4 healthcare trends for 2016
The New Year has come and 2016 is in full swing. But with new beginnings always comes new trends.
Below are four healthcare fads to look out for in the next 12 months:
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M&A deals and tax inversions
With lending rates still well below normal averages, companies looking to make acquisitions will have access to cheap capital to strike a deal this year. Not many sectors have been as active as healthcare in recent M&A agreements, and with drug making companies looking to grow and expand, there may be a lot more activity in 2016.
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The merging of technology and healthcare
Health IT trends could dominate in 2016. With 3D printing on the rise, new analytics software coming to fruition and, most importantly, the proliferation of cloud software, investors will be encouraged by the latest transactions.
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Cancer immunotherapies
Although it’s been one of the most prominent healthcare trends for a couple years now, cancer immunotherapies will be something to keep a close eye on in 2016. Immunotherapies are medicines that work with a patient’s immune system to help locate and fight a disease more effectively.
Since cancer often goes unnoticed by our immune system, immunotherapies will eliminate the cancer’s ability to hide.
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Prescription drug reform
Hefty price increases to consumers and insurers have been installed for years by the pharmaceutical industry. Over the past four years, there has been an average increase of 117 percent.
While drug makers hoped that calls for prescription drug reform would cease, it has urged lawmakers and the public to find ways to keep brand-name drugs as affordable as possible.
Source: The Motley Fool
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