Trump's top drug pricing advisor is leaving 

John O’Brien, who has served as senior advisor for drug pricing reform at HHS since December, is leaving the agency effective August 22. In a statement, HHS didn’t specify O’Brien’s reason for leaving — but he had previously made public mention of his father’s cancer diagnosis, my colleague Lev Facher notes. O’Brien served as the brains behind a number of the Trump administration’s sweeping drug pricing plans, and his work at HHS was lauded by advocates of all stripes, from PhRMA’s Steve Ubl to Patients For Affordable Drugs’ David Mitchell, following the news of his departure. 

“I’m going to head home to Florida and be a caregiver to my parents," O’Brien told Lev in an interview Monday. “I think it's a good time. We've accomplished a lot, I'm encouraged by the momentum on the Hill, and my departure won’t slow down the pace and impact of the administration’s work to reduce prescription drug prices.”

Nonetheless, it’s tough timing for the Trump administration. Congress is finally moving on drug pricing reforms after months of back-and-forth, and O’Brien — as well as his boss, health secretary Alex Azar — has played a key role in advancing a Senate Finance Committee package that will face a make-or-break moment when Congress returns in September. Now, O’Brien’s role will fall to John Brooks, who held a similar job under former health secretary Tom Price and who currently works for CMS.