Health Sector Shifts: High Stakes, Major Moves Amid Policy Changes

The health sector is witnessing a wave of transformative changes. President Donald Trump's recent spending bill is set to challenge Medicaid insurers, possibly leading to reduced coverage. Affected insurers, such as UnitedHealthcare, may pivot investment to more robust markets to maintain their member base.

Meanwhile, Waters Corp plans to acquire a bioscience unit from Becton Dickinson for $17.5 billion, expanding its role in clinical and diagnostic fields. In the biotech sphere, CSL Ltd is cutting its R&D division, potentially reducing its workforce by a third, while seeking efficiency through external partnerships.

In pharmaceuticals, GSK seeks to broaden the use of its RSV vaccine in the U.S., and AstraZeneca reports positive outcomes from trials on a new hypertension treatment. Globally, the WHO has endorsed Gilead's HIV prevention injection, signaling hopeful advancements against the virus.

(With inputs from agencies.)