transparency | Alliance for a Better Utah

Utah auditor reviewing $800K buy of anti-malarial drugs, other COVID-19 purchases

Better Utah May 1, 2020

This article originally appeared in the Deseret News. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY — Utah State Auditor John Dougall confirmed Friday his office is reviewing the state’s $800,000 purchase of anti-malarial drugs — a controversial move that raised red flags from pharmacists and medical professionals, and has since been refunded. “Yes, we’re looking into it,” Dougall told the Deseret News when asked

Utah refunded $800K after purchase of unproven COVID-19 treatment

Better Utah April 29, 2020

This article originally appeared on Fox 13. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY — A local pharmacy chain has refunded the State of Utah $800,000 for thousands of pills intended for treating COVID-19. On March 31, the state purchased 20,000 courses of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine – commonly used in the treatment of malaria, but unproven in treating COVID-19 – from Meds in Motion.

Oklahoma, Utah face scrutiny over malaria drug purchases

Better Utah April 28, 2020

This article originally appeared on PBS. Read it in its entirety here. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Republican state leaders in Oklahoma and Utah are facing scrutiny for spending millions of dollars combined to purchase malaria drugs promoted by President Trump to treat COVID-19 patients that many other states obtained for free and that doctors warned shouldn’t be used without more testing. While governments in at least

Price gouging complaint filed against Utah pharmacy over state’s purchase of anti-malaria drug

Better Utah April 28, 2020

This article originally appeared in the Daily Herald. Read it in its entirety here. A Salt Lake City-based nonprofit filed a price gouging complaint with the Utah Division of Consumer Protection against a pharmacy that sold the state $800,000 worth of an anti-malaria drug that’s been touted as a COVID-19 treatment despite warnings from medical experts. Alliance for a Better Utah submitted the complaint against Draper-based Meds

Utah Legislature moves to shield businesses from coronavirus lawsuits

Better Utah April 23, 2020

This article originally appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune. Read it in its entirety here. As the state makes moves to reopen its slumbering economy, the Utah Legislature approved a bill Thursday that would make property owners and business operators immune from lawsuits brought forward by people exposed to COVID-19. The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Kirk Cullimore, R-Draper, said the measure will make it easier for businesses to

More deaths, no benefit from drug touted by Trump to treat coronavirus, study finds

Better Utah April 22, 2020

This article originally appeared on CBS News. Read it in its entirety here. A malaria drug widely touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus showed no benefit in a large analysis of its use in U.S. veterans hospitals. There were more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care, researchers reported. The nationwide study was not a rigorous experiment. But with 368 patients, it’s the largest look

Utah to buy stockpile of anti-malarial drugs, critics blast deal

Better Utah April 21, 2020

This article originally appeared in KSL. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY — State health officials are in the process of buying a mass of anti-malarial drugs to treat up to 200,000 of Utah’s COVID-19 patients, despite objections from medical experts. The plan is to distribute the drugs to local pharmacies across the state so the treatment will be available “free of charge to patients,

Utah Legislature eyes May 1 for reopening economy as the coronavirus wears on

Better Utah April 16, 2020

This article originally appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune. Read it in its entirety here. State lawmakers convened a historic, all-virtual special session on the COVID-19 outbreak on Thursday, with an eye toward the date Utah can start emerging from quarantine — and they’re pitching May 1 as a target. House Speaker Brad Wilson said legislators will create guidelines to start reawakening the state’s slumbering economy “carefully, methodically,

Utah Legislature Website Allows Digital Public Comment, But Won’t Post Them Publicly

Better Utah April 16, 2020

This article originally appeared in KUER. Read it in its entirety here. The Utah Legislature’s first-ever virtual special session kicks off Thursday morning. There won’t be live public comment, but Utahns can submit their thoughts on bills through the Legislature’s website directly to their representatives or to all lawmakers. Those public comments will not be viewable on the Legislature’s website after they’re submitted though. “We are

Advocacy. Transparency. Accountability.

Chase Thomas September 4, 2019

We’ve got a new logo! We recently went through a brand adjustment, and with our new logo comes a new tagline: “Advocacy. Transparency. Accountability.” In the past, we’ve talked about our organization as being built on the pillars of “balance, transparency, and accountability.” Now, we’ve obviously changed one of the words and formally adopted those

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