First Edition: March 10, 2021

KHN: Pfizer’s Newest Vaccine Plant Has Persistent Mold Issues, History Of Recalls 
Pfizer’s management knew last year there was “a mold issue” at the Kansas facility now slated to produce the drugmaker’s urgently needed covid-19 vaccine, according to a Food and Drug Administration inspection report. The McPherson, Kansas, facility, which FDA inspectors wrote is the nation’s largest manufacturer of sterile injectable controlled substances, has a long, troubled history. Nearly a decade’s worth of FDA inspection reports, recalls and reprimands reviewed by KHN show the facility as a repeat offender. FDA investigators have repeatedly noted in reports that the plant has failed to control quality and contamination or fully investigate after production failures. (Tribble, 3/10)

KHN: For Covid ‘Long Haulers,’ Battling For Disability Benefits Adds Aggravation To Exhaustion
Rickie Andersen took a brief break from work in March after she fell ill. Her cough, fever and chills were typical covid-19 symptoms, but coronavirus tests were so scarce she could not obtain one to confirm the diagnosis. After Andersen returned to her job as an information systems project manager in the San Francisco Bay Area, she struggled with profound fatigue, cognitive difficulties and other disabling complaints. For six months, she tried to keep awake during meetings and finish basic tasks that took much longer than before. (Tuller, 3/10)

KHN: What Childhood Vaccine Rates Can, And Can’t, Teach Us About Covid Vaccines
Polls show Americans are increasingly interested in getting vaccinated against covid-19, but such surveys are largely national, leaving a big question: When the vaccines become available to the general public, will enough people get it in your county, city or neighborhood to keep your community safe? Data on childhood vaccines, such as the one that protects against measles, mumps and rubella, provide hints. They show that the collective protection known as herd immunity can break down in pockets where not enough people choose to be immunized. Experts say at least 92% of the population must be vaccinated against measles to prevent it from spreading. (Bichell, 3/10)

KHN: Texas Winter Storm Exposes Gaps In Senior Living Oversight
When the big, red and extremely loud fire alarm went off in Maria Skladzien’s apartment, the 74-year-old ventured into the hallway with fellow residents of her Houston-area senior living community. The brutal winter storm that swept through Texas had knocked out power, which, in turn, disrupted water to the four-story building. The blaring alarms raised fears of fire. The building’s elevators were unusable without power. Dependent on her wheelchair, Skladzien went back inside her second-floor apartment. She watched as residents gathered in the subfreezing temperatures outside, wondering if she would have to “throw herself out the window” to survive. (West, 3/10)

CNBC: Alaska Is First State To Make Covid Vaccines Available To Nearly All
Alaska on Tuesday became the first state to make Covid vaccines available to anyone 16 and older who works or lives in the state, effective immediately. “This historic step is yet another nationwide first for Alaska,” Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a statement, adding he “couldn’t be prouder” of Alaska’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. (Ng, 3/9)

The Washington Post: Alaska Makes Vaccines Available To Those 16 And Older, Becoming First State To Remove Eligibility Requirements 
Alaska on Tuesday became the first state to remove eligibility requirements for the coronavirus vaccine, making immunization available to anyone 16 and older who lives or works in the state. The state’s governor, Republican Mike Dunleavy, announced the move in a news release, calling it a “historic step” and “another nationwide first for Alaska.” (Stanley-Becker, 3/9)

The New York Times: Alaska Becomes First State To Open Vaccine Access To Everyone 16 And Older 
Alaska has fully vaccinated 16 percent of its population, the highest rate in the country, according to a New York Times database. Adam Crum, the commissioner of the state health department, said, “If Alaskans had any questions about vaccine eligibility and criteria, I hope today’s announcement clears it up for you.” He added, “Simply put, you are eligible to get the vaccine.” (Pietsch and Gold, 3/9)

USA Today: Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines Double Number Of Americans Eligible
The inclusive criteria are expected to increase eligibility from 6.4 million adults to 14.5 million, according to an editorial by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine professors published in JAMA Tuesday. “There’s a huge need to diagnosing patients early,” said Dr. David Carbone, an oncologist and lung cancer specialist at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, who is unaffiliated with the editorial. “When you don’t do screening exams, most lung cancer patients are diagnosed when they're incurable.” (Rodriguez, 3/9)

The New York Times: Lung Cancer Scans Are Recommended For People 50 And Older With Shorter Smoking Histories 
The advice, published on Tuesday in the medical journal JAMA, differs in two major ways from the task force’s previous guidelines, issued in 2013: It lowers the age when screening should start, to 50 from 55, and it reduces the smoking history to 20 years, from 30. (Grady, 3/9)

The Washington Post: Millions More Smokers And Ex-Smokers Should Receive Free Annual Screenings For Lung Cancer, A Federally Appointed Task Force Says 
A federally appointed task force recommended a major increase in the number of Americans eligible for free screening for lung cancer, saying expanded testing will save lives and especially benefit Black people and women. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent group of 16 physicians and scientists who evaluate preventive tests and medications, said people with a long history of smoking should begin getting annual low-dose CT scans at age 50, five years earlier than the group recommended in 2013. The group also broadened the definition of people it considers at high risk for the disease. (McGinley, 3/9)

NPR: Arkansas Passes Near-Total Abortion Ban As Lawmakers Push For Supreme Court Case
Under Senate Bill 6, abortion would only be allowed in cases where it's necessary to save the life or preserve the health of the fetus or mother. The law does not allow any exceptions in situations of rape or incest--a line that anti-abortion rights activists and lawmakers have supported in the past. The measure's supporters expect the law to be challenged by abortion rights activists. It's future is uncertain, as similar attempts to restrict access to abortion services in Ohio, Georgia, and Alabama in the last two years have failed after federal courts struck down local laws. But that's no matter, according to Hutchinson. He said Tuesday the goal of the legislation is to bring the fight over abortion to the Supreme Court. (Diaz, 3/10)

CBS News: Arkansas Governor Signs Near Total Abortion Ban Into Law 
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday signed into law legislation banning nearly all abortions in the state, a sweeping measure that supporters hope will force the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit its landmark Roe v. Wade decision but opponents vow to block before it takes effect later this year. The Republican governor had expressed reservations about the bill, which only allows the procedure to save the life of the mother and does not provide exceptions for those impregnated by rape or incest. Arkansas is one of at least 14 states where legislators have proposed near outright abortion bans this year. Hutchinson said he was signing the bill because of its "overwhelming legislative support and my sincere and long-held pro-life convictions." (3/9)

The Washington Post: Biden Prepares To Mail Checks, But Other Stimulus Challenges Loom
Congress is set to give the final green light to a $1.9 trillion coronavirus stimulus package Wednesday, setting in motion another gargantuan political lift: a Washington-wide effort to administer one of the largest economic relief packages in U.S. history. Over the coming weeks, the Biden administration must send another round of one-time checks to millions of families, rethink vast portions of the U.S. tax code and dole out much-needed sums to help cash-strapped Americans, seeking to swiftly blunt an economic crisis that has left millions without jobs and falling further behind financially. (Romm, Stein and Siegel, 3/9)

Roll Call: Both Parties Gear Up For Midterm Battle Over COVID-19 Relief 
The sweeping COVID-19 relief bill that Democrats expect to send to Joe Biden’s desk Wednesday is not only the first major legislation of the president’s term. It could also define the 2022 midterm elections, which will be a referendum on Biden’s first two years in office. (Bowman, 3/10)

CNBC: Next Covid Stimulus Package May Slash COBRA Premiums For Fired Workers
It could become more affordable for laid-off workers to keep their employer-sponsored health insurance, thanks to a provision in the Covid relief bill making its way through Congress. As part of the $1.9 trillion stimulus package, the government would pay for former employees to maintain health coverage from their old job through COBRA, or the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. (Nova, 3/9)

The Hill: Teenage Suspect In Capitol Riot Ordered Released From Jail After Testing Positive For COVID-19
A teenager charged in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot has been ordered released from jail after contracting COVID-19. During a court hearing on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss granted 18-year-old Bruno Joseph Cua pre-trial release, an attorney for Cua told The Hill. Cua was granted bond, and will be released into his mother's custody on March 16. (Williams, 3/9)

Stat: 6 Former FDA Commissioners Push Biden To Nominate A Permanent Chief
Six former FDA commissioners are urging President Biden to quickly nominate an FDA commissioner. The FDA, which plays a central role in the coronavirus pandemic, has been without a permanent commissioner since January and there’s no telling when that will change. Biden is already on track to nominate an FDA commissioner later in his tenure as president than his two most immediate predecessors. (Florko, 3/9)

Stat: Is A Leaderless FDA Clamping Down On Drug Reviews?
Seemingly overnight, the Food and Drug Administration appears to be taking a more risk-averse stance on drug reviews, leaving drug makers confused and their stock prices battered. Acadia Pharmaceuticals said Monday evening that it was notified by the FDA about “deficiencies” in its application for an expanded use for its anti-psychosis drug Nuplazid. The company said the letter from the agency arrived on March 3 without any warning, exactly one month before Acadia was expecting a decision on Nuplazid’s approval. (Feuerstein, 3/9)

Politico: CDC Under Scrutiny After Struggling To Report Covid Race, Ethnicity Data 
The Department of Health and Human Services’ watchdog is examining how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can improve the accuracy of its data on Covid-19’s toll by race and ethnicity, according to two senior administration officials with direct knowledge of the investigation. The HHS inspector general has interviewed several officials who deal with Covid-19 data over the past week and plans to continue meeting with the agency over the coming days, those sources said. Those initial conversations suggest the inspector general is focused on finding ways to get a more complete picture, particularly around vaccinations, and how the agency can more closely coordinate with states on the collection of the data, officials said. (Banco and Tahir, 3/9)

The Washington Post: New Daily Coronavirus Cases Drop In The U.S.; Experts Warn About Spring Break 
The seven-day average for new daily coronavirus cases in the United States fell below 58,000 for the first time since mid-October, after weeks in which a steady decline in new infections appeared to have plateaued. The drop comes as the United States is administering an average of 2.15 million vaccine doses per day, according to data compiled by The Washington Post. But even as more Americans are immunized against the virus, public health experts are warning against the loosening of restrictions in states such as Florida and Texas. This month, spring break starts for tens of thousands of college students in the United States, which scientists worry could accelerate the spread of new variants. (Cunningham, 3/10)

CNBC: Fauci Warns U.S. Cases May 'Plateau Again At An Unacceptably High Level'
White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci warned that Covid-19 cases in the United States may plateau again at a very high level, even as the nation rapidly administers three vaccines. The decline in cases seen since early January now appears to be “going down a little more slowly,” Fauci told the Center for Strategic and International Studies during an interview Tuesday afternoon. “Which means we might plateau again at an unacceptably high level.” (Lovelace Jr., 3/9)

USA Today: Hospitals Report Worst Of COVID-19 Pandemic's Third Wave Has Past
Detailed data released this week by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services illustrates just how much the nation's hospitals have recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic's third wave. Although more than 1,500 Americans are dying from COVID-19 every day, the new data show COVID-19 patients comprising a smaller and smaller share of hospital admissions around the country, most drastically in the West and South, regions hit hard by the disease through the holidays. "Overall we are seeing the numbers of COVID patients in our hospitals at the lowest levels in more than a year," said Bart Buxton, president and CEO of McLaren Health Management Group in Michigan, in an email. "We currently have fewer than 80 patients total in our 15 hospitals with SARS-COV-2 primary diagnosis and very few of those patients are in our ICUs." (Bajak, 3/9)

CIDRAP: Online Self-Reported COVID-19 Symptom Checkers May Delay Treatment
The US and UK digital COVID-19 symptom checkers consistently suggest less healthcare contact than Singapore's and Japan's, which may cause more serious outcomes, according to a study released yesterday by BMJ Health & Care Informatics. While all four checkers failed to appropriately triage neutropenic sepsis, or sepsis in those with low white blood cell count, the US and UK checkers consistently suggested no or delayed medical care for severe COVID-19, bacterial pneumonia, and sepsis. (3/9)

CIDRAP: Higher Pollen Concentrations Correlate With COVID-19 Cases
Higher pollen concentration is correlated with an increase in COVID-19 cases in early spring 2020, reports a study published yesterday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. While the data indicate that high pollen concentrations could add an extra 10% to 30% to SARS-CoV-2 infection rates, the researchers reiterate that viral transmissions will not occur unless you are exposed to someone with COVID-19.Previous studies have shown that pollen exposure can impair immunity against some seasonal respiratory viruses, and so the researchers tried to identify a relationship with SARS-CoV-2. From early- to mid-March through Apr 8, 2020, they looked at data from 130 regions in 31 countries across all inhabited continents, synthesizing pollen concentration (in density and taxa classifications) and weather conditions such as temperature and humidity with COVID-19 data, population data, and lockdown effects. (3/9)

Fox News: Coronavirus Face Mask Use Safe During Intense Exercise, Early Research Suggests
Early research suggests that face masks used to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus are safe to use even during intense exercise, and could help to curb the spread of COVID-19 at indoor gyms. In a paper published this week in the European Respiratory Journal, researchers with the Monzino Cardiology Centre (CCM) in Milan and the University of Milan studied the breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels of 12 healthy people, six women and six men, as they rode exercise bikes. They studied these levels in three rounds, while the participants did not wear a mask, while they wore a surgical mask, and while they wore an FFP2 mask, which is similar to the N95. (Farber, 3/9)

CNN: How Pandemic Unfolds From Here Depends On How Americans Act In Critical Weeks Ahead, CDC Director Warns 
Nearly one in 10 Americans -- more than 32 million people -- are now fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The progress offers hope that the brutal battle against the virus is slowly nearing its end. But we're not there just yet. The growing number of vaccinations is still not high enough -- and likely won't be for a few more months, according to experts -- to help suppress the spread of coronavirus. (Maxouris, 3/10)

NBC News: The Vaccines Are Working. That's Why We Shouldn't Panic About Variants.
Several new coronavirus variants have been identified in the United States in recent weeks, and scientists are grappling with whether these strains threaten the country — and, if so, how. One thing experts agree on, though, is that the available vaccines have outperformed expectations — even when it comes to what are known as the "variants of concern." "This virus is not invincible, and despite all these variants, the vaccines are working great," said Jeremy Kamil, an associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Louisiana State University Health Shreveport. "That is really outstanding and people should be celebrating that." (Chow, 3/9)

CNN: What The Next CDC Guidelines For The Fully Vaccinated Could Look Like 
Some celebrated when the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came out with its long-awaited guidelines for the fully vaccinated Monday. Others were hoping for more, especially about travel. With daily new cases hovering around the 60,000 mark and the threat of variants spreading, navigating the pandemic is admittedly tricky, even for the fully vaccinated. The director of the CDC made clear these guidelines will not be the last word. (Christensen, 3/9)

NBC News: Discos, Luaus, '80s Vax-A-Thons: Themed Vaccine Events Encourage People To Get Shots
Across the country, vaccination sites are coming up with creative solutions to encourage people in the U.S. to get their vaccine shots. In cities both big and small, facilities are hosting themed events to break the tension and get people excited about being vaccinated against Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus — all while having some fun. A vaccination site in Texas made headlines Saturday after hosting an '80’s-themed, 24-hour “Vax-A-Thon,” according to ABC affiliate KVUE. The Family Hospital Systems partnered with Williamson County to vaccinate 7,000 people in 24 hours at the Kelly Reeves Complex in Austin, the station reported. (Wong, 3/9)

CIDRAP: Poll: 1 Of 4 Americans Will Refuse COVID-19 Vaccine 
Despite the unprecedented rollout of three COVID-19 vaccines, 25% of Americans in a new poll from Monmouth University said they are still unwilling to be vaccinated. Many experts believe that without 70% to 80% of the public gaining COVID-19 immunity through infection or vaccination, herd immunity will be difficult for the nation to obtain, especially because 24% of the population is children, who are as yet ineligible for vaccination. (Soucheray, 3/9)

CIDRAP: Very Few Severe Allergic Reactions Tied To MRNA COVID Vaccines 
Acute allergic reactions occurred in 2.10% but anaphylaxis in only 0.025% of employees of two Boston hospitals who received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, according to a research letter published yesterday in JAMA. Scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital administered email, text, phone, and smartphone app survey links to 64,900 employees who received a dose of one of the two mRNA coronavirus vaccines from Dec 16, 2020, to Feb 12, 2021. (Van Beusekom, 3/9)

Los Angeles Times: Hollywood Line-Cutters Close Pasadena COVID Vaccine Clinic
Pasadena officials on Tuesday canceled a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for senior citizens, grocery store employees and other essential workers after hundreds of people who were not eligible for the shots signed up for appointments. People who did not yet qualify for the vaccine under state guidelines claimed about 900 of the 1,500 slots at a clinic that was designed for people older than 65 and essential workers who live or work in Pasadena, city spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said. Many of the appointments were booked by people who worked in the media and in Hollywood, Derderian said, including at production companies, streaming TV services and news outlets and on the sets of soap operas. (Nelson, 3/9)

The New York Times: Hunting for a Leftover Vaccine? This Site Will Match You With a Clinic.
In the hustle to score an elusive vaccine appointment, the leftover dose has become the stuff of pandemic lore. Extra shots — which must be used within hours once taken out of cold storage — have been doled out to drugstore customers buying midnight snacks, people who are friends with nurses and those who show up at closing time at certain grocery stores and pharmacies. At some larger vaccination sites, the race to use every dose sets off a flurry of end-of-the-day phone calls. (Thomas, 3/9)

The New York Times: How America’s Vaccine System Makes People With Health Problems Fight For A Place In Line 
As states have begun vaccinating Americans with medical conditions that may raise their risk for a severe case of Covid-19, they are setting widely varying rules about which conditions to prioritize. The morass of guidelines has set off a free-for-all among people with underlying health problems like cancer or Type 2 diabetes to persuade state health and political officials to add particular conditions to an evolving vaccine priority list. (Harmon and Ivory, 3/9)

The Washington Post: People Who Qualify For The Covid Vaccine Because Their BMI Says They're Obese Have Mixed Feelings About Getting An Early Spot In Line 
In late February, Claire DiYenno opened her inbox to discover the golden ticket: An email from her doctor’s office with a subject line telling her that she was now eligible to get the coronavirus vaccine. It was welcome news, but unexpected. “I was trying to think of all the different things that maybe I could have been eligible for, because I have migraines. I’ve had recent surgery,” says DiYenno, who lives in Upstate New York. Then she opened the email and found out the real reason: Her body mass index, or BMI, was considered to be in the “obese” category. (Judkis, 3/9)

AP: Tennessee: Some Inmates Now Qualify For COVID-19 Vaccine
After initially deeming that inoculating prisoners could be a “PR nightmare,” Tennessee officials on Tuesday said some inmates were receiving a COVID-19 vaccine — but only those who qualify as part of other groups the state has prioritized. The Department of Correction has ordered 2,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and 980 doses of the Moderna vaccine to be distributed to inmates who are 65 and older or have health conditions that put them in groups already given priority status by the state, department spokesperson Dorinda Carter said in an email. (Kruesi, 3/9)

Bloomberg: New York Lowers Age For Covid-19 Vaccine Eligibility To 60 Years Old
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday said he would lower the age for Covid-19 vaccine eligibility to 60 years old from 65 on March 10, as states qualify more groups in response to increasing supply from the federal government. Essential in-person workers from government agencies and nonprofits will be able to get the shots starting March 17. Public-facing building-service workers also will be eligible, Cuomo said Tuesday while visiting a vaccine site at the New York State Fair in Syracuse. This includes sanitation, motor-vehicles and election workers, county clerks, government inspectors and caseworkers. (Clukey and Young, 3/9)

AP: Volunteers Are Key At Vaccine Sites. It Pays Off With A Shot
When Seattle’s largest health care system got a mandate from Washington state to create a mass COVID-19 vaccination site, organizers knew that gathering enough volunteers would be almost as crucial as the vaccine itself. “We could not do this without volunteers,” said Renee Rassilyer-Bomers, chief quality officer for Swedish Health Services and head of its vaccination site at Seattle University. “The sheer volume and number of folks that we wanted to be able to serve and bring in requires … 320 individuals each day.” (Tang and Valdes, 3/10)

AP: Smithsonian Obtains Vial From 1st US COVID-19 Vaccine Dose
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has acquired the vial that contained the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine administered in the United States as part of its plans to document the global pandemic and “this extraordinary period we were going through.” The acquisition, along with other materials related to that first vaccine dose, was announced by the museum on Tuesday to mark the upcoming one-year anniversary of the pandemic. Associated Press journalists were given an exclusive backstage look at the newly obtained materials, which include vials, special shipping equipment and the medical scrubs and ID badge of the New York City nurse who was America’s first coronavirus vaccine recipient. (Khalil, 3/19)

Stat: School Nurses Greatly Expand Role With Covid Vaccinations, Contact Tracing
Last September, as Covid-19 vaccine candidates were rapidly advancing, Katherine Park and six of her fellow school nurses in St. Louis County, Mo., envisioned school-based vaccination sites as an extension of the district’s pandemic response plan, which they had been working on for months. They reached out to the local health department, letting it know the district had buildings for use and more than 30 school nurses who could jump in on administering shots. (Sohn, 3/10)

The New York Times: Los Angeles Schools And Teachers’ Union Agree To Reopen Classrooms 
The Los Angeles Unified School District and its teachers’ union have reached a tentative agreement to restore in-person instruction, clearing the way for a mid-April reopening of some classrooms in one of the last large school districts to bring students back in substantial numbers. The deal, contingent on teacher vaccinations against the coronavirus, extensive health measures and the county’s impending exit from the state’s most restrictive tier of health regulations, was announced on Tuesday evening in a joint statement by the district superintendent, Austin Beutner, and the union president, Cecily Myart-Cruz. (Hubler, 3/9)

The Wall Street Journal: Los Angeles Schools To Reopen For Youngest Students In April 
The Los Angeles Unified School District reached a tentative agreement with its teachers union that would allow some students in the nation’s second largest school district to resume in-person learning for the first time in more than a year. The deal will allow preschools and elementary schools to reopen in mid-April, though no specific start date was given. Services for students with disabilities of all ages would resume on campuses at the same time. (Mai-Duc, 3/10)

Stat: With New Deal, Takeda's R&D Chief Promises An 'Inflection Year'
Takeda on Tuesday announced that it is buying Maverick Therapeutics for as much as $525 million. The deal is a small one, but for R&D chief Andrew Plump, it represents a research and development transformation playing out at the company — and the beginning of the culmination of six years’ work. (Herper, 3/9)

Modern Healthcare: Providence Is Latest Health System To Attribute 2020 Loss To COVID-19 Pandemic
An "unprecedented" drop in patient volumes stemming from pandemic-related shutdowns coupled with higher supply and labor costs has made Providence the latest health system to post an operating loss in 2020. Renton, Wash.-based Providence lost $306 million on $25.7 billion in operating revenue last year, a 1.2% loss margin. The 51-hospital system's margin was an already slim 0.9% in 2019, when the system made $214 million on $25 billion in revenue. Providence's 2020 revenue includes $957 million in federal stimulus grants, without which its loss would have been much higher. (Bannow, 3/9)

Modern Healthcare: Proton Beam Coverage Suit Against UnitedHealthcare Moves Forward
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs denied UnitedHealthcare's motion to dismiss on Monday. In March 2020, a court dismissed an individual claim on behalf of Kate Weismann, who paid $95,000 out-of-pocket for proton beam therapy to treat her cervical cancer. The court said that she would have to sue under a different provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA. While Weismann accused UnitedHealthcare of breaching its fiduciary duty, the judge said she should have sued the insurer for denial of benefits. Weismann amended her complaint and the court eventually consolidated her case with two others accusing UnitedHealthcare of wrongfully denying proton beam therapy for cancer treatment. (Tepper, 3/9)

NPR: Lawsuit Argues 'Ticking Time Bomb' Could Invalidate Thousands Of Health Rules
If you go to the grocery store and pick up something wondering what's in it, that nutrition label is there because of rules from the Department of Health and Human Services. If you show up at an emergency room needing medical care, you have to get treated because of these rules. You're also able to drink bottled water knowing it doesn't contain arsenic because of rules, too. All of those rules — and thousands of others — could disappear without warning because of the Trump administration's Securing Updated and Necessary Statutory Evaluations Timely or SUNSET rule, finalized the day before President Biden's inauguration. A lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court argues that that rule is a "ticking time bomb" designed to tie up the current administration in bureaucratic knots. (Simmons-Duffin, 3/9)

CNN: Bodybuilding Steroids Linked To Long-Term Testicular Damage, Study Finds 
Men who use anabolic steroids to build muscle for that "perfect bod" may be harming their testicular function for years after they stop taking the drugs, according to a new study of nonathletic bodybuilders. "It has been unclear whether illicit use of anabolic steroids caused a long-lasting or even persistent impairment of the testosterone production in the testicles," said study author Dr. Jon Rasmussen, a scientist at Rigshospitalet, a highly specialized hospital affiliated with the University of Copenhagen. "These results suggest a long-lasting testicular dysfunction," Rasmussen said via email. (LaMotte, 3/9)

AP: Ohio Sued Over Law Requiring Burial Of Aborted Fetal Remains
Abortion providers in Ohio sued Tuesday to block a state law requiring that fetal remains from surgical abortions be cremated or buried, arguing a lack of rules makes complying “impossible.” Clinics and their lawyers at ACLU of Ohio filed suit against the Ohio Department of Health and others in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. They asked the court to block the law as an unconstitutional hurdle to women’s legal right to an abortion. (Smyth, 3/10)

Boston Globe: Advocates Urge R.I. To Regulate ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Drinking Water
Environmental advocates are calling for Governor Daniel J. McKee to adopt state regulations for “forever chemicals” that can contaminate drinking water. The calls follow a new study that shows the main drinking water sources for tens of thousands of people on Cape Cod contain elevated levels of the toxic chemicals, which can come from firefighting foam, Teflon, and food packaging. Harvard University scientists report that watersheds around Mashpee have 40 times more PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) than new Massachusetts rules allow. (Fitzpatrick, 3/9)

Stateline: Wyoming Edges Closer To Medicaid Expansion
Buried in President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill is a provision intended to entice 12 holdout states to extend health coverage to more low-income adults by expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Although Congress has not yet passed the legislation, Biden’s strategy appears to be working. A key Wyoming Senate committee this week approved a measure that would extend Medicaid benefits to all poor adults—not just older adults, those with disabilities and pregnant women. The bill now moves to the Wyoming Senate floor. If it passes, the law would add about 24,000 Wyoming residents to the Medicaid rolls, according to estimates released by the state’s Department of Health last month. (Ollove, 3/9)

AP: Russia To Make Sputnik V Vaccine In Italy, A First In EU
Russia has signed a deal to produce its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine in Italy, the first contract in the European Union, the Italian Russian Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday. The deal was signed with Adienne Srl, the Italian subsidiary of a Swiss-based pharmaceutical company, and Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund. Production of a planned 10 million doses this year is set to launch in July. (Barry and Litvinova, 3/9)

AP: Mexico To Rely Heavily On Chinese Vaccines
Mexico announced a huge bet on Chinese vaccines Tuesday, without making public any information about their efficacy. Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said the Mexican government has signed agreements for 12 million doses of the yet-unapproved Sinopharm vaccine and increased to a total of 20 million doses its contracts for the Coronavac dose made by China’s Sinovac. (3/10)

NPR: Nearly 1 In 3 Women Experience Violence: Major Report From WHO
The numbers are stark – and startling. Around the world, almost 1 in 3 women have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization. That number has remained largely unchanged over the past decade, WHO said. The report, which WHO says is the largest-ever study of the prevalence of violence against women, draws upon data from 161 countries and areas on women and girls age 15 and up collected between 2000 and 2018. So it does not account for the impact of the pandemic. Lockdowns and related restrictions on movement have led to widespread reports of a "shadow pandemic" — a surge in violence against women and girls around the world, as many found themselves trapped at home with their abusers. (Godoy, 3/9)

AP: WHO Study Finds 1 In 3 Women Face Physical, Sexual Violence
The U.N. health agency and its partners have found in a new study that nearly one in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes, calling the results a “horrifying picture” that requires action by governments and communities alike. The report released Tuesday from the World Health Organization, based on what the agency called the largest-ever study of the prevalence of violence against women, also found such violence starts early. It says a quarter of young women who have been in a relationship were found to have experienced violence by an intimate partner by the time they reach their mid-20s. (3/9)