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  • First Edition: March 6, 2023

    First Edition: March 6, 2023

    Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.

    KHN:
    Struggling To Survive, The First Rural Hospitals Line Up For New Federal Lifeline 

    Just off the historic U.S. Route 66 in eastern New Mexico, a 10-bed hospital has for decades provided emergency care for a steady flow of people injured in car crashes and ranching accidents. It also has served as a close-to-home option for the occasional overnight patient, usually older residents with pneumonia or heart trouble. It’s the only hospital for the more than 4,500 people living on a swath of 3,000 square miles of high plains and lakes east of Albuquerque. (Tribble, 3/6)

    KHN:
    Despite Pharma Claims, Illicit Drug Shipments To US Aren’t Full Of Opioids. It’s Generic Viagra.

    For years, the FDA has defended its efforts to intercept prescription drugs coming from abroad by mail as necessary to keep out dangerous opioids, including fentanyl. The pharmaceutical industry frequently cites such concerns in its battle to stymie numerous proposals in Washington to allow Americans to buy drugs from Canada and other countries where prices are almost always much lower. (Galewitz, 3/6)

    KHN:
    Virtual Or In Person: Which Kind Of Doctor’s Visit Is Better, And When It Matters 

    When the covid-19 pandemic swept the country in early 2020 and emptied doctors’ offices nationwide, telemedicine was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. Patients and their physicians turned to virtual visits by video or phone rather than risk meeting face-to-face. During the early months of the pandemic, telehealth visits for care exploded. (Andrews, 3/6)

    KHN:
    Journalists Discuss Insulin Prices, Gun Violence, Distracted Driving, And More 

    Midwest KHN correspondent Bram Sable-Smith discussed the Eli Lilly news on insulin prices on “PBS NewsHour” and insulin prices on Slate’s “What Next” on March 1. … KHN contributor Andy Miller discussed Georgia’s legislative wrap-up including Medicaid work requirements on Georgia Public Broadcasting’s “Lawmakers” on Feb. 28. He also discussed health care for foster children on WUGA’s “The Georgia Health Report” on Feb. 3. (3/4)


    The Washington Post:
    Diabetes And Obesity Rising In Young Americans, Study Finds

    Diabetes and obesity are rising among young adults in the United States, an alarming development that puts them at higher risk for heart disease, according to a study of 13,000 people between 20 and 44 years old. The authors of the study, published Sunday in a major medical journal, warn the trends could have major public health implications: a rising generation dying prematurely of heart attacks, strokes and other complications. And Black and Hispanic people, particularly Mexican Americans, would bear the brunt. (Nirappil, 3/5)


    NPR:
    Diabetes And Obesity Are On The Rise In Young Adults, A Study Says

    The prevalence of diabetes climbed from 3{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} to 4.1{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}; obesity shot up from 32.7{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} to 40.9{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, based on the study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Sunday, which uses data from 2009 to 2020. (Bowman, 3/6)


    Stat:
    The Obesity Revolution: New Weight Loss Drugs Change The Narrative

    A two-part message is permeating the halls of medicine and the fabric of society, sliding into medical school lectures, pediatricians’ offices, happy hours and social feeds: Obesity is a chronic biological disease — and it’s treatable with a new class of medications. (Chen and Herper, 3/5)


    ABC News:
    Eating Disorder Experts Are Worried About Ozempic

    The popularity around weight loss drugs like Ozempic is worrying eating disorder experts, who say the conversation risks making recovery harder and could put others at risk of developing disorders. “My fear is that there is now a belief that anyone can and should achieve a certain body shape and size with the help of these medications, so there’s going to be an even greater drive towards a certain body type,” said Tracy Richmond, director of the eating disorder program at Boston Children’s Hospital. (Wetsman, 3/6)


    AP:
    Can’t Take Statins? New Pill Cuts Cholesterol, Heart Attacks 

    In a major study, a different kind of cholesterol-lowering drug named Nexletol reduced the risk of heart attacks and some other cardiovascular problems in people who can’t tolerate statins, researchers reported Saturday. Doctors already prescribe the drug, known chemically as bempedoic acid, to be used together with a statin to help certain high-risk patients further lower their cholesterol. The new study tested Nexletol without the statin combination — and offers the first evidence that it also reduces the risk of cholesterol-caused health problems. (Neergaard, 3/4)


    Stat:
    After Its Drug Was Shown To Prevent Heart Attacks, What’s Next For Esperion?

    On Saturday a new study showed that Nexletol, the cholesterol-lowering medicine made by Esperion Therapeutics, prevented heart attacks among people who cannot or will not take potent cholesterol-lowering statins. The question now is whether those benefits are going to be enough to make sales of Nexletol take off. They have been basically dead in the water since the oral medicine was approved three years ago. (Herper, 3/6)


    CNN:
    ‘Keto-Like’ Diet May Be Associated With Heart Disease, According To New Research

    A low-carb, high-fat “keto-like” diet may be linked to higher levels of “bad” cholesterol and double the risk of cardiovascular events such as blocked arteries, heart attacks and strokes, according to new research. “Our study found that regular consumption of a self-reported diet low in carbohydrates and high in fat was associated with increased levels of LDL cholesterol – or “bad” cholesterol – and a higher risk of heart disease,” lead study author Dr. Iulia Iatan with the Healthy Heart Program Prevention Clinic, St. Paul’s Hospital and University of British Columbia’s Centre for Heart Lung Innovation in Vancouver, Canada, said in a news release. (Hassan and LaMotte, 3/6)


    The New York Times:
    New Treatment Could Help Fix The Heart’s ‘Forgotten Valve’ 

    For the first time, patients with damaged tricuspid valves in their hearts might have a safe treatment that actually helps. More than 1 million mostly older Americans have seriously leaking tricuspids, a valve on the right side of the heart that lets deoxygenated blood flow between the right atrium and the right ventricle. When the valve leaks, blood flows backward. As a result, fluid accumulates in vital organs while legs and feet get swollen. The eventual outcome is heart failure. (Kolata, 3/4)


    The New York Times:
    Lesion Removed During Biden’s Physical Was Cancerous 

    President Biden had a cancerous lesion removed from his chest during his physical last month, the president’s doctor said Friday. The existence of the lesion was included in the summary of Mr. Biden’s physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in mid-February. On Friday, Dr. Kevin C. O’Connor, the president’s longtime physician, said a biopsy confirmed that it was basal cell carcinoma, a common and relatively unaggressive form of skin cancer. (Rogers, 3/3)


    Stat:
    What Is Basal Cell Carcinoma, The Skin Cancer Biden Just Had 

    Just over two weeks ago, President Biden had skin cancer, but today, he doesn’t. According to a White House physician’s memo on Friday, doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center removed a lesion off his chest on Feb. 16, treated the area around the tumor site, and that was that. The president’s cancer might be cause for more concern were it not for the type: basal cell carcinoma. (Chen and Cohrs, 3/3)


    AP:
    Washington, Oregon To End Health Care Settings Mask Mandate

    Washington and Oregon will soon drop mask requirements in health care settings, state health officials said Friday, moving to lift the last major masking requirements meant to curb the spread of COVID-19. Mandates in both states will end on April 3, meaning health care workers, patients and visitors will no longer be required to wear a mask in facilities including hospitals, urgent care centers and dental and doctors’ offices. Washington’s mask requirements in correctional facilities will also end April 3. (3/3)


    The Boston Globe:
    Five People Are Dead At A South Yarmouth Nursing Home After A COVID-19 Outbreak

    Five residents of a South Yarmouth nursing home died in recent days following an outbreak of COVID-19, which also caused more than 90 additional cases among residents and staff. The state Department of Public Health has ordered Pittsfield-based Integritus Healthcare, which operates Windsor Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in South Yarmouth, to cease admissions of new residents while officials respond to the outbreak. (Hilliard, 3/4)


    San Francisco Chronicle:
    All Pandemic Origin Theories Remain Viable, Says WHO

    Officials from the World Health Organization on Friday said that all COVID-19 origin theories remain viable despite recent U.S. reports promoting the idea that the deadly virus originated in a lab in Wuhan, China. “If any country has information about the origins of the pandemic, it is essential for that information to be shared with WHO and the international scientific community,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press briefing. (Vaziri, 3/3)


    AP:
    Utah Governor Says He Plans To Sign Abortion Clinic Ban 

    Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Friday that he plans to sign a measure that would effectively ban abortion clinics from operating in the state, meaning hospitals will soon be the only places where they can be provided in the state. After passing through the state Senate on Thursday with minor amendments, it returned to the Utah House of Representatives Friday morning, where it was approved and then sent to the governor for final approval. The move comes less than a year after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision, returning the power to regulate abortions to states. (Metz, 3/4)


    AP:
    The Implications Of Walgreens’ Decision On Abortion Pills 

    Rite Aid Corp. said it was “monitoring the latest federal, state, legal and regulatory developments” and would keep evaluating its policies. The Associated Press also sought comment from CVS Health Corp., retail giant Walmart and the grocery chain Kroger. Some independent pharmacists would like to become certified to dispense the pills, said Andrea Pivarunas, a spokeswoman for the National Community Pharmacists Association. She added that this would be a “personal business decision,” based partly on state laws. The association has no specifics on how many will do it. (Murphy, 3/3)


    The Wall Street Journal:
    Judith Heumann, Disability-Rights Activist, Dies At 75

    Judith Heumann, a renowned activist who helped secure legislation protecting the rights of people with disabilities, has died. She was 75 years old. Ms. Heumann died Saturday in Washington, D.C., according to a statement from her family. Over decades of activism, Ms. Heumann played a role in developing national disability-rights legislation, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. She was also involved in the passage of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (Otis, 3/5)  


    The Hill:
    Biden Remembers Disability Rights Activist Judith Heumann As ‘Rolling Warrior’

    President Biden on Sunday remembered disability rights activist Judith Heumann, who passed away on Saturday at 75, as a “trailblazer” and a “rolling warrior.” … “Judy Heumann was a trailblazer – a rolling warrior – for disability rights in America. After her school principal said she couldn’t enter Kindergarten because she was using a wheelchair, Judy dedicated the rest of her life to fighting for the inherent dignity of people with disabilities,” Biden said in a statement. (Sforza, 3/5)


    AP:
    Another Mississippi Hospital Will Stop Delivering Babies

    A hospital on the Mississippi Gulf Coast will suspend labor and delivery services April 1 because of a shortage of obstetricians, further decreasing health care access in a state that has seen other hospitals shut down birthing centers or intensive care for newborn babies. Singing River Gulfport said in its announcement Thursday that hospital leaders hope the suspension of services will be temporary, WXXV-TV reported. (3/3)


    Stat:
    Novant Hospital Merger In North Carolina Raises Antitrust Concerns

    Hospital systems are turning to cross-market mergers to satiate their thirst for growth and avoid antitrust heat. But hospitals are also still signing other lower-profile deals, which experts believe inevitably lead to higher insurance premiums and create more medical bill stress for people in those communities. “Smaller mergers just don’t get the attention they deserve because they affect fewer people,” said Vivian Ho, a health economist at Rice University who studies hospital consolidation. (Herman, 3/6)


    Modern Healthcare:
    4 Takeaways From Health Systems’ 2022 Earnings Reports

    Labor shortages, rising expenses and poor performance in the financial markets led to a money-losing year many in the industry would like to forget. “When you look back at 2022, for a sizable portion for the sector, it’s going to go down again as really one of, if not the worst, operating income years ever,” said Kevin Holloran, senior director at Fitch Ratings. “Some people got better as the year went on … but not everybody.” (Hudson, 3/3) 


    AP:
    Nevada Crash Is 3rd Fatal One Tied To Air Medical Service 

    The company that owns the medical transport aircraft that crashed in northern Nevada last week, killing all five people aboard, has been tied to two other fatal crashes in the last four years. A review of records shows that with the latest crash, 11 people total have now died on planes owned and operated by Guardian Flight, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported Friday. The company is also now facing its fourth National Transportation Safety Board probe since 2018, said Bruce Landsberg, NTSB vice chairman. (3/3)


    Stat:
    Eli Lilly Will Avoid Big Medicaid Rebates After It Cut Insulin Prices

    Eli Lilly would’ve had to pay Medicaid about $150 for each vial of insulin used in the program if it hadn’t dramatically cut the list prices for some of its older products this week. The company was about to run into a Medicaid penalty for hiking the price of its drugs faster than the rate of inflation. Now that it plans to lower the list price of the insulin Humalog 70{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}, it won’t trigger that penalty. Lilly also is lowering the price of Lispro, a biosimilar of Humalog, to $25 a vial. (Wilkerson, 3/6)


    Stat:
    MRNA Vaccine For HPV-Associated Cancers Shows Promise In Mice

    The HPV vaccine is a slam dunk in preventing the vast majority of cancers related to the infection — namely tumors of the head and neck, anus, penis, vagina, and cervix. But that’s only for people who got shots early enough to prevent HPV infection. Everyone else must hope for other vaccines that scientists are developing to treat existing HPV-associated cancer. A new study on that front offers some promising, if early, results in mice. (Chen, 3/3)


    The Colorado Sun:
    Colorado Psychologists Eligible To Prescribe Medications Under New Law

    Psychologists in Colorado will be allowed to write prescriptions if they’re willing to obtain an additional two-year degree, under a new law signed Friday by Gov. Jared Polis. The measure is intended to increase access to mental health care in Colorado, which has a severe shortage of mental health professionals. Psychiatrists, who are medical doctors, fought the legislation. (Brown, 3/3)


    The Washington Post:
    Florida Bills Would Ban Gender Studies, Limit Trans Pronouns, Erode Tenure 

    Florida legislators have proposed a spate of new laws that would reshape K-12 and higher education in the state, from requiring teachers to use pronouns matching children’s sex as assigned at birth to establishing a universal school choice voucher program. The half-dozen bills, filed by a cast of GOP state representatives and senators, come shortly before the launch of Florida’s legislative session Tuesday. Other proposals in the mix include eliminating college majors in gender studies, nixing diversity efforts at universities and job protections for tenured faculty, strengthening parents’ ability to veto K-12 class materials and extending a ban on teaching about gender and sexuality — from third grade up to eighth grade. (Natanson, Rozsa and Svrluga, 3/5)


    AP:
    How Common Is Transgender Treatment Regret, Detransitioning? 

    In updated treatment guidelines issued last year, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health said evidence of later regret is scant, but that patients should be told about the possibility during psychological counseling. Dutch research from several years ago found no evidence of regret in transgender adults who had comprehensive psychological evaluations in childhood before undergoing puberty blockers and hormone treatment. (Tanner, 3/5)


    AP:
    Legionnaires’ Disease Found In 2 Past Las Vegas Hotel Guests

    Las Vegas area health officials say Legionnaires’ disease was found in two people who stayed at the same hotel in recent months. The Southern Nevada Health District announced Friday it is looking into two cases reported in guests who stayed at The Orleans Hotel & Casino a few miles west of the Strip. One guest visited there in January. The other in December. The hotel is informing current and past guests going back to Dec. 16 of possible exposure. (3/3)


    NBC News:
    Norovirus Is Spiking: Symptoms To Watch For And How To Prevent It

    Norovirus appears to be at a 12-month high, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rate of norovirus tests coming back positive, averaged over three weeks, was around 17{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} as of the end of last week. That’s the highest it has been at any time in the last year. (Varinsky and Ede-Osifo, 3/9)


    AP:
    Officials: Person Dies After Brain-Eating Amoeba Infection

    A person in southwest Florida has died after being infected with an extremely rare brain-eating amoeba, health officials said. The Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County confirmed the death Thursday. The agency had previously issued an alert last month, warning residents about the Naegleria fowleri infection. (3/3)


    Connecticut Public:
    Warming Northeast Winters Benefit Deer Ticks, Raising Health Concerns

    Every year, deer ticks bite thousands of people in the Northeast. And as winters in the region become more mild, adult deer ticks are becoming more active at a time when they’re normally dormant — causing a bigger public health risk. “It’s becoming a year-round, check-yourself-for-ticks situation,” said Dr. Toni Lyn Morelli with the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. (Savitt, 3/4)


    USA Today:
    Cronobacter Sakazakii Infections Can Be Deadly For Babies, CDC Warns

    Following an infant death linked to a contaminated breast pump last year, officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are continuing to warn parents about rare infections caused by Cronobacter sakazakii bacteria. In a report published on Friday, the CDC notes that C. sakazakii infections can cause severe illness and death in newborns. (Grantham-Philips, 3/3)


    The Washington Post:
    Regular Laxative Use Correlated With Higher Dementia Risk In U.K. Study 

    Regular laxative use may be correlated with dementia, according to research published in the journal Neurology in February. The study looked at a cohort of 502,229 British adults participating in UK Biobank, a long-term initiative that gathered extensive genetic and health information from 40- to 69-year-olds in England, Wales and Scotland between 2006 and 2010. The participants had no history of dementia. Researchers compared those who reported no regular laxative use with those who said they used laxatives most days of the week for the past four weeks in surveys. (Blakemore, 3/4)


    CBS News:
    FDA Warns Of False Negative Results For Food Allergies After Skin Test Recall

    All skin tests doctors commonly use to check for food allergies can provide false negative results, the Food and Drug Administration has concluded — meaning people with potentially life-threatening allergies could mistakenly be told they are not at risk. The tests will now be required to include a warning urging doctors to consider double-checking the test with more accurate approaches. (Tin, 3/3)


    CIDRAP:
    CDC Warns Of Risk To Travelers From Chikungunya Outbreak In Paraguay

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to clinicians and public health officials warning that US travelers could be affected by a growing chikungunya outbreak in Paraguay. Since the chikungunya outbreak began in October 2022, the Ministry of Health in Paraguay has reported 71,748 suspected cases of the mosquito-borne alphavirus, with 29,362 of those cases being probable or confirmed. Most cases have been reported in the capital district of Asuncion and the neighboring Central department. Further increases in case counts are expected. (Dall, 3/3)


    This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

  • First Edition: March 6, 2023

    First Edition: March 1, 2023

    Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.

    KHN:
    Biden Promises To Fight GOP On ‘Gutting’ Medicaid. Budget Talks Seem Like Another Story. 

    Most lawmakers — Republicans and Democrats alike — have declared the marquee safety-net programs of Medicare and Social Security off-limits for cuts as a divided Washington heads for a showdown over the national debt and government spending. Health programs for lower-income Americans, though, have gotten no such bipartisan assurances. More than 20 million people gained Medicaid coverage in the past three years after Congress expanded access to the entitlement program during the covid-19 pandemic, swelling Medicaid’s population by about 30{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}. But enrollment will fall starting in April, when the pandemic-era changes end and states begin cutting coverage for Americans who are no longer eligible. (McAuliff, 3/1)

    KHN:
    Idaho Dropped Thousands From Medicaid In The Pandemic’s First Years

    During the first two years of the covid-19 pandemic, while the federal government was trying to prevent people on Medicaid from losing health coverage, Idaho dropped nearly 10,000 people from the safety-net program. Federal law generally banned states from dropping people, and federal officials said Idaho acted improperly. Idaho officials, however, said they didn’t think they did anything wrong. (Pradhan, 3/1)

    KHN:
    Listen To The Latest ‘KHN Health Minute’

    On this week’s KHN Health Minute, hear about how Twitter users are shaping insulin policy and how covid vaccines may protect your heart. (2/28)


    The New York Times:
    Low-Income Families Brace For End Of Extra Food Stamp Benefits

    Tens of millions of low-income families are set to lose additional food stamp benefits on Wednesday after the expiration of a pandemic-era policy that had increased the amount they received, leaving food banks bracing for a surge in demand and some advocates predicting a rise in hunger nationwide. For nearly three years of the pandemic, emergency legislation enacted by Congress sought to cushion the economic blow of the coronavirus, allowing all participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to receive the maximum monthly benefit, regardless of income. The extra cash, along with other economic assistance programs, helped keep food insecurity at bay and cut poverty rates to a record low. (Qiu, 2/28)


    The Hill:
    SNAP Cuts Could Lead To ‘Hunger Cliff,’ Experts Fear 

    Navigating a post-COVID America on pre-COVID-level SNAP benefits might be more of a struggle for others, like the elderly and the chronically ill. Especially now that inflation has caused food prices to balloon by nearly 10 percent since last year, according to the Department of Agriculture. Anti-hunger advocates fear the newly reduced SNAP benefits will drive millions of people to a “hunger cliff” and deeper into poverty as they search for ways to pay for food. (O’Connell-Domenech, 2/28)


    Stateline:
    States Strive To Help SNAP Recipients Cope With Lower Benefits

    States, community groups and food banks are scrambling to help families cope and gear up for an expected wave of food hardship. “People are scared. They’re anxious. This is a devastating change,” Karla Maraccini, director of the Food and Energy Assistance Division of the Colorado Department of Human Services, told Stateline. “We want to make sure nobody is caught off guard in March.” (Mercer, 2/28)


    AP:
    Biden Warns Of ‘MAGA’ Republicans’ Desire To Cut Spending 

    President Joe Biden on Tuesday said GOP lawmakers could put millions of people’s health care at risk, honing his message ahead of the release of his budget plan next week as Republicans push for him to negotiate over spending levels. The Democratic president spoke at a recreation center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His remarks were part of a broader effort this week to contrast his administration’s priorities with those of Republicans who have yet to spell out their budget cuts. Using past proposals, Biden said the GOP could try to slash Medicaid and Obamacare benefits, as well as Social Security and Medicare. “What are they going to cut? That’s the big question,” Biden said Tuesday. “For millions of Americans, health care hangs in the balance.” (Long and Boak, 3/1)


    The Washington Post:
    FDA To Restrict Imports Of An Animal Sedative, Xylazine, Tied To Overdoses 

    The drug, known as “tranq” on the street, has alarmed public health experts, law enforcement officers and lawmakers already struggling to control an opioid crisis that is killing thousands each month. In recent years, the impact of xylazine has been particularly acute in Philadelphia, where the drug has been discovered in an overwhelming number of street opioid samples and as of 2019, in 31 percent of all victims of unintentional fatal overdoses in which fentanyl or heroin were detected. (Ovalle, 2/28)


    AP:
    FDA Panel Narrowly Backs Pfizer RSV Vaccine For Older Adults

    Federal health advisers on Tuesday narrowly backed an experimental vaccine from Pfizer that could soon become the first shot to protect older adults against the respiratory illness known as RSV. The Food and Drug Administration panel voted 7-4 on two separate questions of whether Pfizer’s data showed the vaccine was safe and effective against the respiratory virus for people 60 and older. One panelist abstained from voting. The recommendation is non-binding and the FDA will make its own decision on the vaccine in the coming months. (Perrone, 2/28)


    Bloomberg:
    Pfizer’s RSV Vaccine Wins US Panel’s Backing For Safety In Older People

    As it did with its messenger RNA Covid-19 vaccine, Pfizer gained the coveted spot of being first to pass a key barrier to the US market for a lung illness that affects thousand of people each year. Pfizer has been vying with the UK’s GSK Plc over what is estimated to become a $10 billion RSV market. GSK will face its own advisory committee hearing on Wednesday for what infectious disease specialists call the last big respiratory virus without a vaccine. (Cattan, 2/28)


    Reuters:
    Pfizer Gets FDA Panel’s Backing In RSV Vaccine Race

    GSK, which is another forerunner in a crowded race to develop the first RSV vaccine, will face scrutiny from a panel of experts to the FDA on Wednesday. Companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Moderna Inc and Merck are also looming on the horizon. (Mandowara and Esunny, 2/28)


    Reuters:
    Novavax Raises Doubts About Ability To Remain In Business, Shares Fall 

    COVID-19 vaccine maker Novavax Inc on Tuesday raised doubts about its ability to remain in business and announced plans to slash spending as it works to prepare for a fall vaccination campaign, and its shares plunged more than 25{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}. The company said there is significant uncertainty around its 2023 revenue, funding from the U.S. government, and pending arbitration with global vaccine alliance Gavi. But its cash flow forecast indicates it has sufficient capital to fund operations over the next year. (Erman, 2/28)


    AP:
    Troops Who Refused COVID Vaccine Still May Face Discipline

    The military services are still reviewing possible discipline of troops who refused the order to get the COVID-19 vaccine, defense officials told Congress on Tuesday, and they provided few details on how many of those who were forced out of the military would like to return. Lawmakers expressed frustration with the news, questioning why service members should still face discipline since the vaccine requirement had been rescinded. (Baldor, 2/28)


    Billings Gazette:
    Bill To Prevent MRNA Vaccine Recipients From Donating Blood Is Killed

    The House Human Services committee has killed a bill that would have made it illegal to donate blood or tissue if the donor had received any mRNA vaccines or treatments. The bill called for perpetrators who knowingly collect and distribute blood or tissue “containing gene-altering proteins” or other “isolates introduced by mRNA or DNA vaccines” or chemotherapies, to face a misdemeanor charge punishable by a fine up to $500. (Schabacker, 2/28)


    CIDRAP:
    81{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} Of Toilet Samples From US-Bound Planes Had Omicron RNA 

    Two new studies from Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report highlight new findings about air travel amid COVID-19, with one showing that 81{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of wastewater samples from airplane restrooms had SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant genetic material in fall 2022, and the other suggesting that predeparture testing of international travelers was tied to a 52{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} lower positivity rate at arrival in the United States. (Van Beusekom, 2/28)


    Stat:
    Covid Monitoring Gave Essential Workers Little Data To Protect Health

    At the peak of the pandemic, essential workers faced rampant tech-based surveillance, from overhead infrared thermometers to wearables that tracked their proximity to one another. These technologies forced employees to adjust the way they worked and sometimes made their workplaces less safe. They also didn’t offer workers clear and accurate information that would help them protect their health, according to a new report by the nonprofit Data & Society. (Castillo, 3/1)


    The Wall Street Journal:
    FBI Director Says Covid Pandemic Likely Caused By Chinese Lab Leak 

    FBI Director Christopher Wray said Tuesday that the Covid pandemic was probably the result of a laboratory leak in China, providing the first public confirmation of the bureau’s classified judgment of how the virus that led to the deaths of nearly seven million people worldwide first emerged. “The FBI has for quite some time now assessed that the origins of the pandemic are most likely a potential lab incident in Wuhan,” Mr. Wray told Fox News. “Here you are talking about a potential leak from a Chinese government-controlled lab.”  (Gordon and Strobel, 2/28)


    Politico:
    GOP Divided On How To Respond To ‘Lab Leak’ Report 

    Congressional Republicans are anxious to use new Covid-19 lab leak reports to lash out at the ruling Chinese Communist Party and paint President Joe Biden’s administration as soft on Beijing. But they have reached little consensus on how exactly to do that. (Ollstein and Bade, 2/28)


    The Hill:
    Birx: US Not Doing Enough To Prevent Another Pandemic Like COVID

    Deborah Birx, a physician who served as former President Trump’s coronavirus response coordinator, said on Tuesday that the U.S. isn’t doing enough to prevent another pandemic like COVID-19.“To me, what’s really important as we went through this after SARS, and the World Health Organization’s developed treaties, we spent literally hundreds of millions of dollars on saying we were ready and we would prevent the next pandemic and it happened,” Birx said on “CNN This Morning.” “So let’s be very clear that what we have done today has failed. And I worry that we haven’t put the new things in place that will keep us and protect us from the next pandemic,” she added. (Mueller, 2/28)


    CIDRAP:
    US Reports New H5N1 Avian Flu Detections In Mammals 

    The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) added 10 more H5N1 avian flu detections in mammals to its running list, which adds reports from four states and includes five different species. Seven of the detections were in Colorado, where the virus was found in three mountain lions, a bobcat, two red fox, and a black bear. Kansas and Oregon both reported detections in striped skunks, and North Carolina reported a detection in a black bear. (Schnirring, 2/28)


    AP:
    Mississippi Could Renew Initiatives But Ban Them On Abortion

    Mississippi residents might get back the ability to enact public policy through statewide ballot initiatives, but people would be banned from using the process to change abortion laws. Republican lawmakers advanced a proposal Tuesday that would strip voters of their ability to launch abortion measures under a revived ballot initiative process. (Goldberg, 3/1)


    NPR:
    3 Abortion Bans In Texas Leave Doctors ‘Talking In Code’ To Pregnant Patients

    The first amendment of the constitution protects free speech, explains Elizabeth Sepper, professor of law at University of Texas at Austin. “Physicians have independent speech rights, to speak to their patients openly,” she says. “Physicians should not be scared to say the ‘a-word.’” Nevertheless, that seems to be what’s happening. Many doctors in Texas who treat pregnant patients are extremely scared, especially of language in one of the state’s abortion bans that allows people to take civil action against anyone who “aids or abets” abortion. (Simmons-Duffin, 3/1)


    AP:
    Mississippi House Panel OKs Longer Medicaid After Births

    A Mississippi House committee advanced a bill Tuesday that would provide women with a full year of Medicaid coverage after giving birth, just days after Republican Gov. Tate Reeves voiced his support for the measure. The bill passed the House Medicaid Committee on a voice vote, with some opposition. (Pettus, 2/28)


    Oklahoman:
    Oklahoma House Votes To Ban Insurance For Transgender Care

    House Republicans approved a bill Tuesday banning insurance coverage for transgender health care, one of many proposals this year seeking to limit gender transition procedures. House Bill 2177 now moves to the state Senate after the House passed the measure with an 80-18 vote. All 18 votes against were by Democratic members. (Felder, 2/28)


    AP:
    North Carolina Senate Backs Legalizing Pot For Medical Use

    The North Carolina Senate voted on Tuesday to legalize marijuana use for medical purposes, giving strong bipartisan support for the second year in a row to an idea that its supporters say would give relief to those with debilitating or life-ending illnesses. … The proposal is almost identical to a bill the Senate passed last June by a similar margin, which then stalled in the House. (Robertson, 2/28)


    AP:
    West Virginia Senate Enhances Drug Penalties To Felony 

    West Virginia’s Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would make it a felony to possess fentanyl and some other illegal drugs in the opioid-ravaged state. The bill passed on a 32-1 vote and now goes before the House of Delegates. The regular session ends March 11. (Raby, 2/28)


    The Washington Post:
    Woman Dies After Begging Knoxville Police For Medical Help, Video Shows

    Over the course of at least seven minutes, Lisa Edwards repeatedly asked the Knoxville, Tenn., police officers surrounding her for her inhaler. The 60-year-old was arrested the morning of Feb. 5 on trespassing charges after she refused to leave the Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center that Sunday when she was discharged. While officers were trying to take her into custody, she told them, “I can’t breathe,” according to body-camera footage. As Edwards continued her pleas for help that morning, one officer called them “an act.” (Somasundaram, 2/28)


    Bank Info Security:
    Healthcare Most Hit By Ransomware Last Year, FBI Finds

    Healthcare and public health bore the brunt of ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure sectors launched during the last year, says the FBI. The FBI’s Internet Complaint Center last year received 870 complaints that “indicated organizations belonging to a critical infrastructure sector were victims of a ransomware attack,” said David Scott, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, speaking at the Futurescot conference Monday in Glasgow, Scotland. Critical manufacturing and the government, including schools, followed healthcare as the most-attacked sectors, IC3 data shows. (Schwartz, 2/27)


    Modern Healthcare:
    Mayo Clinic’s 2022 Profits Plummet By More Than 50{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c}

    Rising wage and supply costs, in addition to poor performance in the financial markets, sent Mayo Clinic’s profit plummeting by more than half in 2022. The Rochester, Minnesota-based nonprofit reported $2.2 billion in net income for 2022, a 58.4{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} drop from $5.3 billion in 2021. Operating income dropped 50.9{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} to $595 million, the system said Monday. (Hudson, 2/28)


    Modern Healthcare:
    Walmart, CareSource Health Disparities Program Planned

    Walmart and the health insurer CareSource have forged a partnership to conduct risk screenings and provide wellness services to customers at select retail locations in Ohio, the companies announced Tuesday. The three-year arrangement will focus on improving outcomes among CareSource’s Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance exchange policyholders who have conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and hypertension. (Hartnett, 2/28)


    USA Today:
    Community Health Centers Can Fill America’s Primary Care Gap: Report

    Nearly a third of Americans lack access to primary care, according to a new report. More than 100 million people in the United States don’t have a primary care provider, and about a quarter of those are children, according to the report, “Closing the Primary Care Gap,” released Monday by the National Association of Community Health Centers. (Hassanein, 2/28)


    CNN:
    11 Minutes Of Aerobics Daily Lowers Disease Risk, Study Says

    When you can’t fit your entire workout into a busy day, do you think there’s no point in doing anything at all? You should rethink that mindset. Just 11 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity per day could lower your risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease or premature death, a large new study has found. Aerobic activities include walking, dancing, running, jogging, cycling and swimming. You can gauge the intensity level of an activity by your heart rate and how hard you’re breathing as you move. (Rogers, 2/28)


    The Washington Post:
    Even Mild Concussions Can Affect Memory And Cognition Years Later 

    Experiencing three or more concussions, even mild ones, can lead to cognitive problems decades later, according to research published in the Journal of Neurotrauma. But just one moderate to severe concussion — or traumatic brain injury (TBI), in medical terms — was found to have a long-term impact on brain function, including but not limited to memory issues. (Searing, 2/28)


    WUFT:
    A Specialized Ambulance For Stroke Patients Is On The Way At UF Health

    Every 40 seconds, someone has a stroke in the U.S. Every three and a half minutes, someone dies from a stroke. Strokes are leading causes of long-term disability. These statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are exactly why officials at UF Health Shands Hospital are forming specialized stroke ambulances. (Barrera and Weinstein, 2/28)


    This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

  • First Edition: March 6, 2023

    First Edition: Feb. 16, 2023

    Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.

    KHN:
    As Covid Grabbed The World’s Attention, Texas’ Efforts To Control TB Slipped 

    Narciso Lopez has spent more than two decades working to control the spread of tuberculosis in South Texas. He used to think that when patient traffic into the clinics where he worked was slow, that meant the surrounding community was healthy. But when the covid-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, that changed. “I would be getting maybe three to four a month,” recalled Lopez, a TB program supervisor with Cameron County’s health department. In a matter of months, patients seeking care at the county’s two clinics dropped by half. “And then I wasn’t getting any at all,” he said. (DeGuzman, 2/16)

    KHN:
    One State Looks To Get Kids In Crisis Out Of The ER — And Back Home 

    It was around 2 a.m. when Carmen realized her 12-year-old daughter was in danger and needed help. Haley wasn’t in her room — or anywhere else in the house. Carmen tracked Haley’s phone to a main street in their central Massachusetts community. “She don’t know the danger that she was taking out there,” said Carmen, her voice choked with tears. “Walking in the middle of the night, anything can happen.” (Bebinger, 2/16)

    KHN:
    Republican Lawmakers Shy Away From Changing Montana’s Constitutional Right To Abortion 

    Republican lawmakers in Montana wield a supermajority that gives them the power to ask voters to approve a constitutional amendment that would break the link between abortion rights and the right to privacy in the state’s constitution. But so far, they haven’t sought to ask voters to make the change, a rewrite that would allow lawmakers to ban or further restrict abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court gave that power back to the states last year. (Houghton, 2/16)

    KHN:
    She Sued A Hospital And Lost — But Felt She’d Won 

    When a patient faces an outrageous medical bill, they have two choices: Pay the balance or fight. Lauren Slemenda chose to fight. After failing to reach a consensus with the hospital on a fair price, she took the case to small-claims court. (2/16)


    The New York Times:
    Narcan Is Safe To Sell Over The Counter, Advisers To The FDA Conclude 

    Two federal panels of addiction experts on Wednesday unanimously recommended that Narcan, the overdose-reversing nasal spray, be made widely available without a prescription, a significant step in the effort to stem skyrocketing drug fatalities. Making Narcan an over-the-counter drug has been urged by doctors, patient advocacy groups and the Biden administration. (Hoffman, 2/15)


    Reuters:
    U.S. FDA Panel Backs OTC Opioid Overdose Drug, Proposes Label Changes 

    Most panelists emphasized that OTC use of the nasal spray was safe and proposed ways to improve its labeling, to avoid using the drug wrong. Panelist Brian Bateman said there was room for improving the labeling, “but I think the evidence we saw today provides clear indications that the drug can be used without direction of the healthcare provider.” (Satija and Jain, 2/15)


    AP:
    Panel Backs Moving Opioid Antidote Narcan Over The Counter 

    The positive vote, which is not binding, came despite concerns from some panel members about the drug’s instructions and packaging, which caused confusion among some people in a company study. The manufacturer, Emergent Biosolutions, said it would revise the packaging and labeling to address those concerns. The FDA will make a final decision on the drug in coming weeks. Panel members urged the FDA to move swiftly rather than waiting for Emergent to conduct a follow-up study with the easier-to-understand label. (Perrone, 2/15)


    The Hill:
    CBO Warns Of Sharp Uptick In Social Security, Medicare Spending 

    Federal spending on Social Security and Medicare is projected to rise dramatically over the next decade, far outpacing revenues and the economy on the whole while putting new pressure on Congress to address accelerated threats of insolvency, according to new estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The increase is driven by a variety of factors, including Social Security’s new cost-of-living adjustment, the rising cost of medical services under Medicare and greater participation rates in both programs, as the last of the baby boomers become eligible for retirement benefits. (Lillis, 2/15)


    The Hill:
    Social Security Set To Run Short Of Funds One Year Earlier Than Expected 

    Social Security funds are set to start running a shortfall in 2032, one year earlier than previously expected, the director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said on Tuesday. “The Social Security solvency date — the exhaustion date for the trust fund — is now within the budget window,” CBO Director Phillip Swagel said, referring to the 10-year period covered by the agency’s annual report. (Shapero, 2/15)


    Axios:
    Medicare Politics Are On A Crash Course With Reality

    There’s an inconvenient truth underneath the politics of Medicare — its finances are simply unsustainable. Medicare is one of the largest line items in the U.S. budget, and as the population ages, it’s expected to only get more expensive. (Owens, 2/16)


    Axios:
    Insurers Balk At Proposed Changes To MA Marketing Rules

    Medicare Advantage and Medicare drug plans told the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services that too much regulation at once could drive up costs and result in increased premiums or fewer benefits. Public comment closed this week on on a proposal to crack down on Medicare Advantage marketing practices, impose other standards on Medicare drug plans and create requirements to increase access to behavioral health and culturally competent care. (Dreher and Goldman, 2/16)


    The New York Times:
    What We’ve Learned From Presidential Physicals Of Biden, Trump And Obama 

    When Barack Obama underwent a routine physical exam as president, his doctor noted that he had moved on from cigarettes to nicotine gum. Bill Clinton’s doctor included details about his fluctuating weight. Richard Nixon’s doctor complained that he didn’t exercise enough. There is no legal requirement to follow when it comes to the president’s checkups, and the amount of information released has always been up to the man himself. But President Biden’s exam on Thursday will get extra scrutiny because, at 80, he is America’s oldest president. (Kanno-Youngs, 2/15)


    Stat:
    Moderna Says Covid Vaccines Will Remain Available At No Cost

    In an unexpected shift, Moderna has decided not to ask Americans to pay for its Covid-19 vaccine, a move that follows intense criticism over initial plans to charge $110 to $130 per dose after the company pivots from government contracts to commercial distribution. (Silverman and Owermohle, 2/15)


    Reuters:
    Moderna CEO To Testify In Senate On Proposed Vaccine Price Hike

    Senator Bernie Sanders said on Wednesday Moderna Inc’s chief executive officer Stéphane Bancel will testify next month in front of the senate on the drugmaker’s plans to raise the price of its coronavirus vaccine. In January, Sanders had written to Bancel to refrain from quadrupling the price of COVID-19 vaccine, after Moderna said it was considering pricing its vaccine at $110 to $130 per dose in the United States, when it shifts from government contracting to commercial distribution. (2/15)


    Reuters:
    U.S. NIH Starts Trial For Shionogi’s COVID-19 Pill 

    The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) said on Wednesday that it had started a clinical trial to evaluate Japan’s Shionogi & Co Ltd’s experimental oral antiviral drug to treat COVID-19. The drug, S-217622 or ensitrelvir, will be tested in adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19. It is already approved for emergency use in Japan. (2/16)


    AP:
    S. Carolina House Passes Abortion Ban; No Sign Of Budging

    For the second time since the U.S. Supreme Court ended federal abortion protections, the South Carolina House has passed a near-total abortion ban — and shows no sign of budging. The lower chamber’s Republican supermajority on Wednesday continued its efforts to make South Carolina the 13th state with a ban from conception. By a 83-31 vote largely along party lines, the House advanced a bill including exceptions for rape, incest, fatal fetal anomaly and the patient’s health and life. (Pollard, 2/16)


    AP:
    Bill Raising Abortion To Homicide Draws Republican Pushback

    Newly filed legislation allowing illegal abortions to be prosecuted as homicides drew a quick pushback Wednesday from the state’s anti-abortion attorney general, who warned it would wrongly subject Kentucky women to charges for terminating pregnancies. Republican state Rep. Emily Callaway raised the stakes in the state’s bitter abortion debates when she introduced the measure Tuesday in a state where most abortions are currently banned. (Schreiner, 2/15)


    The Wall Street Journal:
    Shooting Rattles El Paso Mall Next To Scene Of 2019 Rampage 

    One person was killed and three were wounded in a shooting at El Paso’s Cielo Vista Mall Wednesday evening—steps away from the Walmart where an attacker killed 23 people in 2019. Police in the West Texas border city said reports of an active shooter near the mall’s food court came in at 5:05 p.m. local time. An off-duty officer at the mall was at the scene of the shooting within three minutes and detained one suspect, interim police Chief Peter Pacillas said. A second suspect was later taken into custody as well. (Findell, 2/15)


    AP:
    White Supremacist Gets Life In Prison For Buffalo Massacre

    A white supremacist who killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket was sentenced to life in prison without parole Wednesday after relatives of his victims confronted him with pain and rage caused by his racist attack. Anger briefly turned physical at Payton Gendron’s sentencing when a victim’s family member rushed at him from the audience. The man was quickly restrained; prosecutors later said he wouldn’t be charged. The proceeding then resumed with an emotional outpouring from people who lost loved ones or were themselves wounded in the attack. (Thompson and Peltz, 2/15)


    The Washington Post:
    MSU Students Grew Up On Lockdown Drills. The Shooting Is A Call To Action.

    At 21, Zoe Beers has already survived two school shootings. The first was in California when she was 8. The second was this week, as a gunman stormed the Michigan State campus, killing three students and wounding five more. Now, she said, she’s had enough. “No one I know understands what it is like for me, what it is like for us,” she said. “Things needed to change 20 years ago, and they absolutely need to now.” (Rosenzweig-Ziff, Thebault and Khan, 2/15)


    The New York Times:
    At Michigan State, Balancing Freedom And Safety In The Wake Of Tragedy 

    While elementary, middle and high schools in the United States have been transformed in the last generation — with only moderate success — by metal detectors, new security systems, increased screening for visitors and the installation of locks on classroom doors to evade mass shooters, the same changes have not come to colleges and universities. “What we do and what is acceptable from K through 12 is not necessarily acceptable when you get to the college level,” said Anthony Gentile, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and security adviser to the Newtown Public School District, where the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre occurred in 2012. “Frankly, anybody can drift onto one of the campuses and do what happened the other day.” (Bosman, Jimenez and McKinley Jr. 2/15)


    NBC News:
    Roaches In The Operating Room: Doctors At HCA Hospital In Florida Say Patient Care Has Suffered From Cost Cutting

    On Dec. 7, 2021, more than a dozen surgeons convened a meeting at their hospital, HCA Florida Bayonet Point in Hudson, Florida. Their concerns about patient safety at the 290-bed acute care facility owned by HCA Healthcare Inc. had been intensifying for months and the doctors had requested the meeting to push management to address their complaints. (Morgenson, Schecter and McFadden, 2/15)


    The Washington Post:
    St. Elizabeths Hospital Settles Lawsuit Over Water Crisis, Covid 

    St. Elizabeths Hospital patients settled a lawsuit with the District-owned psychiatric hospital and the city over allegations that the facility failed to provide needed care during an extended water outage in 2019 and the coronavirus pandemic. As part of the settlement with the three patients, filed Tuesday in federal court, the District agreed to provide a water remediation plan as well as the process for regular testing. (Silverman, 2/15)


    Modern Healthcare:
    Community Health Systems’ Profits Soar While Operating Income Drops

    The Franklin, Tennessee-based for-profit system on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter net income of $414 million, or $3.18 per share, compared with $178 million, or $1.34 per share, a year ago. The results included a $180 million gain from early debt extinguishment and $119 million from HealthTrust Purchasing Group’s sale of CoreTrust Holdings, which closed on Oct. 1. Community Health Systems is a noncontrolling partner in HealthTrust. (Hudson, 2/15)


    Modern Healthcare:
    CommonSpirit To Purchase 5 Steward Health Care Hospitals

    CommonSpirit said on Wednesday it will acquire Steward Health Care’s Utah locations, which include more than 35 clinics and five hospitals—Davis Hospital and Medical Center in Layton; Jordan Valley Medical Center in West Jordan; Jordan Valley Medical Center-West Valley Campus; Mountain Point Medical Center in Lehi; and Salt Lake Regional Medical Center in Salt Lake City—for an undisclosed amount. (Hudson, 2/15)


    The Wall Street Journal:
    More Women With Breast Cancer Could Skip Harsh Radiation, Study Says 

    More older women with low-risk breast cancer could forgo radiation after surgery to avoid further side effects and costs, research showed, as some doctors work to limit tough treatments without hurting survival. Women in the study published Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine were 65 and older with early stage breast cancers that could respond to hormone therapy. The women all had surgery and hormone therapy and were divided into a group that underwent radiation and a group that went without it. Ten years after surgery, survival rates in the two groups were almost equal, suggesting more women could skip radiation without affecting their survival. (Abbott, 2/15)


    CBS News:
    New Method Revolutionizes Heart Transplants

    It was moments with his kids that made Jason Banner decide to take a chance on a new method of heart transplantation. The single father of two discovered in 2005 he had a genetic heart condition. Last year, he was hospitalized with an irregular heartbeat that causes poor blood flow. (Lapook, 2/15)


    The Boston Globe:
    ‘It’s Night And Day’: Biogen’s New Alzheimer’s Drug May Spur More Investment In Fighting The Disease

    “It’s night and day,” said Dr. Martin Tolar, who has been chief executive of Alzheon for 10 years. The Framingham-based company is in the advanced stages of testing a drug in people whose genes increase their risk of developing Alzheimer’s. “Even a couple years ago it was like the stupidest idea to do something in Alzheimer’s because everything has been failing.” (Cross, 2/15)


    CIDRAP:
    Longtime Drug Shortage Leads To Substandard Care For Thousands Of US Bladder Cancer Patients

    The End Drug Shortages Alliance (EDSA) is urging pharmaceutical manufacturers to boost manufacturing of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), an essential drug for bladder cancer that has been in shortage since 2019. Because of the shortage, an estimated 8,333 US patients with moderate to advanced bladder cancer aren’t receiving optimal care, EDSA said in a white paper based on a November 2022 survey of academic health centers, health systems, and physician practices. (Van Beusekom, 2/15)


    Politico:
    Longer, Riskier: Ohio Derailment Exposes Concerns About Train Length

    The toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, is drawing new attention to the dangers of increasingly long freight trains — part of a series of cost-savings efforts by freight railroads that have drawn scrutiny from the industry’s critics. The sheer bulk of the 150-car train that went off the rails Feb. 3 is just one factor investigators are expected to consider amid the unfolding ecological disaster near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, which caused a massive fireball, forced an evacuation and has left a lingering odor, fears of lasting contamination and thousands of dead fish. But union officials, regulators and congressional researchers say the industry’s trend toward ever-growing train lengths is causing a host of safety concerns that regulators need to address. (Snyder, 2/16)


    AP:
    North Carolina Could Expand Medicaid For As Many As 600,000

    With North Carolina’s two legislative chambers at odds over details of a comprehensive plan for health care access, the House gave tentative approval on Wednesday to a linchpin of any agreement with the Senate by voting to expand Medicaid to more low-income adults. With robust bipartisan support, the chamber voted 96-23 to accept more Medicaid coverage available under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. It could cover potentially 600,000 people who usually make too much to qualify for conventional Medicaid but too little to benefit from subsidized private health insurance. The bill still faces one more House vote on Thursday before going to the Senate. (Robertson, 2/15)


    AP:
    Substances Fuel Record Homeless Deaths In Portland, Oregon 

    A record 193 homeless people died in Oregon’s Multnomah County, home to Portland, in 2021, a 53{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} increase compared with the previous year, according to a new county report released Wednesday. Substances contributed to about 60{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of those deaths, the report found, mirroring trends seen across the country. (Rush, 2/15)


    The Texas Tribune:
    Lubbock Has The Highest Rate Of Attempted Suicides Among Texas Children

    Adam Hernandez was volunteering at a local middle school in mid-January when a student he mentors asked about his daughter, Jacquelyn. Jacquelyn was three weeks shy of her 18th birthday when she died by suicide in 2018. She left no note, and the unrelenting question was, “Why?” There were exciting moments on her horizon — she had just graduated from high school and wanted to be an EMT, and her sister’s birthday was coming up. (Lozano, 2/16)


    Politico:
    Twitter Becomes First Major Social Platform To Allow Weed Ads 

    Elon Musk is backing up all his 420 tweets. The owner of Twitter, who sparked a media firestorm after he puffed on a spliff during an appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, is making good on speculation that his acquisition of the platform might make it more cannabis-friendly. The company changed its policy to allow U.S. cannabis companies to advertise on its platform Tuesday — although with numerous restrictions. (Zhang, 2/15)


    Stat:
    Can Food Be Medicine? And Other Questions About A New Push

    After nearly forty years of obscurity, the “food is medicine” movement is having a moment. Multiple federal agencies are working on food is medicine projects, major organizations have pledged hundreds of millions in research funding, and billions more are being invested in food-focused startups. Even the White House has publicly announced its support for the movement, which focuses on the use of healthy food as a medical intervention for certain chronic and diet-related diseases. (Florko, 2/16)


    This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

  • First Edition: March 6, 2023

    First Edition: Jan. 27, 2023

    Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.

    KHN:
    Did Your Health Plan Rip Off Medicare? 

    Today, KHN has released details of 90 previously secret government audits that reveal millions of dollars in overpayments to Medicare Advantage health plans for seniors. The audits, which cover billings from 2011 through 2013, are the most recent financial reviews available, even though enrollment in the health plans has exploded over the past decade to over 30 million and is expected to grow further. (Schulte, 1/27)

    KHN:
    FDA Experts Are Still Puzzled Over Who Should Get Which Covid Shots And When

    At a meeting to simplify the nation’s covid vaccination policy, the FDA’s panel of experts could agree on only one thing: Information is woefully lacking about how often different groups of Americans need to be vaccinated. That data gap has contributed to widespread skepticism, undervaccination, and ultimately unnecessary deaths from covid-19. The committee voted unanimously Thursday to support the FDA’s proposal for all vaccine-makers to adopt the same strain of the virus when making changes in their vaccines, and suggested they might meet in May or June to select a strain for the vaccines that would be rolled out this fall. (Allen, 1/27)

    KHN:
    California’s Resolve Questioned After It Grants Medi-Cal Contract Concessions 

    California’s decision last month to cancel the results of a long-planned bidding competition among commercial health plans in its Medicaid program has some industry insiders and consumer advocates wondering whether the state can stand up to insurers and force improvements in care for millions of low-income beneficiaries. (Wolfson and Young, 1/27)

    KHN:
    Montana Pharmacists May Get More Power To Prescribe 

    Mark Buck, a physician and pharmacist in Helena, Montana, said he’s been seeing more patients turn to urgent care clinics when they run out of medication. Their doctors have retired, moved away, or left the field because they burned out during the covid-19 pandemic, leaving the patients with few options to renew their prescriptions, he said. “Access is where we’re really hurting in this state,” Buck said. (Larson, 1/27)

    KHN:
    ‘What the Health’ Part I: The State Of The Abortion Debate 50 Years After ‘Roe’ 

    The abortion debate has changed dramatically in the seven months since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and its nationwide right to abortion. Nearly half the states have banned or restricted the procedure, even though the public, at the ballot box, continues to show support for abortion rights. In this special two-part podcast, taped the week of the 50th anniversary of the Roe decision, an expert panel delves into the fight, the sometimes-unintended side effects, and what each side plans for 2023. (1/26)


    NPR:
    An FDA Committee Votes To Roll Out A New COVID Vaccination Strategy

    A committee of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously on a proposal to simplify the nation’s strategy for vaccinating people against COVID-19. The recommendation is that future COVID-19 vaccines should be interchangeable: no matter whether you’re getting your first dose or a booster, the vaccines would all have the same formulation targeting the same viral strain or strains, regardless of the manufacturer. The vote was unanimous: 21-0. (Hensley, 1/26)


    The Washington Post:
    FDA Advisers Favor Retiring Original Covid Shot And Using Newer Version

    The FDA also sought input from its advisers on several complicated topics, including whether the agency should switch to a once-a-year vaccine schedule that is akin to the annual shot for the influenza vaccine. Many committee members favored simplifying the shot regimen but called for more data to understand whether additional doses should be given to young children who have never been vaccinated along with people who are older and immunocompromised. (Johnson and McGinley, 1/26)


    USA Today:
    Future Of COVID Boosters: FDA Panel Moves Toward Simplifying Shots

    Most of the committee’s discussion was aimed at informing the FDA, rather than providing formal direction. Any changes in vaccine policy will need to be ratified by the FDA commissioner. Implementation of the strategy requires a meeting of a second advisory panel and approval by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Weintraub, 1/26)


    The Atlantic:
    The Flu-Ification Of COVID Policy Is Almost Complete

    For all the legwork that public-health experts have done over the past few years to quash comparisons between COVID-19 and the flu, there sure seems to be a lot of effort nowadays to equate the two. In an advisory meeting convened earlier today, the FDA signaled its intention to start doling out COVID vaccines just like flu shots: once a year in autumn, for just about everyone, ad infinitum. (Wu, 1/26)


    CNBC:
    FDA Withdraws Covid Antibody Treatment Evusheld Because It’s Not Effective Against 93{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} Of Subvariants

    Evusheld is also not effective against the BQ.1, BQ.1.1 and XBB subvariants. Taken together with XBB.1.5, versions of Covid that are resistant to Evusheld now represent nearly 93{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of new cases in the U.S. “Today’s action to limit the use of Evusheld prevents exposing patients to possible side effects of Evusheld such as allergic reactions, which can be potentially serious, at a time when fewer than 10{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of circulating variants in the U.S. causing infection are susceptible to the product,” the FDA said in a statement Thursday. (Kimball, 1/26)


    Stat:
    FDA Pulls Evusheld Authorization As Coronavirus Evolution Quashes Another Therapy

    In a statement, AstraZeneca said it has started trials of another antibody that, in lab studies so far, has been able to neutralize all variants. The therapy, which would similarly be given as a pre-exposure prophylaxis to immunocompromised people, could be available later this year if trials are successful, the company said. The company’s statement also noted that Evusheld remains authorized in other countries, including the European Union and Japan. (Joseph, 1/26)


    Stat:
    After Nearly 4 Years, FDA Punts On How To Regulate CBD

    The FDA is giving up on trying to figure out a way to regulate CBD on its own. The agency announced Thursday that it is formally calling on Congress for help — and, according to one official, looking for guidance on other hemp products like Delta 8 THC, too. (Florko, 1/26)


    Roll Call:
    FDA Seeks End Of Regulatory Wild West For CBD Products

    As part of the announcement, the agency said it was denying three citizen petitions that had asked for FDA rule-making to allow the marketing of CBD products as dietary supplements — an idea that had gained some traction on Capitol Hill. In 2021, Oregon Rep. Kurt Schrader and 45 other Democrats introduced a bill to regulate CBD as a dietary substance. (Cohen, 1/26)


    The Washington Post:
    FDA To Ease Blood Donation Ban On Gay Men, Allow Monogamous To Give

    Gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships will no longer be forced to abstain from sex to donate blood under federal guidelines to be proposed in coming days, ending a vestige of the earliest days of the AIDS crisis. The planned relaxation of restrictions by the Food and Drug Administration follows years of pressure by blood banks, the American Medical Association and LGBT rights organizations to abandon rules some experts say are outdated, homophobic and ineffective at keeping the nation’s blood supply safe. (McGinley, Amenabar and Nirappil, 1/26)


    The Washington Post:
    FBI Shuts Down Ransomware Gang That Targeted Schools And Hospitals

    The FBI and law enforcement in Europe have shut down a major ransomware operation accused of extorting more than $100 million from organizations across the world by encrypting victims’ computer systems and demanding payments to provide a key to unlock them, U.S. officials said Thursday. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the ransomware group called Hive attacked hospitals, school districts, financial firms and others, stealing and sometimes publishing their data. Like some other prolific groups, Hive partnered with independent hackers who broke in through phishing or other means: The gang provided the encryption program and ransomware negotiations, and split the profits with the hackers. (Menn, Stein and Schaffer, 1/26)


    Politico:
    Justice Department Disrupts Group Behind Thousands Of Ransomware Attacks 

    Justice Department personnel used a court order on Wednesday night to seize two back-end servers belonging to the Hive ransomware group in Los Angeles and took control of the group’s darknet website, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday. Garland, at a press conference in Washington, said Hive was behind attacks in the past two years on a Midwest hospital, which was forced to stop accepting new patients and to pay a ransom to decrypt health data. While Garland did not name the hospital, the Memorial Health System in West Virginia and Ohio was attacked by Hive affiliates at the same time. Hive was also linked to an attack last year on Costa Rica’s public health service. (Miller, 1/26)


    The Hill:
    McCarthy: ‘We Won’t Touch Medicare Or Social Security’ 

    Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said on Thursday that House Republicans will not target Medicare or Social Security in their negotiations over the debt ceiling. “We won’t touch Medicare or Social Security,” he told Donald Trump Jr. in an interview in the Speaker’s office for Trump’s “Triggered” podcast. (Shapero, 1/26)


    CNN:
    It’s Been Three Years Since The First Covid-19 Case In The United States. What Have We Learned And What More Do We Need To Understand?

    It’s been three years since the first Covid-19 case was diagnosed in the United States, on January 20, 2020. In the time since, nearly 1.1 million Americans have died from the coronavirus; the US has reported 102 million Covid cases, more than any other country, according to Johns Hopkins University. Both figures, many health officials believe, are likely to have been undercounted. (Hetter, 1/26)


    CIDRAP:
    Global COVID Deaths Rise As WHO Emergency Committee Weighs COVID Status

    The World Health Organization (WHO) emergency committee will meet [Friday] to assess whether the situation still warrants a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) against a backdrop of declining cases—but rising deaths. The WHO’s emergency committees meet every 3 months or more frequently as needed. The group has met 13 times since it recommended a PHEIC for COVID in January 2020, most recently in October. (Schnirring, 1/26)


    CIDRAP:
    Study: Home COVID Tests Lead To Vast Undercount Of Cases, Positivity Rates

    With over 80{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of US COVID-19 tests now being conducted at home, official case counts underreport the number of positive results and greatly underestimate the number of true infections, suggests a research letter published yesterday in JAMA Network Open. (Van Beusekom, 1/26)


    CIDRAP:
    New York To Expand Its Wastewater Surveillance Network

    The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) announced earlier this week that it has received more than $21 million in funding to expand its wastewater surveillance and infectious disease monitoring capabilities. The $21.6 million in funding, which includes a $6.6 million grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will help NYSDOH launch new pilot programs through its Wastewater Surveillance Network to test for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, hepatitis A, norovirus, and antimicrobial-resistance genes. The number of participating watersheds in the network, which was established in August 2021 to help support the state’s COVID-19 response, will grow from 125 to 215 and cover 81{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of the population served by public sewer systems in the state. (Dall, 1/26)


    San Francisco Chronicle:
    COVID In California: Study Says Long COVID Is Hitting College Campuses

    Long COVID is becoming a reality of college life, according to a study published Thursday by researchers at George Washington University. In an analysis of nearly 1,400 cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated students, faculty and staff between July 2021 and March 2022, about 36{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} experienced symptoms that developed four weeks or more after their initial infection. (Vaziri, 1/26)


    San Francisco Chronicle:
    Judge Who Struck Down California’s COVID Misinformation Law Questions ‘Scientific Consensus’ On Vaccines

    The coronavirus is “a disease that scientists have only been studying for a few years, and about which scientific conclusions have been hotly contested,” U.S. District Judge William Shubb of Sacramento said Wednesday in a ruling halting enforcement of the law, which had taken effect this month. “COVID-19 is a quickly evolving area of science that in many aspects eludes consensus.” (Egelko, 1/26)


    AP:
    Virginia Democrats Defeat Bills Limiting Abortion Access

    In a series of key votes Thursday, Virginia Senate Democrats defeated several bills that would have restricted abortion access in the state, including a proposed 15-week ban with exceptions that was a priority for Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. They are the first decisive legislative votes in Virginia since the Supreme Court’s decision last year overturning Roe v. Wade. The votes mean that barring an extraordinary procedural move, such restrictions are unlikely to be enacted this year in Virginia, which currently has some of the South’s most permissive abortion laws. (Rankin, 1/27)


    AP:
    NC Democrats Pitch Abortion Safeguards Despite GOP Majority

    North Carolina Democrats, who narrowly held off a Republican supermajority in the General Assembly, have introduced legislation to codify abortion protections into state law as Republicans are discussing early prospects for further restrictions. Their legislation, filed Wednesday in both chambers, would prohibit the state from imposing barriers that might restrict a patient’s ability to choose whether to terminate a pregnancy before fetal viability, which typically falls between 24 and 28 weeks. (Schoenbaum, 1/26)


    AP:
    SC Abortion Ban Gets Hearing For First Time This Session

    A South Carolina Supreme Court decision five days before the General Assembly returned for 2023 raised the possibility that abortion bans could once more dominate legislative debate in the state. That likelihood increased on Thursday when a House subcommittee approved the first abortion ban to get a public hearing in the state this year. (Pollard, 1/26)


    AP:
    Maternal Deaths And Disparities Increase In Mississippi 

    Deaths from pregnancy complications have become more prevalent in Mississippi, and racial disparities in the health of those who give birth have widened in recent years, according to a report released Thursday by the state’s Department of Health. The Mississippi Maternal Mortality Report shows that the maternal mortality rate increased by 8.8{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} between 2013-2016 and 2017-2019, with the latter period being the most recent one analyzed by researchers. (Goldberg, 1/27)


    Modern Healthcare:
    Feds Allege Fake Nursing Credentials Scheme In Florida

    Federal authorities say they’ve uncovered a conspiracy to provide prospective nurses with bogus diplomas and credentials allowing them to sit for board exams—and care for patients if they managed to pass despite not earning nursing degrees. Three now-closed Florida nursing schools were involved in a scheme that distributed fraudulent credentials to more than 7,600 people, the Justice Department alleges in recently unsealed indictments announced Wednesday. (Berryman, 1/26)


    Louisville Courier Journal:
    Chiropractic Visit Caused Strokes? Jury Awards $1 Million To KY Woman

    Amber Burgess, then 33, had never set foot in a chiropractor’s office when she went to Dr. Adam Fulkerson’s Heartland Family Chiropractic in Elizabethtown on May 18, 2020. In contrast, Becca Barlow, 31, had seen Dr. Leah Wright at Louisville Family Chiropractic 29 times for adjustments over three years when she went there on Jan. 7, 2019, seeking relief for “nursing mother’s neck.” (Wolfson, 1/27)


    Reuters:
    FDA Identifies Recall Of Emergent’s Decontamination Kits As Most Serious 

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday classified the recall of Emergent BioSolutions Inc’s skin decontamination lotion kits as the most serious type. The contract manufacturer began the recall of 3,500 units of the kit in November, after receiving three customer complaints of leakage from the packets. No serious injuries or deaths related to the issue were reported. (1/26)


    The Washington Post:
    New Study Finds 6 Ways To Slow Memory Decline And Lower Dementia Risk 

    A new study of more than 29,000 older adults has identified six habits — from eating a variety of foods to regularly reading or playing cards — that are linked with a lower risk of dementia and a slower rate of memory decline. Eating a balanced diet, exercising the mind and body regularly, having regular contact with others, and not drinking or smoking — these six “healthy lifestyle factors” were associated with better cognitive outcomes in older adults, in a large Chinese study conducted over a decade and published in the BMJ on Wednesday. (Timsit, 1/26)


    AP:
    California Prison Inmates To Get Some Medicaid Care

    The federal government will allow Medicaid dollars to treat some people in prisons, jails or juvenile detention centers for the first time ever, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Thursday. CMS will allow California inmates to access limited services, including substance use treatment and mental health diagnoses, 90 days before being released. Since Medicaid was established, federal law has prohibited Medicaid money from being used for people who are in custody, with inmates having access to their health care coverage suspended. (Seitz, 1/26)


    Los Angeles Times:
    Lawsuit Challenges Newsom’s CARE Court Program

    A coalition of disability and civil rights advocates filed a lawsuit Thursday asking the California Supreme Court to block the rollout of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s far-reaching new plan to address severe mental illness by compelling treatment for thousands of people. (Wiley, 1/26)


    The Washington Post:
    Judge Curbs Florida Probe Into U.S. Medicine’s Trans Treatment Standards 

    A legal battle over Florida’s ban on Medicaid spending for gender-affirming medical care spilled into Washington on Thursday as a federal judge partially granted an urgent request by 18 American medical and mental health groups to quash subpoenas sent to them by the state after they opposed the prohibition. The professional associations accused Florida of targeting members such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association and the Endocrine Society after they expressed the widely accepted medical view that care such as puberty blockers, hormones and gender transition surgery can be appropriate treatment for transgender youth and adults. (Hsu, 1/26)


    AP:
    1st Legal Medical Marijuana Sales Are Made In Mississippi 

    Patients have started buying medical marijuana in Mississippi, nearly a year after the products were legalized in the state. The Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association said in a news release Thursday that the first purchases happened Wednesday at The Cannabis Company in Brookhaven and at two dispensaries in Oxford — Hybrid Relief and Star Buds. (1/26)


    AP:
    Georgia Agency Approves Rules For Medical Marijuana Sales 

    Legal sales of medical marijuana oil could be only months away in Georgia after a state commission approved rules for testing, inspections and sales. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission voted unanimously to approve the rules on Wednesday. (1/26)


    Politico:
    Social Media Is A Defective Product, Lawsuit Contends

    A California court could soon decide whether social media firms need to pay — and change their ways — for the damage they’ve allegedly done to Americans’ mental health. Plaintiffs’ lawyers plan to file a consolidated complaint in the Northern District of California next month, accusing the tech giants of making products that can cause eating disorders, anxiety and depression. (Reader, 1/26)


    The New York Times:
    How Do Heavy Metals Like Lead Get In Baby Food? 

    The Food and Drug Administration’s new plan to keep high levels of lead out of baby foods like mashed sweet potatoes, apple sauce and dry cereal is part of a larger effort to eliminate heavy metals from the foods the youngest children eat. The push follows years of studies by public health, consumer and government experts revealing concerning levels of arsenic in rice cereal and other items fed to infants, including big-name brands like Gerber and organic staples like Earth’s Best. (Jewett, 1/26)


    This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

  • First Edition: March 6, 2023

    First Edition: Jan. 18, 2023

    Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.

    KHN:
    After A Brief Pandemic Reprieve, Rural Workers Return To Life Without Paid Leave

    When Ruby B. Sutton found out she was pregnant in late 2021, it was hard to envision how her full-time job would fit with having a newborn at home. She faced a three-hour round-trip commute to the mine site where she worked as an environmental engineer, 12-plus-hour workdays, expensive child care, and her desire to be present with her newborn. Sutton, 32, said the minimal paid maternity leave that her employer offered didn’t seem like enough time for her body to heal from giving birth or to bond with her firstborn. Those concerns were magnified when she needed an emergency cesarean section. (Orozco Rodriguez, 1/18)

    KHN:
    What Older Americans Need To Know About Taking Paxlovid 

    A new coronavirus variant is circulating, the most transmissible one yet. Hospitalizations of infected patients are rising. And older adults represent nearly 90{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of U.S. deaths from covid-19 in recent months, the largest portion since the start of the pandemic. What does that mean for people 65 and older catching covid for the first time or those experiencing a repeat infection? (Graham, 1/18)

    KHN:
    Numbers Don’t Lie. Biden Kept His Promise On Improving Obamacare

    In a speech on Nov. 2, 2020, then-presidential candidate Joe Biden promised, “I’ll not only restore Obamacare; I’ll build on it.” Two years and counting since then, how is he doing in meeting that promise? KHN has teamed up with our partners at PolitiFact to monitor 100 key promises — including this one — made by Biden during the 2020 presidential campaign. The pledges touch on issues related to improving the economy, responding to calls for racial justice, and combating climate change. (Appleby, 1/18)

    KHN:
    The Biggest, Buzziest Conference For Health Care Investors Convenes Amid Fears The Bubble Will Burst 

    Health care’s business class returned to its San Francisco sanctuary last week for JPMorgan’s annual health care confab, at the gilded Westin St. Francis hotel on Union Square. After a two-year pandemic pause, the mood among the executives, bankers, and startup founders in attendance had the aura of a reunion — as they gossiped about promotions, work-from-home routines, who’s getting what investments. Dressed in their capitalist best — ranging from brilliant-blue or pastel-purple blazers to puffy-coat chic — they thronged to big parties, housed in art galleries or restaurants. But the party was tinged with new anxiety: Would the big money invested in health care due to covid-19 continue to flow? Would investors ask to see results — meaning profits — rather than just cool ideas? (Tahir, 1/17)


    The Washington Post:
    Harvard Medical School Withdraws From U.S. News Rankings

    Harvard Medical School is ranked No. 1 in the country for research by U.S. News. … Among several highly ranked medical schools The Washington Post contacted Tuesday, none revealed immediate plans to follow the lead of their counterparts at Harvard. Some declined to take a position. Johns Hopkins University’s medical school is still sending information to U.S. News, a spokesperson for Johns Hopkins Medicine said, “but, as we do each year, we will consider our future participation.” (Svrluga and Anderson, 1/17)


    Bloomberg:
    Covid Measures Helped Families Pay Medical Bills, Study Shows

    Fewer American families struggled to pay their medical bills in 2021, according to a new report, a sign that efforts to broaden access to health care and insurance are succeeding. About 11{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of people belonged to families that had trouble paying medical bills in 2021 — down from 14{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} in 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, according to a study of thousands of US households by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. (Meghjani, 1/18)


    Axios:
    Pandemic Years Saw A Reduction In Medical Debt

    Researchers said the CARES Act, American Rescue Plan Act, and other pandemic relief legislation may have indirectly softened the blow of medical debt by providing direct monetary payments, increasing the percentage of people covered by insurance using COBRA premium subsidies and expanding eligibility for subsidies in Affordable Care Act markets, among other things. (Bettelheim, 1/18)


    Modern Healthcare:
    Gallup: More Patients Delayed Healthcare Over Costs In 2022

    A record number of patients delayed medical care because of high costs last year, according to survey results Gallup published Tuesday. Gallup found that 38{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of respondents or a family member delayed treatment over costs in 2022, a 12 percentage point increase compared to 2020 and 2021. The upswing coincided with economywide inflation reaching a 40-year high. (Berryman, 1/17)


    Politico:
    DeSantis Pushes To Make Covid-19 Changes Permanent 

    At an event that featured a dermatologist who spreads Covid-19 vaccine conspiracy theories, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday said he will push Florida’s Republican-controlled Legislature to make permanent many of his pandemic-era policies that have made him a star with many in the GOP and a potential 2024 presidential candidate. The proposal, announced during a press conference in Panama City, would put into state law many of the policies DeSantis implemented through executive order or were temporarily passed during a 2021 special legislative session. (Dixon, 1/17)


    Reuters:
    Pfizer To Sell All Its Drugs In Low-Income Countries At Non-Profit Price 

    U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc. said on Tuesday it will offer its full portfolio of drugs, including off-patent medicines such as chemotherapies and oral cancer treatments, on a not-for-profit basis to 45 low-income countries in the world. In an expansion of the company’s “An Accord for a Healthier World” program, which is aimed at increasing access to innovative treatments in some of the world’s poorest countries, Pfizer said it will now offer a total of 500 products. (1/17)


    Reuters:
    Moderna CEO Says He Wants To Have MRNA Factory On Every Continent 

    Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said he would like to have factories making vaccines based on its messenger RNA technology on every continent as the U.S. company prepares to build four facilities. … The company is building or planning to build factories in Canada, Australia, Britain and Kenya, he said. (1/18)


    CBS News:
    South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem Says She Would “Nudge” GOP Governors, Including Florida’s Ron DeSantis, To Do More To Restrict Abortion

    When asked whether she would “nudge” DeSantis to do more to restrict abortion in Florida, Noem replied, “I would nudge every governor to do what they can to back up their pro-life record. I think that talking about situations and making statements is incredibly important, but also taking action and governing and bringing policies that protect life are even more important because that’s what truly will save lives.” (Costa, Ewall-Wice and Navarro, 1/17)


    Billings Gazette:
    Bill Would Say In State Law Constitution’s Privacy Provision Doesn’t Include Abortion Access

    The 1999 state Supreme Court decision that found the Montana Constitution’s right to privacy ensures access to abortions is in the sights of some Republican lawmakers, along with a package of other bills to limit access to the procedure. Democrats have their own slate of legislation that will attempt to put the right to abortion in state law, along with a series of other bills focused on elevating the discussion around reproductive health. (Michels, 1/17)


    CNN:
    Women Living In States With Abortion Bans Suffer Greater Economic Insecurity

    Women living in states that restrict or ban abortion face greater economic insecurity than those living in states where they have access, new research finds. Since the nearly seven months since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, half of all states – 26 in total – have implemented new abortion restrictions or all-out bans. In nearly all 26 states, there are lower minimum wages, unionization levels, access to Medicaid and unemployment benefits, as well as higher rates of incarceration than states with more lenient abortion policies, according to new research by the Economic Policy Institute. (Yurkevich, 1/18)


    The New York Times:
    Arson At Illinois Planned Parenthood Causes Extensive Damage, Authorities Say

    The authorities in Peoria, Ill., are investigating a reported firebombing that they said caused extensive damage to a Planned Parenthood clinic on Sunday, just days after sweeping abortion protections were signed into law in Illinois. The fire at the Peoria Health Center was reported to the police by a bystander, who noticed an “unknown suspect throwing a flammable item into a public building,” said Semone Roth, a spokeswoman for the Peoria Police Department. (Albeck-Ripka, 1/17)


    The Boston Globe:
    Workers At Brigham And Women’s Faulkner Hospital Stage A Walkout

    Workers at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Jamaica Plain staged a walkout Tuesday to demand higher wages and job security amid a union contract negotiation that has lasted six months. Those who participated are among the lowest-wage employees at the hospital, including personal care attendants, service techs, dietary workers, housekeepers, mental health workers, and administrative staff — many make as little as $15.45 an hour. (1/17)


    St. Louis Public Radio:
    St. Louis Children’s Hospital Sees Increase In Gun Injuries

    More children and teens in St. Louis are being treated at Children’s Hospital for gun injuries since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study by Washington University and the University of Missouri. Using emergency room data from between 2015 and 2022, researchers found the average number of people 19 and under treated for gunshot wounds in hospital’s emergency department rose by more than 50 percent in the first two years of the pandemic. They found the additional injuries were driven in part by an increase in assaults and homicides. (Fentem, 1/18)


    AP:
    Prosecutor: Paramedics Killed Man By Strapping Him Facedown

    Two Illinois paramedics face first-degree murder charges, having been accused of strapping a patient facedown on a stretcher while taking him to a hospital last month. Illinois authorities filed the charges against Peggy Finley and Peter Cadigan on Jan. 9, nearly a month after 35-year-old Earl Moore died. Under Illinois law, a first-degree murder charge can be filed when a defendant “knows that such acts create a strong probability of death or great bodily harm.” (Foody, 1/17)


    The New York Times:
    Sickle Cell Cure Brings Mix Of Anxiety And Hope 

    This year, people with sickle cell may have the option of finally living without the damage the disease causes. Two drug companies are seeking approval from the Food and Drug Administration for gene therapies that may provide what amounts to a cure. But the decision to take the medication — should it become available — it turns out, is not so simple. After a life adapted to their illness, some are unsure of how to begin again as healthy people. (Kolata, 1/17)


    NPR:
    Social Isolation Linked To Increased Risk Of Dementia, New Study Finds

    Socially isolated older adults have a 27{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} higher chance of developing dementia than older adults who aren’t, a new study by Johns Hopkins researchers found. “Social connections matter for our cognitive health, and it is potentially easily modifiable for older adults without the use of medication,” Dr. Thomas Cudjoe, an assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins and a senior author of the study, said in a news release. (Radde, 1/17)


    AP:
    Mississippi Nursing Schools Turn Away Students Amid Shortage 

    Amid a nursing shortage that is worsening poor health outcomes in Mississippi, nursing programs at the state’s public universities are turning away hundreds of potential students every year because of insufficient faculty sizes. Alfred Rankins Jr., Mississippi’s commissioner of higher education, said at a legislative hearing Tuesday that nursing programs have struggled to retain faculty members because of the state’s lower-than-average salaries for public university employees. (Goldberg, 1/17)


    AP:
    South Dakota GOP Lawmakers Push Trans Youth Health Care Ban 

    A group of South Dakota Republican lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday to outlaw gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, pushing the state to join at least a dozen others considering anti-transgender legislation this year. The South Dakota bill, unveiled at a state Capitol news conference, aims to keep children younger than 18 from accessing puberty-blocking drugs, hormone therapy or surgeries that enable them to present as a gender different from the sex on their birth certificate. It would also punish doctors who provide the care by revoking their medical license and exposing them to civil litigation. (Biraben and Groves, 1/17)


    Boulder Reporting Lab:
    Boulder To Provide Housing For Methamphetamine Recovery

    Two months before the use of methamphetamines shut down the library last month, the City and County of Boulder started implementing a program to help people wean off the highly addictive stimulant that has communities scrambling for solutions. The relatively cheap and readily available drug contributes to homelessness, overdose deaths and incarceration rates. (Herrick and Larson, 1/18)


    Stat:
    Mix-It-Yourself Wegovy? Some Try Risky Sources For Obesity Drugs

    With a few clicks, Daniel added the chemical to his online cart and ordered it. In less than a week, a vial containing white powder arrived at his house. He used a syringe to measure out sterile water and eject it into the vial to dissolve the powder. Then, with a different syringe, he drew up about a quarter of a milliliter of the solution and injected it into his lower abdomen. (Chen, 1/18)


    ABC News:
    Reducing Overall Calories May Promote Weight Loss More Effectively Than Intermittent Fasting, AHA Study Finds

    Researchers at three major health care systems — Johns Hopkins Health System, Geisinger Health System and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center — studied weight trends, daily food intake and sleeping/eating time intervals charted in a mobile app over the course of six months for 547 adult men and women with a range of medical conditions and Body Mass Index (BMI) categories. (Miao, 1/18)


    The Washington Post:
    The Most Contaminated Things In Your Kitchen Might Be Your Spice Jars 

    If you had to guess the germiest spot in your kitchen, you might think of the refrigerator handle, the cutting board or maybe the inside of your sink. But a new study shows that icky bacteria could be more likely to be lurking in an unexpected spot: your spice drawer. Researchers in a recent study commissioned by the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service examined how people preparing turkey burgers cross-contaminated various surfaces in a kitchen. (Heil, 1/17)


    CBS News:
    MSG: Chefs On Why The Controversial Seasoning Is Making A Comeback

    While it is associated with being found in Asian dishes, it is also a common ingredient in American foods. It also occurs naturally in foods such as tomatoes and cheese, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The safety of MSG first came into question in 1968 when a doctor wrote a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine titled “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome,” said chef and author J. Kenji López-Alt. The study was not based on science but on symptoms, Alt said, and soon started an MSG backlash. (George and Novak, 1/17)


    The Washington Post:
    Do Mocktails Really Help You Drink Less Alcohol? 

    For people who have moderate to severe alcohol use disorder (AUD), defined by the National Institutes of Health as the inability “to stop or control alcohol use” despite the consequences, these nonalcoholic drinks are generally discouraged because they might actually create a craving for alcohol, not cut it. “It really is, basically, a no,” said George Koob, the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The cues created by a mocktail can “trigger relapse and re-engagement in excessive drinking.” (Amenabar, 1/17)


    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
    New Study Links Urban Pollution To More Asthma Attacks In Children

    Urban air quality poses a major threat to asthma sufferers, according to a study from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The study, which involved two groups of roughly 200 children, confirmed a long-standing theory associating higher levels of air pollution in low-income urban environments with an increased risk of asthma attacks. (Shelbourne, 1/17)


    This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.

  • First Edition: March 6, 2023

    First Edition: January 3, 2023

    Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.


    Fortune/AP:
    Here’s A Brief Look At The New Laws Now Going Into Effect Across The U.S.

    California will allow trained nurse practitioners, midwives and physician assistants to provide abortions without supervision from a physician. In New York, a law dealing with multiple facets of health care requires private insurers that cover births to also cover abortion services, without requiring co-payments or co-insurance. (Lieb and Mulvihill, 1/2)


    The New York Times:
    Justice Dept. Sues AmerisourceBergen Over Role In Opioid Crisis

    The suit, filed by the department’s civil division in conjunction with federal prosecutors in New Jersey, Colorado, Pennsylvania and New York, is part of a growing effort by federal agencies to hold drug companies accountable for their role in the nation’s opioid crisis. It accuses AmerisourceBergen and two of its subsidiaries of “at least hundreds of thousands” of violations of the Controlled Substances Act. (Thrush and Albeck-Ripka, 12/29)


    Newsweek:
    Trump Warns Of ‘Doom’ For Republicans Over Extreme Abortion Views

    Former President Donald Trump advised Republicans that if they want to win elections, they must support three exceptions to abortion bans. According to Trump, Republicans should support abortion in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother. If they don’t, he said, they were likely to lose their elections. (Skinner, 12/29)


    The Hill:
    CDC Warns Of Future Surge In Diabetes Among Young Americans

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday warned a surge of diabetes among young Americans is on the horizon, saying diagnoses for the population are expected to soar in the coming decades. The CDC cited a new study published in the journal Diabetes Care, which models a nearly 700 percent increase of Type 2 diabetes diagnoses in Americans under the age of 20 through 2060, if an expected upward trend continues. (Dress, 12/29)


    Stat:
    Diabetes In Youth Is Set To Skyrocket In Coming Decades

    If the recent acceleration of new diagnoses persists, then 220,000 people younger than 20 would have type 2 diabetes in 2060, compared with 28,000 in 2017, the latest year for which data is available, according to projections published this month in Diabetes Care. Even if the rate of new diagnoses stays constant, there would still be a 70{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} increase in type 2 cases by 2060. (Chen, 12/30)


    Stat:
    Covid’s Winter Surge Is Poised To Exceed Summer Peak

    The number of people in the United States hospitalized with Covid-19 is about to surpass the figure reached during this summer’s spike, federal data show, as a confluence of factors — from the continued evolution of the coronavirus to holiday gatherings — drives transmission. (Joseph, 1/3)


    Politico:
    Once-Favored Covid Drugs Ineffective On Omicron May Be Putting Millions At Risk

    The lack of specialized Covid-19 treatments for people with weak immune systems has left millions of Americans with limited options if they get sick as the pandemic heads into an uncertain winter. Once heralded as game-changers for Covid patients considered at risk for getting seriously ill — one was used to treat then-President Donald Trump in 2020 — monoclonal antibodies are now largely ineffective against current Covid variants. (Gardner, 1/1)


    Politico:
    Health Care Lobbyists Are Bracing For Chair Bernie Sanders

    The Vermont independent is set to take over the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee next month. Leading the panel gives the Medicare-for-All proponent oversight authority over some of his policy priorities — drug pricing, workers’ rights and income inequality, and student and medical debt. (Wilson, 1/3)


    Politico:
    ‘The Slippery Slope Is Powerful’: Dems Believe Drug Pricing Law Will Pay Dividends

    Democrats staring down a divided Congress in 2023 have an answer for those wondering if the window is closing for significant health care wins: watch and wait. The incoming GOP House majority may block their attempts to enact more federal controls on health costs. But this year’s passage of the Inflation Reduction Act will empower Medicare to negotiate drug prices for the first time, paving the way for more government action over the coming years, argued Peter Welch (D-Vt.). (Miranda Ollstein, 12/29)


    Stat:
    Priorities Pile Up For HHS, FDA, CMS, NIH

    The nation’s health agencies already have a long to-do list for 2023. Top officials have promised reforms in the food, drug, and public health departments as frustrations mount over the federal response to Covid-19 and last year’s widespread baby formula shortages. (Owermohle, 1/3)


    Politico:
    ‘I Know Firsthand They Failed’: Parents Decry Lack Of FDA Action On Infant Formula Safety

    When Kelly Knight gave birth to her son, Ryker, she was thrilled — and carrying the memory of the two babies she’d previously lost at nearly full term. “He was perfect,” Knight said. “It was kind of like filling that empty spot.” But when four-week-old Ryker started vomiting at home, Knight, who has three older children, immediately sensed something was wrong. (Bottemiller Evich, 12/31)


    CNN:
    Hydration Linked With Lower Disease Risk, Study Finds

    You may know that being adequately hydrated is important for day-to-day bodily functions such as regulating temperature and maintaining skin health. But drinking enough water is also associated with a significantly lower risk of developing chronic diseases, a lower risk of dying early or lower risk of being biologically older than your chronological age, according to a National Institutes of Health study published Monday in the journal eBioMedicine. (Rogers, 1/2)


    Fortune:
    Study Finds Women Are More Empathetic Than Men Worldwide At Any Age

    It was already common knowledge that women are better than men at placing themselves in other people’s shoes, but now science backs up that statement. Empathy—the ability to understand, imagine, or share the emotions others may be feeling—is a critical characteristic to have in pretty much every avenue of life, especially business. (Bove, 12/28)


    CIDRAP:
    CDC Describes Mpox Challenges In Trans Community

    Today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), researchers describe American transgender mpox patients, suggesting that more than 70{fe463f59fb70c5c01486843be1d66c13e664ed3ae921464fa884afebcc0ffe6c} of patients contracted the virus from sexual intercourse with cisgender men. “These men might be in sexual networks experiencing the highest mpox incidence,” the authors explain. (Soucheray, 12/29)


    CIDRAP:
    Increased COVID Vaccination In Nursing Home Staff Cut Cases, Deaths

    A study of 15,042 US nursing homes found that before the Omicron variant wave, an increase in staff COVID-19 vaccination with the primary series resulted in fewer cases among residents and staff and fewer deaths in residents. Researchers from the University of Chicago detailed their findings today in JAMA Network Open. (Schnirring, 12/29)


    Reuters:
    Pfizer’s Hemophilia B Gene Therapy Succeeds In Late-Stage Study

    U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) said on Thursday its experimental gene therapy for the treatment of hemophilia B, a rare inherited blood disorder, met its main goal in a late-stage study. Data from the study showed that a single dose of the therapy was superior to the current standard of care in helping reduce the bleeding rate in patients with moderately severe to severe forms of hemophilia B. (12/29)


    Stat:
    3 Trends To Watch In Hospitals And Health Insurance In 2023

    For almost three years, hospitals and health insurers have been riding the waves of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though they can better predict what lies ahead in 2023, there remain several big unknowns. STAT’s business reporters will be paying attention to three trends in particular: the end of the public health emergency, how hospital price hikes will affect people’s paychecks, and Medicare Advantage’s explosive growth. (Herman and Bannow, 1/3)


    Stat:
    Health Care Sees A Surge In Financing Platforms For Patients

    As inflation-weary shoppers try to make ends meet, many are turning to a modern twist on the layaway plan: buy now, pay later. But while platforms like Afterpay and Affirm were originally built to take the sting out of online shopping, these new financing options are beginning to creep into the world of health care. (Palmer, 1/3)


    Reuters:
    Gilead Buys Out Rights To Cancer Therapy From Jounce For $67 Mln

    Gilead Sciences (GILD.O) will buy all the remaining rights for an experimental cancer therapy, GS-1811, from Jounce Therapeutics (JNCE.O) for $67 million, the drugmaker said on Tuesday. The amended licensing deal will bolster Jounce’s cash resources in a challenging market for biotech companies. (12/29)


    The New York Times:
    Legal Use Of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Begins In Oregon

    On Jan. 1, Oregon became the first state in the nation to legalize the adult use of psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic that has shown significant promise for treating severe depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and end-of-life anxiety among the terminally ill, among other mental health conditions. (Jacobs, 1/3)


    AP:
    Amid Surge At UNM Hospital, Feds Send Relief For Staff

    The federal government is dispatching a medical team to assist the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital, which has been overwhelmed with patients. The Albuquerque hospital announced a 14-member disaster response team from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will begin seeing children Saturday. (12/30)


    This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.