (More)
Music about nature seems to be written only slightly less frequently than music about love or religion. Within this genre, springtime might be the most popular topic.
It’s not surprising that many composers have written pieces on it. What is surprising, though, is the variety of ways they’ve found to express this season and the accompanying emotions.
Here are nine famous composers who gave us their unique renditions.
Vivaldi’s ‘Spring’ Concerto—Antonio Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” is probably the most famous work of music representing the natural world. Of all these, his “Spring” concerto is the most popular and recognizable. The opening of the first “Allegro” movement indicates spring’s arrival. Trilling violins represent singing birds.
Beethoven’s ‘Pastoral’ Symphony No. 6—Ludwig van Beethoven was directly inspired by spring when he wrote one of his most memorable pieces of music, the “Pastoral” Symphony No. 6.
Delius’s ‘On Hearing The First Cuckoo In Spring’—While Beethoven used only the clarinet to represent the cuckoo, the English composer Frederick Delius chose a more complex description. He used a combination of clarinet, oboe, and strings in his piece.
Copland’s ‘Appalachian Spring’—This is probably the most famous piece associated with spring ever written by an American composer. The cover images of most recordings feature the Appalachian Mountains during this time of year.
Vaughan Williams’s ‘The Lark Ascending’—All the great composers of springtime have their own unique way of evoking birdsong. Ralph Vaughan Williams, adapting Meredith’s poem in his own “pastoral romance,” is no exception.
Johann Strauss II’s ‘Voices of Spring’—One of Strauss’s most recognizable waltzes beautifully captures the essence of springtime with its elegant, light melodies, evoking the renewal and blossoming of life.
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