Kaiser Health News Original Stories
As Biden Fights Overdoses, Harm Reduction Groups Face Local Opposition
The Biden administration’s latest plan to address opioid overdose deaths includes $30 million for harm reduction measures, but many conservative states don’t allow them. (Renuka Rayasam, 6/30 )
Preventive Care May Be Free, but Follow-Up Diagnostic Tests Can Bring Big Bills
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurers cannot charge consumers for various preventive services that have been recommended by experts. But if those screenings indicate more testing is needed to determine whether something is wrong, patients may be on the hook for hundreds or even thousands of dollars for diagnostic services. (Michelle Andrews, 6/30 )
Here's today's health policy haiku:
Covid, monkeypox …
These zoonotic diseases —
be prepared for more!
– Paul Hughes-Cromwick
If you have a health policy haiku to share, please Contact Us and let us know if we can include your name. Haikus follow the format of 5-7-5 syllables. We give extra brownie points if you link back to a KHN original story.
Opinions expressed in haikus and cartoons are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions of KHN or KFF.
Covid-19 Crisis
Biden Not Deemed Close Contact To Becerra, Trudeau Covid Cases
The White House says President Joe Biden is not believed to be a close contact of either Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, who both announced positive covid tests shortly after attending the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles. Other lawmakers and entertainers also contract the virus in this latest surge.
The Washington Post: Trudeau Again Tests Positive For Coronavirus After Meeting Biden At Summit Of The Americas
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time, days after meeting with President Biden and several other world leaders at the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles. … Trudeau met with several other U.S. officials during the trip, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), as well as the leaders of Argentina, Jamaica, Barbados and the Dominican Republic. Chilean President Gabriel Boric met with Trudeau in Ottawa on June 6. Trudeau also met with Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google, and General Motors President Shilpan Amin. Trudeau also tested positive in January. He said he was fully vaccinated and received a third dose of a vaccine that month. (Coletta, 6/13)
AP: HHS Secretary Becerra Tests Positive For COVID-19 Again
President Joe Biden’s top health official has again tested positive for COVID-19, less than a month after he came down with virus symptoms while on a trip to Germany. U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra woke up with symptoms again Monday morning and tested positive afterward, spokeswoman Sarah Lovenheim said. … Becerra had joined Biden at the Summit of the Americas last week in Los Angeles. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that he had tested positive after attending the event, which gathered dignitaries, diplomats and business leaders from across the hemisphere. (Murphy, 6/13)
AP: US Sen. Wicker Of Mississippi Again Tests Positive For COVID
Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi has again tested positive for COVID-19, his office said Monday. … Wicker, 70, attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in late May. Wicker was also diagnosed with COVID-19 in August last year and in February this year. He said in February that he is fully vaccinated against the virus. (6/14)
In other high-profile cases —
AP: Ducey Gets COVID-19, Won't Visit Arizona Border With Pence
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has tested positive for COVID-19 and won’t attend a planned political event Monday with former Vice President Mike Pence, his spokesman said. Ducey is asymptomatic and feels well, spokesman C.J. Karamargin said. (6/13)
AP: No Satisfaction: Jagger Has COVID, Rolling Stones Gig Off
The Rolling Stones canceled their concert in Amsterdam on Monday, just hours before it was due to start after lead singer Mick Jagger tested positive for COVID-19. The band announced the cancelation in a statement, saying the 78-year-old Jagger tested positive “after experiencing symptoms of COVID upon arrival at the stadium” on the outskirts of Amsterdam. There were no further details about his condition. (6/13)
People: Hugh Jackman Tests Positive For COVID 1 Day After The Tony Awards
Hugh Jackman has again tested positive for COVID-19 one day after appearing at the 75th annual Tony Awards Sunday. Jackman shared the news of his coronavirus diagnosis with fans via an Instagram video on Monday. "I wanted you guys to hear it from me first that unfortunately this morning I have frustratingly tested positive for COVID again," he began. (Patterson, 6/13)
Colds, Flu, RSV Used To Be Predictable On The Calendar. Covid Upended That
Doctors say they are now seeing adenovirus, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, influenza, parainfluenza, and more at unusual times of the year. Health precautions taken during the height of the pandemic, as well as eliminating those precautions now, are likely to blame. “All of these decisions have consequences,” said one infection-control expert.
The Washington Post: Covid Is Making Flu And Other Common Viruses Act In Unfamiliar Ways
More than two years into the coronavirus pandemic, familiar viruses are acting in unfamiliar ways. Respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV, typically limits its suffocating assaults to the winter months. Rhinovirus, cause of the common cold, rarely sends people to the hospital. And the flu, which seemed to be making a comeback in December after being a no-show the year before, disappeared again in January once the omicron variant of the coronavirus took hold. Now flu is back, but without one common lineage known as Yamagata, which hasn’t been spotted since early 2020. It could have gone extinct or may be lying in wait to attack our unsuspecting immune systems, researchers said. (Stead Sellers, 6/13)
In other news about covid —
CNN: CDC Adds 3 Places To 'High' Risk List, Including Mexico And UAE
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday placed three new destinations in its "high" risk category for Covid-19, including a North American travel behemoth. In April, the CDC overhauled its ratings system for assessing Covid-19 risk for travelers. (Brown and Hunter, 6/13)
AP: West Virginia Surpasses 7,000 Coronavirus Deaths
West Virginia has surpassed 7,000 coronavirus deaths as Gov. Jim Justice urged residents Monday to stay current on their COVID-19 vaccinations. According to the Department of Health and Human Resources’ website, 7,001 people have died in the state over the past two years since the pandemic started. (6/13)
The Oregonian: Coronavirus In Oregon: Cases Up 8%, Universal Masking Now Recommended In Three Counties
Oregon health officials reported 10,606 new coronavirus cases last week, up 8% from the previous week. The rise in identified coronavirus cases ended two weeks of reported declines, underscoring how little is known about the true number of infections in Oregon and nationally. (Zarkhin, 6/13)
The CT Mirror: Wastewater Samples Show COVID Levels Falling In New Haven Area
The latest wave of COVID-19, driven by the contagious BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 subvariants, is showing signs of retreating, with falling levels of the disease being detected in wastewater. Yale University researchers collecting samples from a New Haven water treatment facility found substantially fewer incidences of the virus in recent samples than were recorded a month ago. As of June 6, there were about 30 cases per 100,000 people in the New Haven area detected, down from about 60 cases per 100,000 people in mid-May. (Carlesso, 6/14)
AP: Massachusetts To Distribute 2 Million COVID-19 Tests
Massachusetts is distributing another 2 million COVID-19 free testing kits this week, state health officials said Monday. The tests will be sent to the 264 municipalities across the state that requested them, and officials in those cities and towns will then determine how to distribute them among residents. (6/13)
Also —
San Francisco Chronicle: If You Never Tested Positive For COVID After Exposure And Symptoms, What Does That Mean?
As the latest COVID surge continues to keep cases high across California, some people — especially if they’ve been repeatedly exposed to the coronavirus or even had symptoms — may be wondering: Why have I still not tested positive? While experts continue to try to understand what, if any, genetic factors protect people from ever getting COVID, the question of why some people never seem to test positive, even if they are fairly sure they were infected, is a bit less of a mystery, though still not entirely clear. (Echeverria, 6/13)
The New York Times: How Covid Did Away With The Sick Day
Working while sick is an American pastime — one that a vicious pandemic, which sickened millions, somehow didn’t disrupt. Over 100 other countries guarantee some form of paid sick leave. In the United States, a survey of 3,600 hourly workers this spring found that two-thirds of those who had been sick with Covid or other illnesses went to work while sick, according to the Shift Project at Harvard, a research project on work scheduling. Many of them cited fear of getting in trouble with their managers, or financial pressures. Some 33 million Americans don’t have paid sick leave. Low-income workers are far less likely to be able to take time off when they’re sick; just over half of people in the bottom quarter of wages get paid sick leave, compared to 94 percent in the top quarter. (Goldberg, 6/13)
Vaccines
Study: Safety Of MRNA Vaccines Good, With Moderna Slightly Topping Pfizer
JAMA Internal Medicine publishes results from an observational study of U.S. veterans that finds very low risks with both covid vaccines. Meanwhile, news outlets look ahead to a pending decision on vaccine authorization for the littlest kids.
CIDRAP: Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine's Safety Slightly Bests Pfizer's
An observational study today in JAMA Internal Medicine reports a slightly better safety profile for the Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine than for the Pfizer/BioNTech version in US veterans, but both vaccines had very good safety profiles. … Relative to the Moderna group, Pfizer recipients had an excess per 10,000 people of 10.9 ischemic strokes, 14.8 heart attacks, 11.3 other abnormal blood clotting, and 17.1 cases of kidney injury. (Van Beusekom, 6/13)
In news about vaccines for children and young adults —
NBC News: A Big Week For Children's Covid Vaccines: Here’s What To Expect
A Food and Drug Administration advisory committee will meet Wednesday to weigh in on Covid vaccines for children under 5. The committee's endorsement is a crucial step before the FDA can authorize the shots, from both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, for the age group. Children under 5 are the only group in the United States who remain ineligible to get vaccinated. (Lovelace Jr., 6/13)
The Wall Street Journal: FDA Advisers To Consider Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine For Ages 6 To 17
A panel of advisers to the Food and Drug Administration is set to meet Tuesday to consider whether use of Moderna Inc.’s Covid-19 vaccine should be expanded to include children ages 6 through 17. The advisory committee is expected to vote Tuesday afternoon on whether the benefits of vaccinating children in this age group outweigh the risks. The FDA will consider the vote in making a final decision on whether to clear the vaccine for use in children 6 years and older. (Loftus, 6/14)
Axios: Infants And Toddlers May Finally Get Their COVID Shots
COVID shots may be days away from becoming available to infants and toddlers with expert panels set to evaluate both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna pediatric vaccines this week. But it's unclear how much the number of vaccinated kids will move. Why it matters: For anxious parents of America's littlest kids, this is a big moment. Children younger than 5 are the last group without access to the shots. (Reed, 6/13)
Stat: Vaccine Panel Must Discuss Imprinting Among Infants And Toddlers
This week, when the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee considers approving the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA Covid-19 vaccines for infants and toddlers, the issue of imprinting may not be on the agenda. But it should be, given lessons from the Russian pandemic of 1889, the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, the Hong Kong flu of 1968, the swine flu pandemic of 1957, and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Immune imprinting results from exposure to proteins or other biological structures of viruses, like those found in SARS-CoV-2, that allow the virus to penetrate host cells and cause infection. The process, also called original antigenic sin, refers to the preference of the immune system to recall existing memory cells (lymphocytes that “remember” the same pathogen for faster future antibody production) rather than stimulating de novo responses when encountering a novel but closely related antigen. (Brozak and Marfuggi, 6/13)
Outbreaks and Health Threats
Can Monkeypox Be Transmitted By Sex? Scientists Find Virus DNA In Samples
In a small number of semen samples studied in Italy, evidence of monkeypox DNA was discovered, raising the question of whether the virus may be a sexually transmitted disease. In the U.S., little testing and contact tracing for the disease stifles public health efforts to track outbreaks.
Reuters: Monkeypox DNA Found In Semen In Handful Of Cases, Researchers Say
Fragments of the monkeypox virus have been detected in semen in a handful of patients in Italy, raising questions over whether sexual transmission of the disease is a possibility, scientists said on Monday. The monkeypox virus is understood to spread through close contact with an infected person, who may shed the virus via its hallmark skin lesions or large respiratory droplets. Many of the monkeypox cases confirmed in the current outbreak are among sexual partners who have had such close contact. (Grover and Parodi, 6/13)
And more on the spread of monkeypox —
Axios: More Monkeypox Testing Needed To Understand How Far Its Spread
A lack of testing is keeping public health officials in the dark about how widespread monkeypox is in the United States and posing new uncertainties for the medical system. Why it matters: The lack of robust disease-tracking harks back to the troubled early response to COVID-19 and could bode ill for local health systems still grappling with the virus, its aftereffects and the impending flu season. (Dreher, 6/14)
AP: Ohio Reports 1st Probable Monkeypox Case In The State
Ohio health officials say they have identified the first probable case of monkeypox in the state. Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health, told reporters Monday that a man in Ohio tested positive for an orthopox virus. State health officials are working with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to try to confirm whether the disease is in fact monkeypox, he said. (Hendrickson, 6/13)
CIDRAP: UK Reports 194 More Monkeypox Cases As US Total Hits 49
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced today it has detected 104 additional cases of monkeypox in England, bringing the UK total to 470 cases. … In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said there are now 49 US cases in 17 states. California has the most, with 15, followed by New York with 11, and Illinois with 8. (Soucheray, 6/13)
Reproductive Health
NY Law Shields Abortion Providers Serving Out-Of-State Residents
Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, signed a law that protects medical professionals who provide abortion from arrest, extradition, and legal proceedings in other states that might outlaw abortion by forbidding New York state and local courts and law enforcement agencies from cooperating in most scenarios.
AP: New York State To Protect Abortion Providers Under New Laws
New York has expanded legal protections for people seeking and providing abortions in the state under legislation signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday. The Democratic governor pushed for the laws in anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court potentially overruling its 1973 Roe v. Wade’s decision, which established a constitutional right to abortion. A ruling that could weaken or end abortion protections is expected as early as this week, and abortion providers are worried New York will see a surge in out-of-state residents. (Villeneuve, 6/14)
The Hill: Harris To Convene Privacy Experts To Talk Stakes Of Roe V. Wade
Vice President Harris is slated to meet with privacy, constitutional law, and technology experts to discuss what is at stake if the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion ruling is overturned by the Supreme Court. A White House official said the discussion on Tuesday will focus on real-world implications should the landmark ruling be overturned, touching on topics such as privacy, contraception, and in vitro fertilization. (Oshin, 6/13)
The New York Times: Battles Over Birth Control In Missouri Foreshadow A Post-Roe World
For more than half a century, Tri-Rivers Family Planning has operated on a shoestring budget, providing contraceptives, pregnancy testing, treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and other reproductive health care to a mostly low-income and female clientele in the Ozark Mountains. The clinic has never performed abortions. But with the Supreme Court widely expected to revoke the constitutional right to abortion that it established in Roe v. Wade, its work has never been more essential — and its nurse practitioners and patients have never felt more threatened. (Stolberg, 6/13)
Bloomberg: If Roe V. Wade Is Overturned, Texas Abortion Ban Is New Reality For US
The 24 hours after Belle found out she was unexpectedly pregnant were a blur of phone calls, highways and panic. Her home state of Texas had recently outlawed the right to an abortion after around six weeks, leaving her just days to secure a procedure in a region where there’s a dearth of clinics. Belle and her husband didn’t want to risk her health with a pregnancy — she is diabetic — nor the economic stability they had worked so hard to build. So they raced to meet the new legal deadline, dialing clinics in-and-out of state, cashing in their savings, and driving through the night to get a scarce appointment on Christmas Day. (Dmitrieva and Butler, 6/14)
AP: Yelp CEO Says Abortion Rights Stand Is A Risk Worth Taking
Many major companies have chosen to stay quiet on the abortion debate, but Yelp and its CEO Jeremy Stoppelman have chosen a different path. The San Francisco-based online reviews site is among the handful of companies covering travel costs for employees and their dependents who must travel out of state to obtain an abortion, a thorny topic that’s poised to become the chatter of many boardrooms if the Supreme Court overturns the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. If Roe falls, roughly half of U.S. states are expected to ban or put greater restrictions on abortion. (Hadero, 6/13)
In related news about the Supreme Court —
The Hill: House To Vote On Security Bill For Supreme Court Family Members
The House is scheduled to vote on a bill Tuesday that seeks to expand security protections for family members of Supreme Court justices. The bill, dubbed the Supreme Court Police Parity Act, passed in the Senate by unanimous consent last month, which required that all 100 senators sign off on the measure in order for it to clear without holding a formal vote. (Schnell, 6/13)
The Washington Post: Nicholas Roske Texted His Sister Outside Justice Brett Kavanaugh's House
Just what prompted Nicholas Roske to go from an alleged plot to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh to calling 911 and surrendering near the justice’s home is of great interest to investigators continuing to probe the alarming incident from last week. Court records say that after Roske flew in from California and got out of a taxi near the conservative justice’s home in Chevy Chase, Md., just after 1 a.m. on Wednesday, he saw two deputy U.S. marshals standing outside their vehicle and he walked away. But another factor may also have played an important role. (Morse, 6/13)
In global abortion news —
The Washington Post: Abortion In Japan Is Legal, But Most Women Need Their Husband’s Consent
With the U.S. Supreme Court poised to overturn a 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide, there is a global spotlight on reproductive care — including in Japan, which has some of the tightest restrictions on abortion among wealthy nations. Japan is one of 11 countries — and the only one of the Group of Seven largest economies — that mandate women to get their spouse’s consent to obtain an abortion, with very few exceptions, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, an international organization. In practice, advocates say, the requirement often applies to unmarried women, too. (Ye Hee Lee and Inuma, 6/14)
Gun Violence
Ohio Makes It Easier For Teachers To Carry Guns In Schools
Previously school staff needed 700 hours of training in order to carry weapons on campus. A law just signed by Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, reduces that number to 24 hours. Meanwhile, senators continue to negotiate details of its limited gun deal, and Hollywood questions how firearms are represented in entertainment.
The Washington Post: In The Wake Of Uvalde, Ohio Will Arm Teachers
As Congress wrestles over gun control, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) signed into law a bill Monday that would arm more schoolteachers by reducing training requirements for staffers to carry guns on campus. … Ohio already permits schoolteachers to be armed, but they need the permission of their school board and 700 hours of training as a peace officer. In the news conference Monday, DeWine said school staff who want to carry weapons will be required to have at least 24 hours of training. (Balingit, 6/13)
AP: Tentative Senate Gun Deal Has Surprises, And Loose Ends
Details of the plan remain in negotiation between Democrats and Republicans, with disagreements over how tightly the initiatives should be drawn. That means the proposal’s potency — and perhaps whether some parts survive — remain undetermined as it’s translated into legislation. Here’s what’s in and out of the agreement. (Fram, 6/14)
The Texas Tribune: Texas House Speaker Pitches $100 Million Plan To Respond To Uvalde Shooting
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan pitched redirecting more than $100 million in state funding to quickly boost mental health and school safety programs before school starts again next fall. His plan came in response to a $50 million request from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who oversees the Senate, to immediately purchase bulletproof shields for school police departments. Phelan said he also supported that purchase. (Barragán, 6/13)
PBS NewsHour: What Research Says About Identifying People Who Might Commit Mass Shootings
Even if the proposed framework for gun safety legislation is signed into law, the U.S. will likely still struggle with far too many mass shootings. Researchers are trying to better understand what's behind these shootings. Dr. Jillian Peterson and Dr. James Densley, who co-founded The Violence Project, join William Brangham to discuss. (6/13)
In related news about gun violence —
NPR: Hollywood Producers Urge Colleagues To Rethink Guns In Movies And TV
In the aftermath of the mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, N.Y., a group of about 200 leading producers, directors and writers for movies and TV are pledging to revisit the use of guns in their storytelling, and to incorporate gun safety best practices into their scripts. The open letter, which was initiated by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, has so far been signed by talents including Judd Apatow, Debbie Allen, Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Lawrence, Adam McKay, Shonda Rhimes, Mark Ruffalo and Amy Schumer, among many others. (Tsioulcas, 6/13)
Deadline: Brady Organization Calls On Hollywood To Examine Onscreen Gun Violence
The Brady organization against gun violence is calling on Hollywood writers, directors and producers to examine onscreen gun violence and depictions of gun safety, asking the creative community to sign a pledge that’s already garnered more than 200 signatures of such names as Judd Apatow, Shonda Rhimes, Damon Lindelof and Jimmy Kimmel and the writers of Jimmy Kimmel Live! The pledge, while noting that the “responsibility lies with lax gun laws supported by those politicians more afraid of losing power than saving lives,” acknowledges that “America’s storytellers” have the power to “effect change.” (Evans, 6/13)
Pharmaceuticals
'The Need Is Huge': FDA Approves First-Ever Drug For Alopecia
In clinical trials, Eli Lilly's once-daily pill, known as Olumiant, helped treated patients regrow much of their lost hair. And in Canada, health authorities approved Amylyx’s new drug, Albrioza, for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, although the U.S. government says it needs more testing.
Stat: Lilly Wins FDA Approval For Treatment For Hair Loss Caused By Autoimmunity
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved an Eli Lilly drug that is the first-ever treatment for alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that triggers sudden hair loss. The once-daily pill, known as Olumiant, was approved after clinical trials showed that treated patients regrew much of their lost hair. Patrik Jonsson, Lilly’s president of immunology, called the approval a historic moment for patients who until now have had to rely on cosmetic solutions, unapproved creams, and injections to manage the disease. (Wisen and Muthukumar, 6/13)
The New York Times: F.D.A. Approves Alopecia Drug That Restores Hair Growth In Many Patients
The disease can vary in severity, but for some, it can be life-altering — a total loss of body hair, including eyelashes and eyebrows, even nose hair and hair in the ears. And, until recently, for those with alopecia areata, there was no treatment to make the hair grow back. But on Monday, the Food and Drug Administration approved baricitinib, a drug made by Eli Lilly that regrows hair by blocking the immune system from attacking hair follicles. Two other companies, Pfizer and Concert Pharmaceuticals, are close behind with similar drugs, known as JAK inhibitors. The drugs are already on the market for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. F.D.A. approval is important for insurance coverage of these expensive drugs, which have a list price of nearly $2,500 a month. (Kolata, 6/13)
And the FDA is under pressure to approve a new therapy for Lou Gehrig’s disease —
The Wall Street Journal: Canada Approves Amylyx’s ALS Drug As U.S. Seeks More Time To Review
Canadian health authorities approved Amylyx Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s new drug for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the progressive neurodegenerative disease that robs patients of their ability to move and speak. It is the first Canadian approval since 2018 for a new drug treating the fatal condition, which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. (Walker, 6/13)
The New York Times: New Experimental Therapy For A.L.S. Approved In Canada
An experimental therapy for A.L.S., the paralyzing and fatal neurological disorder, has been approved in Canada, adding a new treatment option for a disease for which there are few effective therapies. The approval, the first in the world for the treatment — AMX0035, to be marketed in Canada as Albrioza — comes with the condition that the drug company later provide better evidence that the treatment works. (Belluck, 6/13)
In other pharmaceutical and research news —
The New York Times: They Were Cigarette Smokers. Then A Stroke Vanquished Their Addiction.
Taking a scan of an injured brain often produces a map of irretrievable losses, revealing spots where damage causes memory difficulties or tremors. But in rare cases, those scans can expose just the opposite: plots of brain regions where an injury miraculously relieves someone’s symptoms, offering clues about how doctors might accomplish the same. A team of researchers has now taken a fresh look at a set of such brain images, drawn from cigarette smokers addicted to nicotine in whom strokes or other injuries spontaneously helped them quit. (Mueller, 6/13)
Stat: A CRISPR Treatment For Blood Diseases Continues To Benefit Patients
an experimental, genome-editing treatment showed prolonged benefit for patients born with inherited blood disorders sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. Seventy-five patients have now been treated with the therapy developed jointly by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics that uses CRISPR technology to genetically fix diseased cells. Following a one-time infusion, all 31 of the patients with sickle cell reported being free from episodes of severe pain; 42 of the 44 patients with beta-thalassemia no longer required blood transfusions. (Feuerstein, 6/11)
The New York Times: Can Supplements Really Help With Depression Or Anxiety?
St. John’s wort “promotes a positive mood.” Valerian root reduces “levels of anxiety and stress.” Lavender oil is “calming for body and mind. ”If you are among the tens of millions of people in the United States who suffer from depression or anxiety, it is easy to be captivated by the promise of mood-boosting supplements. Take these pills daily, their marketing suggests, and soon you’ll be happily bouncing through verdant, sun-soaked fields, no prescription required. (Sneed, 6/13)
Stat: Startup Gets Green Light To Use Apple Watch To Track Parkinson's Symptoms
Software that enables Apple Watch-based tracking of Parkinson’s disease symptoms has received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration, a move that could open doors for its maker as it strives to reach more people living with movement disorders — and potentially, those who haven’t developed them yet. The StrivePD system uses Apple’s Movement Disorder API to track tremors and dyskinetic symptoms of Parkinson’s from the Apple Watch. The data is all collected in an iPhone application, which allows patients to record their symptoms and keep tabs on medication. (Aguilar, 6/13)
Health Industry
Following Covid Problems, AMA To Fight Medical Disinformation
The American Medical Association voted to support a variety of efforts, including improving access to evidence-based data, mobilizing health care workers to fact-check social media claims. and giving licensing boards the authority to penalize providers who disseminate disinformation. Also: news on health care data breaches and unnecessary medical tests.
Modern Healthcare: 5 Things To Know From Day One Of The AMA's Annual Meeting
The healthcare industry should combat disinformation through fact-checking, penalties and proactive engagement, doctors said at the American Medical Association's House of Delegates meeting in Chicago Monday. The AMA governing body took positions on a range of topics including disinformation, obesity, the minimum wage, universal child care and payment rates. (Kacik, 6/13)
In news about patient data —
Modern Healthcare: 700K Patients Involved In Arizona Hospital Cybersecurity Incident
A ransomware attack at Yuma Regional Medical Center in April potentially involved 700,000 patients. The attack took place between April 21 and April 25 and affected the southwestern Arizona hospital's internal systems, the hospital said Friday. In response, the hospital said it took its systems offline and launched an investigation into the incident. There have been at least 270 data breaches within healthcare this year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights breach portal. The single large breach occurred in May, which involved 2 million Shields Health Care Group patients. (Berryman, 6/13)
Modern Healthcare: Oracle EHR Database Plan Prompts Skepticism From Health IT Experts
Oracle's vision of creating a national database of patient medical records, while bold, overlooks long-standing industry challenges, health technology experts said. Larry Ellison, Oracle's co-founder, chief technology officer and board chair, last week shared an ambitious plan to build a database that contains data from electronic health records systems at hospitals across the U.S. Doctors would be able to access medical data with patients' permission and public health officials would be given an anonymized view, he said. (Cohen, 6/13)
The Washington Post: Can Your Medical Records Be Used For Marketing? Yes, If You Agree To This
Your intimate health information may not be as private as you think if you don’t look carefully at the forms you sign at the doctor’s office. There’s a burgeoning business in harvesting our patient data to target us with ultra-personalized ads. Patients who think medical information should come from a doctor — rather than a pharmaceutical marketing department — might not like that. (Fowler, 6/13)
In other health care industry news —
The Boston Globe: Cuts To Maternal Health Services Ignite Protests
Amid chants for choice and justice, some 200 grandmothers, parents, and their sign-waving children rallied Monday outside Beverly Hospital to protest the impending closure of the facility’s North Shore Birth Center, the last operating, free-standing center in Eastern Massachusetts. The planned closure, slated for September, was announced last month by Beth Israel Lahey Health, which cited staffing shortages at the 42-year-old center. The loss has raised concerns about dwindling access to maternity services, particularly for low-income families and women of color. (Lazar, 6/13)
AP: Care Network To Make Changes After Trans Discrimination Case
A network of adult care facilities in Maine will adopt a nondiscrimination policy about the care of transgender people as part of a settlement with a woman who filed a human rights complaint against the company. Advocates described the agreement as a landmark settlement about elder care for transgender adults in the state. The settlement came three months after Maine’s human rights panel ruled in favor of the 79-year-old woman, Marie King, who complained she was denied a room by an assisted living facility because she is transgender. (Whittle, 6/13)
Modern Healthcare: FTC Asks For More Information On UnitedHealth's $5.4B Deal For LHC Group
Federal regulators asked UnitedHealth Group and home healthcare provider LHC Group for additional information related to their proposed $5.4 billion deal, LHC disclosed in a Friday filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. UnitedHealth Group announced plans to purchase LHC Group in March. The healthcare giant plans to add LHC to its Optum healthcare services subsidiary, in a move to beef up its in-home care delivery. The deal was expected to close in the second half of 2022. (Tepper, 6/10)
Stat: Language Barriers Keep Parents From Asking Questions About Kids' Care
Handoffs are one of the most dangerous times in a patient’s care: As one team of caregivers passes a case to the next shift, a clinician might neglect to jot down an important observation, forget to input an order for a test before heading home, or fail to realize that a medication ordered overnight never arrived by morning. But handoffs do not have to be so perilous, and patients and families themselves can provide a valuable safeguard against medical errors arising from these inevitable transition points. For children in particular, parents are the ones who notice when their infant’s formula was accidentally swapped, or whether their preschooler is still clutching her head in pain after it should have eased. It is with this expertise in mind that a group of physicians and researchers at 32 hospitals across the U.S. and Canada are pushing to improve the handoff procedure and bring patients and families more into the process. But providers have to be thoughtful about how they do that — especially when caring for kids whose parents and families are not proficient in English. (Chen, 6/13)
NPR: When Routine Medical Tests Trigger A Cascade Of Unnecessary Care
Dr. Meredith Niess saw her patient was scared. He'd come to the Veterans Affairs clinic in Denver with a painful hernia near his stomach. Niess, a primary care resident, knew he needed surgery right away. But another doctor had already ordered a chest X-ray instead. The test results revealed a mass in the man's lung. "This guy is sweating in his seat, [and] he's not thinking about his hernia," Niess said. "He's thinking he's got cancer." … Niess understood something her patient didn't. Decades of evidence showed the chest X-ray was unnecessary and the "mass" was probably a shadow or a cluster of blood vessels. These non-finding findings are so common that doctors have dubbed them "incidentalomas." (Levi and Gorenstein, 6/13)
KHN: Preventive Care May Be Free, But Follow-Up Diagnostic Tests Can Bring Big Bills
When Cynthia Johnson learned she would owe $200 out-of-pocket for a diagnostic mammogram in Houston, she almost put off getting the test that told her she had breast cancer. “I thought, ‘I really don’t have this to spend, and it’s probably nothing,’” said Johnson, who works in educational assessment at a university. But she decided to go forward with the test because she could put the copay on a credit card. (Andrews, 6/14)
Public Health
Sizzling Temps, High Ozone Levels Threaten Health Of Millions Today
All of Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana are under excessive-heat warnings, as well as parts of more than a dozen other states. Oppressive humidity levels will make it feel up to 15 degrees hotter than what the thermometer says.
The Washington Post: Record-Setting Heat Wave Expands East; Over 100 Million Under Alerts
A massive heat wave that has set scores of temperature records from Texas to California is swelling into the eastern United States. Over 100 million Americans from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes are under heat alerts through the middle of the week as temperatures soar toward the triple digits. (Cappucci and Samenow, 6/13)
WHIO: Rising Temperatures: How To Stay Safe During Heatwave
If you have to be outside today, stay hydrated, wear light clothing, take multiple breaks, and limit how much you spend outdoors. Dr. Roberto Colon with Premier Health told us those working outside are at risk of serious injuries. “It puts anybody who is going to be doing eccentric exertional work outside at a particular risk. And it’s an environment that everybody works in from time to time. But for those who are predominantly doing outdoor work, when it gets very hot and humid at the same time, we start facing some additional concerns. and that is because the body can be injured in as little as 15 to 20 minutes of work.” (6/14)
AP: Indiana Agency: High Ozone May Mean Breathing Woes For Some
Indiana’s environmental agency is warning that high ozone levels expected statewide Tuesday could make it hard for some Hoosiers to breathe. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management issued a statewide Air Quality Action Day on Monday, saying that high levels of ground-level ozone, or smog, are forecast for Tuesday. (6/13)
In other environmental health news —
The Hill: Particulate Pollution Is Reducing Global Life Expectancy By More Than Two Years: Analysis
Particulate air pollution is reducing life expectancy by 2.2 years globally compared to a hypothetical world that meets international health guidelines, a new report has found. Worldwide exposure to fine particulate patter — PM 2.5, or particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns or less — has an impact on par with that of smoking, more than three times that of alcohol use and unsafe water, according to the University of Chicago’s 2022 Air Quality Life Index. (Udasin, 6/14)
NBC News: 14 Percent Of World Population May Have Had Lyme Disease, Research Finds
More than 14 percent of the world’s population may have had Lyme disease, an analysis released on Monday revealed. The research, published in BMJ Global Health, is the result of an examination of nearly 90 studies. It offers an unprecedentedly robust picture of how common the tick-borne illness may be. (Bendix, 6/13)
On youth mental health —
ABC News: Amid A National Crisis In Youth Mental Health, Surgeon General Says Kids Need To Be Part Of The Solution
Facing a growing mental health crisis among America's teens and young adults, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy says the problem is not something adults can fix alone. Adults need "to make sure that we're hearing from kids so that their stories are our guiding light," Murthy said. "Ultimately, we will know when we've reached the finish line when they're doing well and they tell us they're doing well and when data tells us that as well." After declaring a national advisory on the youth mental health crisis late last year, Murthy is now participating in a two-day conference called the Youth Mental Wellness Now! Summit, hosted by The California Endowment. (Smalls-Mantey, 6/14)
Los Angeles Times: Companies, Organizations Address Youth Mental Health
A major entertainment studio says it will feature plotlines about mental health in teen-targeted shows. Celebrity athletes say they will help destigmatize talk about mental health among young people. A Los Angeles nonprofit is expanding training for professional youth mentors. Big tech, media companies, local groups, youth leaders, basketball players and educators are pledging to come together in response to the U.S. surgeon general’s public health advisory last December, warning of an “urgent” need to address a national youth crisis. (Blume, 6/14)
In other public health news —
The Washington Post: Why Is There A Tampon Shortage?
A tampon shortage is putting a strain on consumers across the country, an outgrowth of the same forces vexing the global economy — from soaring raw material and fuel costs, to labor shortages and an embattled supply chain — and experts say little relief is in sight. (Telford, 6/13)
AP: Census Wants To Know How To Ask About Sexuality And Gender
Recognizing the difficulty of persuading people to reveal information many find sensitive, the U.S. Census Bureau is requesting millions of dollars to study how best to ask about sexual orientation and gender identity. The results could provide much better data about the LGBTQ population nationwide at a time when views about sexual orientation and gender identity are evolving. (Schneider, 6/11)
From The States
Fatal Overdoses Soar In Kentucky In 2021, Most Of Them Involving Fentanyl
The powerful synthetic opioid was identified in nearly 73% of the deaths, a recent report reveals. “We’ve never seen one drug this prevalent in the toxicology reports of overdose fatalities,” said Van Ingram, executive director of the state Office of Drug Control Policy.
AP: Kentucky Shatters Its Fatal Overdose Record; Fentanyl Blamed
Fatal drug overdoses rose nearly 15% in Kentucky last year, surpassing 2,000 deaths as the increased use of fentanyl — a powerful synthetic opioid — resulted in a record death toll in the state, according to a report released Monday. The report showed that 2,250 Kentuckians died from drug overdoses in 2021 — an ongoing scourge plaguing rural counties and the state’s largest cities alike. It was the first time the Bluegrass State surpassed 2,000 drug overdose deaths in a single year, said Van Ingram, executive director of the state Office of Drug Control Policy. (Schreiner, 6/13)
In other news on the drug crisis —
The Boston Globe: Advocates For Safe Consumption Sites In Mass. Find Hope In Shifting Political Winds As Overdose Deaths Soar
People who use drugs can find a lot of helpful services at Fenway Health’s needle exchange program, known as Access — medical care for hepatitis C and other infections, links to addiction treatments, and clean syringes and other sterile supplies to prevent the spread of disease. But when they want to take illicit substances, clients must leave the Cambridge facility. They head to the streets and public restrooms, often with drugs that are contaminated with deadly fentanyl. And often they die of overdoses as a result. (Freyer, 6/13)
KHN: As Biden Fights Overdoses, Harm Reduction Groups Face Local Opposition
Casey Malish had just pulled into an intersection in the 2nd Ward when a woman with tattoos and pinkish hair unexpectedly hopped into the back seat of his gray Mazda. He handles outreach for the Houston Harm Reduction Alliance, a nonprofit that helps drug users like her stay alive. The woman, Desiree Hess, had arranged to meet with him, but Malish, as usual, wasn’t sure what to expect on this recent afternoon. Hess told Malish to take her to near the Value Village thrift store before she explained why she was so frantic. (Rayasam, 6/14)
And more health news from across the U.S. —
AP: Maine Gov Creates 'Cabinet On Aging' To Prepare For Changes
The governor of the oldest state in the nation created a “Cabinet on Aging” on Monday with a hope of preparing for demographic changes that will impact health care and the workforce. Maine has the nation’s oldest median age. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills said that means tens of thousands of residents will retire in the coming years in the state. (6/13)
North Carolina Health News: Should North Carolina Operate Its Medicaid Oral Health Program As Fee-For-Service Or Transition To Managed Care?
As lawmakers ponder whether to expand Medicaid to add some 600,000 more people to the rolls, the North Carolina Oral Health Collaborative is looking at a different aspect of the federal- and state-sponsored insurance program. Nearly a year ago, North Carolina transformed its Medicaid program from a fee-for-service-based plan to a system managed by private insurers. (Blythe, 6/14)
AP: Compounding Pharmacy Agrees To Stop Distributing Some Drugs
A Vermont compounding pharmacy has agreed to stop producing adulterated and misbranded drugs, the U.S. Justice Department said Monday. Edge Pharma of Colchester and its owners and operators signed a consent decree with the Justice Department on Friday that requires Edge Pharma Inc. of Colchester to take specific remedial measures to ensure its products are safe and demonstrate to the Food and Drug Administration that they will comply with federal law. (6/13)
Stat: Study: Enrollment In Medical Cannabis Programs Saw Four-Fold Increase
Enrollment in medical cannabis programs across the U.S. jumped by over four times between 2016 and 2020, according to a new study that also examined the qualifying conditions patients list on their licensing forms. Researchers found increasing enrollment was clustered in states with medical-only cannabis programs, while enrollment in states that also permit recreational use declined or stagnated between 2016 and 2020. The researchers identified chronic pain as the most commonly listed condition specified on medical license applications. (Welle, 6/13)
Editorials And Opinions
Viewpoints: Rebound Fears Shouldn't Prevent Patients Taking Paxlovid; Covid Has Changed Hospitals
Opinion writers tackle covid and abortion issues.
The Star Tribune: It's Now Easier To Find No-Cost COVID Pills
The window of time in which to use Paxlovid, a new and highly effective COVID-19 treatment, remains relatively narrow: The pills must be started within five days of symptom onset. Fortunately, it just got easier in Minnesota to get tested and get a prescription at no cost for this potentially lifesaving medication. Three of the state's well-known community COVID testing sites in Brooklyn Park, Moorhead and Duluth will now additionally offer on-the-spot Paxlovid prescriptions to those who test positive and meet eligibility for its use. (6/13)
The New York Times: America’s Hospitals Are In Transition
The intensive care unit is full. A patient coded early in the morning and my pager alerts me that an older man is intubated in the emergency department and a woman with cystic fibrosis is coughing up blood. There is so much sickness that I am almost too busy to notice what once would have been a remarkable fact: I am not taking care of a single patient with the coronavirus. (Lamas, 6/14)
Los Angeles Times: Will We Get Around COVID Complacency Even As The Threat Returns?
A few months ago, it seemed as though the country was finally poised to tame the pandemic, after two years of restrictions and tens of billions in government spending. The Biden administration in March released the first national COVID-19 preparedness plan to help Americans safely “return to normal,” a strategy to live with the continued presence of the virus and the emergence of new variants. Unfortunately, in response, our elected representatives and much of the country essentially sighed, preferring to move on and give up the fight. Congress is refusing to approve spending more to provide free testing, treatments and vaccines. Local governments lifted mandates and many people just stopped wearing masks, even in crowded indoor spaces. Two-thirds of those who waited in line for hours to receive their initial vaccinations couldn’t be bothered to walk into a pharmacy to get a free booster, leaving themselves more susceptible to the Omicron variants. (Elisabeth Rosenthal, 6/13)
Also —
The Atlantic: How To Save Women’s Lives After Roe
In February, NPR reported a story of a woman, Anna, who went into labor at 19 weeks, far too early for her child to survive outside the womb. This is a condition known as “preterm premature rupture of membranes” (PPROM), and in many cases the medically recommended treatment is abortion. Attempting to delay labor long enough to reach a point where the baby could survive can mean risking infection, sepsis, and death. (Greer Donley and Kimberly Chernoby, 6/13)
Los Angeles Daily News: Government Should Not Interfere With The Right To An Abortion
On May 2 of this year, a friend texted me about Justice Alito’s leaked draft that could overturn Roe v. Wade. My first reaction was utter disbelief: I never thought I’d see the day when America might stop protecting the right to abortion at the federal level—leaving it to the states to decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of women who seek abortions every year. It felt dystopian to me. Over the next few days, I kept recalling the stories I experienced in my home country of Argentina, where elective abortion was illegal until very recently. While I never had to face the decision to have an abortion, a few women close to me did, and I remember their plight vividly. One faced the prospect of being tied to an abusive partner for life. Another would’ve been a teenage mom. Another would’ve been a single mom giving birth to the child of her abuser. ( Agustina Vergara Cid, 6/12)
Different Takes: How Valid Is The DSM In Making A Diagnosis?; FDA Must Revamp Blood Donation Rules
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health topics.
Los Angeles Times: I Received Six Psychiatric Diagnoses In 25 Years. They Were A Dead End
The day I sat in my psychiatrist’s windowless office and was told I had bipolar disorder, I’d already been in the mental health system for 25 years. It was my sixth diagnosis. Starting at age 12, I’d also been told I had anorexia, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit disorder. (Sarah Fay, 6/14)
USA Today: Gay Blood Donor Ban Blocked Us From Helping Our Sick Son
When our son was fighting for his life, my husband and I were ready to give him anything he needed to get healthy. But what he needed was a blood transfusion, and we couldn't be the ones to give it to him. It wasn’t because we didn’t have the right blood type, but because of the type of people we are: gay men. Men who have sex with men (MSM) have been excluded from donating blood in the United States since 1983. (Dr. Mark Schuster, 6/13)
Los Angeles Times: Don't Deny Trans Youth Gender-Affirming Care
This year has seen an array of anti-transgender legislation. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is pursuing policies to restrict transition-related care for transgender minors and to block Medicaid coverage of this care for anyone. In 2022, legislation in 20 states so far has been introduced purporting to “protect” trans youth — by criminalizing care that has been used safely worldwide for decades. There have been two notable recent victories protecting trans healthcare. A preliminary injunction in Alabama blocked enforcement of the state’s ban on gender-affirming drug treatments for minors, and the Texas Supreme Court halted a state investigation into one family with a transgender minor prompted by Gov. Greg Abbott’s attempt to treat gender-affirming care as “child abuse.” Although these rulings are important, they cannot counter state legislatures relying on toxic distortions and outright falsehoods about science to push anti-trans policy. (Christy Olezeski, Meredithe McNamara and Anne Alstott, 6/13)
The Washington Post: My Guide Dog Can Protect Me From A Lot Of Things — But Not From Guns
I’m a guide dog user, as the terminology goes. I travel everywhere in the company of a professionally trained guide dog. She can prevent me from being struck by cars and stop me from falling down stairs. She can walk me around detours on sidewalks and take evasive action when a kid on a skateboard veers toward us. During her training, she was introduced to sudden, frightening noises — her trainers fired an Olympic starter pistol to simulate the sound of a car backfiring. She can do almost anything to keep us safe as a team. But no: She cannot protect us from public violence. (Stephen Kuusisto, 6/13)
The Washington Post: Why Are My Patients Still Isolating In Their Homes? Gun Violence.
“I don’t want to call you, Dr. Novick, to tell you one of these kids has been shot.” That’s how the grandmother of one of my patients explained why her grandson, a star athlete, is learning remotely. There are too many shootings on his walk home from school, so he stays in his room now, with no sports and no hope for a college scholarship. As a pediatrician in Philadelphia, I hear this sentiment every day. More families than I can count live their entire lives inside homes to avoid gun violence. Many have lost loved ones; others are petrified they will. Children are home-schooling, withdrawing from activities and avoiding games with friends on their blocks. The combination of loss, fear and social isolation creates a degree of suffering unlike any I’ve seen over 26 years in this work. (Dorothy R. Novick, 6/13)
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Government Watchdogs Attack Medicare Advantage for Denying Care and Overcharging
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