Notable healthcare headlines for the week: UnitedHealth, Eli Lilly, Pfizer in focus

Wall Street’s major averages ended mostly lower on Friday, as market participants have been keeping an eye on the highly anticipated meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

However, the S&P 500 Health Care Index Sector (NYSEARCA:XLV [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/XLV]) gained about 2.8% during the week.

The top S&P 500 healthcare gainers and losers for the last week are as follows:

TOP GAINERS:

UnitedHealth (UNH [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/UNH]) +22.05%

Eli Lilly (LLY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/LLY]) +12.34%

Centene (CNC [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CNC]) +11.49%

Incyte (INCY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/INCY]) +10.88%

Viatris (VTRS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/VTRS]) +9.72%

TOP LOSERS:

Cardinal Health (CAH [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/CAH]) -5.15%

Solventum (SOLV [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SOLV]) -2.36%

Abbott Laboratories (ABT [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/ABT]) -2.00%

IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/IDXX]) -0.94%

Gilead Sciences (GILD [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/GILD]) -0.88%

Here are some of the important healthcare stories from this week:

UNITEDHEALTH SOARS AFTER BUFFETT’S BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY TAKES NEW STAKE

UnitedHealth (UNH [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/UNH]) shares jumped nearly 12% after Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway disclosed [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4485669-berkshire-hathaway-takes-new-stakes-in-unitedhealth-nucor-pares-back-on-apple] in a regulatory filing that it purchased more than 5 million shares of the insurer last quarter, a stake valued at roughly $1.6B as of the end of June. The investment, which makes UnitedHealth Berkshire’s 18th-largest holding behind Amazon and Constellation Brands, surprised some given the company’s current challenges but aligns with Buffett’s track record of buying quality businesses at perceived bargain valuations.

ELI LILLY SUED IN TEXAS OVER ILLEGAL KICKBACKS RELATED TO WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Tuesday announced [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4484091-eli-lilly-sued-in-texas-suit-illegal-kickbacks] a lawsuit alleging that Eli Lilly (LLY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/LLY]) bribed his state's medical providers in a bid to persuade them to prescribe the company’s weight loss therapy Zepbound and other medications.

According to the lawsuit, the Indiana-based pharma giant offered illegal incentives such as “free nurses” and reimbursement support services to encourage medical providers to prescribe its treatments, including its GLP-1 treatments Mounjaro and Zepbound.

The lawsuit alleges that Eli Lilly (LLY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/LLY]) violated the Texas Health Care Program Fraud Prevention Act, as the Texas Medicaid program had to reimburse millions [https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-sues-big-pharma-drug-manufacturer-eli-lilly-bribing-providers-prescribe] of dollars in claims for prescriptions issued in connection with the incentive program.

In other news of notes, Eli Lilly (LLY [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/LLY]) debuted [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4484558-eli-lilly-launches-mounjaro-pen-india] its best-selling diabetes therapy, Mounjaro, in an easy-to-use injector format in India on Wednesday, escalating a rivalry with Novo Nordisk (NVO [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVO]) in the world’s most populous country.

TRUMP PHARMA TARIFFS NOT IMMINENT - REPORT

Despite recent threats by President Trump to impose [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4485047-trump-pharma-tariffs-not-imminent] tariffs on pharmaceutical imports shortly, they are likely some weeks away.

Sources in Europe and the U.S. told _Reuters_ that the tariffs are not imminent.

Earlier this month, Trump said tariffs on foreign-made pharmaceuticals could reach as high as 250% [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4478502-trump-ups-pharma-tariff-threat-250-percent#hasComeFromMpArticle=false#source=section%3Amain_content%7Cbutton%3Abody_link%7Cfirst_level_url%3Anews].

Two sources told the news service [https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/us-pharma-tariffs-likely-weeks-away-trump-plans-alaska-sources-say-2025-08-13/] that findings from a national security probe into semiconductors would come before a pharma tariffs announcement. Trump is also preoccupied with his meeting Friday with President Vladimir Putin regarding the war in Ukraine.

PFIZER/BIONTECH MAY NOT WIN FDA RENEWAL FOR PEDIATRIC COVID SHOT: REPORT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is unlikely to renew [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4483850-pfizerbiontech-may-not-win-fda-renewal-pediatric-covid-shot] the authorization granted to use Pfizer (PFE [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PFE]) and BioNTech’s (BNTX [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BNTX]) COVID-19 vaccine in young children this fall, The Guardian reported, citing an email sent by a federal agency tasked with immunizations.

The messenger RNA-based shot marketed as Comirnaty for those aged 12 years and above is currently available in the U.S. under the regulator’s emergency use authorization (EUA) for children between the ages of six months and four years.

According to an email from the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Pfizer (PFE [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/PFE]) has disclosed a communication from the FDA, which suggested the EUA granted for its pediatric COVID shot may not be renewed for the 2025 respiratory season.

HIMS & HERS HEALTH UNDER INVESTIGATION BY FTC OVER BUSINESS PRACTICES - REPORT

The FTC is investigating [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4485799-hims-and-hers-health-under-investigation-ftc-business-practices] Hims & Hers Health (HIMS [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/HIMS]) over some of its business practices, including whether the telemedicine company makes it too difficult to cancel subscriptions.

Shares are down 5% in after-hours trading.

While the probe itself was disclosed by the company in July 2024, a new report from _Bloomberg_ is the first-time details of its have been disclosed.

The financial news service, citing individuals familiar with the matter, said [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-14/ftc-probing-complaints-about-hims-ads-cancellation-practices] that the agency began its investigation following a number of complaints from consumers over Hims & Hers Health's cancellation and advertising policies.

BAYER INKS $1.3 BILLION DEAL WITH KUMQUAT BIOSCIENCES FOR CANCER DRUG DEVELOPMENT

Bayer (OTCPK:BAYZF [https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/BAYZF]) on Tuesday unveiled [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4483673-bayer-inks-13-billion-deal-with-kumquat-biosciences-for-cancer-drug-development] a partnership deal worth up to $1.3 billion with Kumquat Biosciences to develop the U.S.-based oncology specialist's potential new cancer drug.

Under the agreement, Kumquat is responsible for the initiation and completion of the Phase Ia study, while Bayer will complete development and commercial activities.

MORE ON THE HEALTH CARE SELECT SECTOR SPDR® FUND ETF

* XLV: Life Expectancy, Patents, And A Positive Outlook Will Pave The Way [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4801594-xlv-life-expectancy-patents-and-a-positive-outlook-will-pave-the-way]
* XLV: The S&P 500's Most Discounted Sector? Uncover The Hidden Risk [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4799174-xlv-the-sp-500s-most-discounted-sector-uncover-the-hidden-risk]
* Understanding XLV: A Sector ETF Focused On U.S. Healthcare Giants [https://seekingalpha.com/article/4794183-understanding-xlv-sector-etf-focused-on-us-healthcare-giants]
* Short bets on S&P 500 Healthcare sector ease in July; Moderna remains most heavily shorted stock [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4485246-short-bets-on-sp-500-healthcare-sector-ease-in-july-moderna-remains-most-heavily-shorted-stock]
* Overbought or Oversold? A sector-by-sector look at today’s market [https://seekingalpha.com/news/4484664-overbought-or-oversold-a-sector-by-sector-look-at-todays-market]