Botox maker AbbVie suspends operations in Russia
CBSN
Russians will have to cope without their Botox — an injectable drug that smooths wrinkles — as long as President Vladimir Putin continues his country's attack on Ukraine.
Botox maker AbbVie, a global pharmaceutical company, said in a statement on its website that it has temporarily suspended operations for its aesthetics products, including Botox, in Russia while the crisis in Ukraine unfolds. The company does not operate manufacturing plants in the region, according to the company. AbbVie will continue to produce and distribute essential and life-saving medicines to patients in Russia.
"As a global biopharmaceutical company, we have a responsibility to patients who depend on our medicines," AbbVie said, which also reiterated its commitment to providing clinical trial participants with experimental drugs. "Our priority is to ensure the safety of our colleagues and help patients get the medicines they need."
A class of drugs known as GLP-1s have been helping people lose weight, but out of pocket costs put them out of reach for many Americans. In West Virginia, a subsidy program for public employees was showing promising results, but then the state abruptly ended it, leaving many searching for new solutions.