CNN: Covid-19 Vaccines Have Saved 3 Million Lives In US, Study Says, But The Fight Isn't Over
The Covid-19 vaccines have kept more than 18.5 million people in the US out of the hospital and saved more than 3.2 million lives, a new study says – and that estimate is most likely a conservative one, the researchers say. (Christensen, 12/13)

Stat: Covid Vaccines Averted 3 Million Deaths In US, Study Finds
This Wednesday will mark two years since nurse Sandra Lindsay became the first person in the U.S. to receive a Covid-19 vaccine outside of a clinical trial. A study released Tuesday by the Commonwealth Fund shows that in those two years, the Covid vaccines have averted over 3 million deaths in the U.S. (Trang, 12/13)

More on the vaccine rollout —

AP: Judge Rejects Vaccine Choice Law In Health Care Settings 
A person’s choice to decline vaccinations does not outweigh public health and safety requirements in medical settings, a federal judge ruled in a Montana case. U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy last week permanently blocked a section of law the state said was meant to prevent employers — including many health care facilities — from discriminating against workers by requiring them to be vaccinated against communicable diseases, including COVID-19. (Hanson, 12/12)

Fortune: Most U.S. Kids Still Haven’t Received A Flu Or COVID Vaccine. It’s Helping Fuel A Tripledemic That’s Slamming Hospitals Nationwide
A majority of the youngest U.S. kids haven’t received a flu or COVID vaccine, according to federal health data—this as hospitals struggle to handle a deluge of patients with respiratory viruses. Nearly 58% of children 6 months through 17 years old haven’t received the flu vaccine this year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, citing a telephone survey. (Prater, 12/12)

The New York Times: In China’s New Covid Strategy, Vaccines Matter
Within China’s oldest segment of the population, 40 percent have not received a booster; the World Health Organization has said such doses are especially vital with Chinese vaccines, which use inactivated virus and are usually less effective than foreign counterparts that use newer mRNA technology. And many families are still hesitant about the safety of vaccines for their elder relatives, even as new inhalable vaccines are being portrayed as less scary than those that require a needle. Health experts warn that the vaccination campaign may be too late to defend against the current wave of cases. Singapore, where officials lifted strict measures late last year, spent months communicating and preparing before easing measures. (Stevenson and Wang, 12/12)

Axios: Musk's Fauci Tweet Angers Medical Twitter
Members of the medical community lashed out at Elon Musk on Sunday after Musk tweeted, without apparent context, "My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci" in reference to the outgoing NIAID director. Some medical experts have already left the social media platform since Musk took over and stopped enforcing COVID disinformation policies. However, many health care users have largely continued using Twitter. (Reed, 12/12)

The Hill: White House Calls Attacks On Fauci ‘Incredibly Dangerous’ After Musk Tweets 
The White House on Monday condemned social media attacks against Anthony Fauci days after Twitter owner Elon Musk posted a tweet mocking the infectious diseases expert. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, asked about Musk’s tweets criticizing Fauci, called them “personal attacks” that are “incredibly dangerous.” (Samuels, 12/12)

In related news about Twitter —

Fox News: Vaccine Researcher Dr. Robert Malone Reinstated On Twitter After Being Banned Over COVID Misinformation Policy 
Twitter on Monday unsuspended the account of Dr. Robert Malone, who was previously kicked off the platform for his posts on coronavirus vaccines. Malone, an mRNA vaccine researcher, was removed from Twitter nearly a year ago for apparently violating the social media site's policy on COVID-19 misinformation. He had repeatedly made claims regarding the effectiveness of the vaccines. (Mion, 12/13)

Fierce Healthcare: As Twitter Rolls Back Its Ban On COVID Misinformation, Some Health Experts Worry About Threat To Public Health
The volume of COVID-19 misinformation has jumped alarmingly on Twitter, according to research from Timothy Graham, senior lecturer in digital media at Queensland University of Queensland (QUT). He ran an analysis measuring the marked increased in seven words commonly used in COVID misinformation circles, revealing the steady decrease in content moderation since Musk purchased the company in late October. Terms searched were the combinations of "Bioweapon and Wuhan", "COVID and deep state", "COVID and hoax", "COVID and wake up" and "Fauci and lied." (Burky, 12/12)

The Washington Post: Twitter Dissolves Trust And Safety Council
Twitter first formed the Trust and Safety Council in 2016, as social networks were coming under greater scrutiny for their role in amplifying hate, terrorism, child exploitation and other problematic content online. ... The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which was a member of the council, will be “keeping a lookout for how they restructure,” said Gavin Portnoy, the center’s vice president. (Zakrzewski, Mennand Nix, 12/12)

And plans for a covid commission have stalled —

The New York Times: Plan For Commission To Investigate Covid Response Stalls In Congress 
The nation was reeling from an unfathomable number of deaths. Politicians were pointing fingers, asking why the United States had been so ill-prepared for a lethal threat. Congress, defying the White House, ordered an independent investigation. That was 20 years ago, and what came of it was a national reckoning. A bipartisan panel investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks held televised hearings, developed 41 recommendations for how to improve national security and produced a best-selling book — a gripping historical narrative about what had gone wrong. (Stolberg, 12/12)

NBC News: POTS, A Debilitating Heart Condition, Is Linked To Covid And, To A Lesser Degree, Vaccines
Research published Monday has confirmed a link between a Covid infection and a debilitating heart condition called POTS, or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, that has been diagnosed in some patients with long Covid. (Lovelace Jr., 12/12)

More on the spread of covid —

San Francisco Chronicle: COVID Cases Among Kids Are Up Nearly 50% In 8 Weeks
COVID-19 infections among American children are up sharply, with 41,000 child cases reported last week, an increase of nearly 50% over the previous 8 weeks, after reported cases had plateaued at a weekly average of 27,000 cases. (Vaziri and Beamish, 12/12)

Dallas Morning News: COVID-19 Variant XBB Is Picking Up Speed In North Texas, But Experts Say Not To Panic
Yet another omicron subvariant is gaining ground in North Texas as coronavirus cases slowly climb alongside other respiratory illnesses like the flu and RSV. XBB is a relatively recent addition to the alphabet soup of highly contagious but seemingly less-severe omicron offshoots. (Wolf, 12/12)

The Boston Globe: ‘We Don’t See The End’: In Daily Juggling Act, Overstretched Hospitals Try To Maintain Services
Filled with people suffering from respiratory infections and chronic illnesses, Massachusetts hospitals are as strained now as they’ve been at any time during the pandemic. As a group they reported having fewer available beds in November than a year ago when the state ordered them to stop performing elective surgeries. (Freyer, 12/12)

In other pandemic news —

Reuters: No Insurance Coverage For Business COVID Losses, Says Ohio Top Court 
Ohio's highest court on Monday became the latest state supreme court to conclude that businesses' insurance policies do not cover losses they suffered after being force to curtail operations during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The Ohio Supreme Court on a 5-1 vote ruled that Cincinnati Insurance Co was not obligated to cover the losses sustained by an operator of an audiology practice because the coronavirus did not cause any direct physical loss or damage to its property. (Raymond, 12/12)

AP: Florida COVID Data Critic Reaches Agreement On Felony Charge 
A fired Florida health department data manager charged with illegally accessing state computers after she publicly accused officials of wanting to make COVID-19 statistics look less dire has reached an agreement with prosecutors that should result in the case being dropped. Rebekah Jones, who helped design the state’s coronavirus website, signed an agreement with prosecutors admitting guilt to a charge of illegally accessing the state’s computer system and requiring her to pay $20,000 to cover the investigation’s costs, perform 150 hours of community service and see a mental health counselor monthly. If she completes those requirements, the charge will be dropped within two years. The agreement was filed late last week at Tallahassee’s circuit court. (Spencerr, 12/12)

AP: Iowa Judge Blocks Effort To Ban Most Abortions In The State 
An effort to ban most abortions in Iowa was blocked Monday by a state judge who upheld a court decision made three years ago. Judge Celene Gogerty found there was no process for reversing a permanent injunction that blocked the abortion law in 2019. Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a statement that she would appeal the decision to the Iowa Supreme Court. (McFetridge and Pitt, 12/13)

The Colorado Sun: Pueblo Rejects Measure That Would Have Banned Abortion In City 
A Texas anti-abortion group working to make inroads in Colorado faced a setback Monday night after the Pueblo City Council rejected a proposed ordinance that would have effectively banned abortions in the city. The measure, which was expected to draw at least 100 speakers from the public, was dismissed in a 4-3 vote before any comments were made. (Wenzler, 12/12)

The Guardian: Onslaught Of New Abortion Restrictions Looms In Reddest Of States
In Nebraska, a total abortion ban could be on the horizon. In Florida, the gestational limit for abortions could drop from 15 weeks to 12. Elsewhere, lawmakers have abortion pills in their sights. When Roe v Wade fell, most states were no longer in legislative session, meaning the term during which they usually write and pass bills had ended. In January, state legislatures will reconvene in an entirely new reality, one where conservative lawmakers are no longer constrained by the constitutional right to abortion once assured by Roe. (Noor, 12/13)

The Cut: Puerto Rico Is An Abortion Haven — Just Not For Locals
It was raining despite the sun — the type of weather Boricuas make superstitious jokes about — on a recent Tuesday at Women’s Medical Pavilion, an abortion clinic in Puerto Rico. The eight patients seated around me in the waiting room looked at their phones in silence as a midday entertainment program played on a small TV. Nurses called them to the front desk one by one, referring to them as “mi amor” and “corazón” as they gave an overview of the 15-minute procedure. An abortion seeker seated to my right took a call and told the person on the other end of the line that she was hungry — it was nearly 1 p.m. — because the clinic had instructed her to not eat anything two hours before her visit. Plus, she said, she couldn’t afford to spend money on a meal — not even from the fast-food joint across the street from the clinic’s pink entrance. (Gonzalez-Ramirez, 12/12)

In news about same-sex marriage —

CBS News: Biden To Sign Respect For Marriage Act
President Biden will be signing the Respect for Marriage Act into law on Tuesday in a White House ceremony, enshrining gay and interracial marriages in federal law. (Watson, 12/13)

Bloomberg: LGBTQ Black Congressman Says US Same-Sex Marriage Law Isn’t Enough
Mondaire Jones spent much of his 35 years hiding his sexuality. As one of the first openly gay Black members of Congress he spent the past two years fighting for equality. For him, the Tuesday signing by President Joe Biden of a law enshrining federal protection for same-sex marriage, will be a seminal moment but far from the end of the line. (Dillard, 12/13)

USA Today: Diabetes Care Gets Major Update: More Aggressive Approach To Weight Loss, Cholesterol, Disparities Recommended
The American Diabetes Association on Monday released new standards of care to reflect changes in technology, improved medications and a deeper understanding of the social factors that contribute to disease and diabetes control. The standards are updated annually, but this year includes almost 100 new or revised recommendations affecting all types of diabetes. (Weintraub, 12/12)

In other news about diabetes —

Healthline: Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet May Help People With Type 2 Diabetes
People with type 2 diabetes can lose more weight if they eat a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet. That’s the conclusion of a new study published today in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. The study, led by researchers at the University of Southern Denmark, randomly assigned low-carb, high-fat (LCHF) diets and high-carb, low-fat (HCLF) diets to 165 people with type 2 diabetes for 6 months. (Pugle, 12/12)

Healio: Adult Supporters May Help People With Type 2 Diabetes Improve Self-Management
Adults with type 2 diabetes experienced more confidence and involvement in self-managing their disease when they had an adult friend or family supporter present, researchers reported. (Welsh, 12/12)

The Washington Post: Program Aims To Reduce Diabetes Among Latino Americans 
Norma Reyes stopped giving her children lots of soda and juice, allowing all four of them to split one small bottle on rare occasions. She lost 10 pounds and serves smaller meals at home. ... Reyes, 37, learned techniques to improve her family’s wellness through healthy eating and exercise in a lecture and Zumba series run by Luminis Health, which serves a heavily Latino population in Prince George’s County, an area hit hard by coronavirus. (Portnoy, 12/12)

Axios: The Growing Market For Weight Loss Drugs
A new generation of FDA-approved diabetes drugs that can also help patients lose weight is prompting demand so strong that it's led to shortages. At least 1 in 3 American adults meets the definition of obese, which can bring an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers, per the CDC. The condition is estimated to cost the U.S. health care system nearly $173 billion a year. (Reed, 12/12)

Modern Healthcare: CMS Proposes Changes To ACA Network Adequacy, Standardized Plans Rules 
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services aims to reduce the number of non-standard policies offered on the health insurance exchanges while boosting the availability of providers in carriers' networks, according to a draft regulation released Monday. (Tepper, 12/12)

In other Medicare and Medicaid updates —

KHN: How Medicare Advantage Plans Dodged Auditors And Overcharged Taxpayers By Millions 
In April 2016, government auditors asked a Blue Cross Medicare Advantage health plan in Minnesota to turn over medical records of patients treated by a podiatry practice whose owner had been indicted for fraud. Medicare had paid the Blue Cross plan more than $20,000 to cover the care of 11 patients seen by Aggeus Healthcare, a chain of podiatry clinics, in 2011. (Schulte and Hacker, 12/13)

Missouri Independent: Another State Settles Medicaid Fraud Allegations With Centene
Oregon last week became the latest state to settle fraud claims with Medicaid managed-care giant Centene. The Clayton-based company, the largest Medicaid managed-care provider in the United States, agreed to pay Oregon $17 million, according to a statement from the state’s attorney general and its insurance commissioner. (12/12)

More health care industry news —

Modern Healthcare: Oscar Health Stops Accepting New Florida Exchange Members
“This temporary pause in Florida is the result of proactive steps Oscar took in light of other market exits to ensure that our projected membership does not exceed the company’s targets for 2023 and allows us to maintain our strong financial position,” the spokesperson wrote. Oscar Health aims to achieve profitability in its insurance arm next year and overall profitability by 2024, the company previously advised investors. (Tepper, 12/12)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Atlanta OB/GYN Office Merges Technology And Medicine To Expand Maternity Care
Moms-to-be can monitor their vitals and attend virtual appointments with their doctor from the comfort of their own house, thanks to a program by Northside Women’s Specialists. Launched as a pilot program last year, Virtual Obstetrics accommodates a hybrid schedule, with the first appointments — until 20 weeks — in person, then transitioning into virtual appointments until the last month of pregnancy. (Ramakrishnan, 12/12)

Bloomberg: Fentanyl Hidden In Fake Adderall, Cocaine Drive Surge In US Drug Overdoses
Covid-19 helped pave the way for fentanyl’s ascent. Driven into boredom and isolation by the pandemic, many Americans turned to illegal drugs – and in 2020 and 2021, more people than ever were killed by fentanyl. (Court, Campbell and Lin, 12/13)

Fox News: Fentanyl And A Stronger Form Of Meth Now Driving American Homeless Crisis
A stronger and more dangerous version of methamphetamine and fentanyl are helping drive America's homeless crisis, with users quickly slipping into debilitating addiction and mental illness that makes it impossible for them to function in society. (Lee, 12/13)

CalMatters: California Fentanyl: The Youth Overdose Crisis
Expect a lot of debate over how California should respond to the state’s mounting fentanyl epidemic when state lawmakers return to Sacramento early next year. Bills dealing with the super-powerful synthetic opioid are already piling up, many of them focused on youth in the wake of a stunning analysis that found fentanyl was responsible for 1 in 5 deaths among 15- to 24-year-old Californians in 2021. (Hoeven, 12/9)

The New York Times: Fentanyl Cuts A Bitter Swath Through Milwaukee 
Glenda O. Hampton doesn’t need to look far to witness the devastation of the fentanyl epidemic in her neighborhood on Milwaukee’s north side. She has found men lying on the curb, barely conscious, their legs splaying into the street as cars whiz by. She can count at least three people in recent months who sought treatment at the storefront rehabilitation center she runs, then relapsed and died from using fentanyl. “I’ve seen a lot of terrible drugs,” said Ms. Hampton, 68, a tiny figure seated behind her crowded desk, as a group counseling session was underway down the hall. “This is the worst.” (Bosman, 12/12)

The Washington Post has a special report on the scourge of fentanyl —

The Washington Post: Washington Faltered As Fentanyl Gripped America 
During the past seven years, as soaring quantities of fentanyl flooded into the United States, strategic blunders and cascading mistakes by successive U.S. administrations allowed the most lethal drug crisis in American history to become significantly worse, a Washington Post investigation has found. (Miroff, Higham, Rich, Georges and O'Connor, 12/12)

The Washington Post: What To Know About Fentanyl, The Leading Cause Of U.S. Overdose Deaths 
Fentanyl, a powerful painkiller developed nearly 60 years ago, is at the center of the deadliest drug epidemic in American history. More people have died of synthetic-opioid overdoses than the number of U.S. military personnel killed during the Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. Fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 49. (Vitkovskaya and Kan, 12/12)

The Washington Post: From Mexican Cartel Labs To U.S. Streets, A Deadly Fentanyl Pipeline
Fentanyl’s catastrophic surge came after the Drug Enforcement Administration cracked down on the excesses of the U.S. opioid industry. Millions of Americans who had become addicted to prescription pain pills suddenly found them difficult or impossible to get. (Kan, Miroff, Higham, Rich and Remmel, 12/12)

The Washington Post: How A DEA Agent Tracked A Town’s Fentanyl Crisis To The Sinaloa Cartel 
The meth was expensive. The federal agents were running out of money. They had been buying loads of drugs in undercover operations, trying to trace the pipeline of methamphetamine and fentanyl into this sleepy city of retirees, out-of-town hikers and Mormon churches. (Sieff, 12/13)

The Washington Post: How A Crucial U.S.-Mexico Alliance Fell Apart As Fentanyl Took Off 
The small American surveillance plane took off from a Mexican navy base in Baja California and flew high across the Sea of Cortez. Charting a course for the Sierra Madre mountains — cartel territory — the aircraft did not appear on any flight trackers or public logs. An orb-shaped device about the size of a beach ball was mounted on the fuselage, bristling with sensors and antennas. U.S. agents called it “the sniffer.” (Sheridan and Miroff, 12/12)

In other news about the opioid crisis —

AP: CVS, Walgreens Finalize $10B In Settlements Over Opioids 
CVS and Walgreens have agreed to pay state and local governments a combined total of more than $10 billion to settle lawsuits over the toll of opioids and now want to know by Dec. 31 whether states are accepting the deals. States announced final details Monday of settlements that the two largest pharmacy chains in the U.S. offered last month. (Mulvihill, 12/12)

CNN: Tantrums: Screens Hurt Kids' Emotional Regulation, Study Shows 
It’s late, dinner is just now on the stove, your phone is ringing, and your child’s tantrum begins. A little screen time almost always works to calm them down. Tempting as it may be to hand them a smartphone or turn on the TV as a default response, soothing with digital devices may lead to more problems with emotional reactivity down the road, a new study has shown. (Holcombe, 12/12)

In other mental health news —

The Washington Post: Schools Turn To Telehealth As Student Mental Health Crisis Soars
In the southwestern suburbs of Denver, the Cherry Creek school system has been tackling the mental health crisis gripping students here, as in the rest of the country. Social workers and psychologists are based in schools to help. But this month, the district debuted a new option: telehealth therapy for children. (St. George, 12/9)

The New York Times: How To Get More Men To Try Therapy 
Despite men's higher risk of death related to mental illness, women are more likely to seek out help. In 2020, 15 percent of men reported receiving either psychotropic medications or therapy in the past year compared with 26 percent of women. This disparity in care has left experts scrambling for ways to reach more men, particularly those most at risk and who might be reluctant to talk about their mental health. Research has found that men who exhibit traditional stereotypes of masculinity, such as stoicism and self-reliance, are even less likely to ask for help. (Smith, 12/9)

More health and wellness news —

The Hill: Scientists Link 1 In 100 Heart Disease Deaths To Weather Extremes
Exposure to extremely hot or cold temperatures raises a heart disease patient’s risk of dying, according to a new study. Combing through four decades worth of global data on heart disease patients, the authors found that such extremes were collectively responsible for about 11.3 additional cardiovascular deaths for every 1,000 such incidents. (Udasin, 12/12)

CIDRAP: Analysis Shows Last Year’s Flu Vaccine 36% Protective Against H3N2 Strain
A new CDC analysis of 2021-22 data reveals that flu vaccine effectiveness (VE) against the H3N2 (influenza A) strain for all ages was 36%. The study was published today in Clinical Infectious Diseases. (Soucheray, 12/12)

Roll Call: LGBTQ, Health Groups See Divide On Digital Protection Bill
Lobbyists are at odds over the possible inclusion of a bipartisan children’s digital protection bill in a year-end spending bill, sparking confusion between groups that often align on policy aims. At issue is a technology bill that some Democrats hope to include in the next spending bill. The bill, a rare joint effort from Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., would require social media companies to place guardrails against content encouraging substance use, self-harm or eating disorders. (Raman, 12/12)

KHN: Are You An Optimist? Could You Learn To Be? Your Health May Depend On It. 
When you think about the future, do you expect good or bad things to happen? If you weigh in on the “good” side, you’re an optimist. And that has positive implications for your health in later life. Multiple studies show a strong association between higher levels of optimism and a reduced risk of conditions such as heart disease, stroke, and cognitive impairment. Several studies have also linked optimism with greater longevity. (Graham, 12/13)

Stat: Cambodia Halts Exports Of Non-Human Primates Used In Research
Following the recent indictments of several people allegedly involved in a monkey-smuggling operation, Cambodia has halted exports of non-human primates that are widely used in pharmaceutical research, a move that may crimp drug discovery efforts by a wide array of companies and institutions. (Silverman, 12/12)

In other pharmaceutical news —

Stat: Mirati Wins FDA Approval For KRAS-Blocking Lung Cancer Drug
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a second KRAS-blocking treatment for advanced lung cancer. However, hopes the drug might reach a large swath of patients — and grow into a commercial blockbuster for its maker Mirati Therapeutics — have dimmed in the wake of underwhelming clinical trial results. (Feuerstein, 12/12)

Stat: Affimed Natural Killer Cell Therapy Boasts Encouraging Results
An experimental immunotherapy from Affimed for patients with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma has started to demonstrate long-lasting remissions that have, so far, eluded other treatments involving so-called natural killer cells. (Feuerstein, 12/12)

CNN: Gene Editing Technology For Treatment-Resistant Cancer Could Be A 'Scientific Layup' To Treat Other Diseases 
For the first time, a new gene editing technology called base editing was used to modify immune cells and successfully treat a teen with treatment-resistant leukemia. A month afterward, 13-year-old Alyssa was in remission, and she continues to do well several months later. (Kounang, 12/12)

CNBC: Supreme Court Upholds California Ban On Flavored Tobacco
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a bid from the tobacco industry to block a California ban on flavored tobacco products. The ban, or Proposition 31, was overwhelmingly approved by voters in November and will prohibit the sale of most flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. (Sykes, 12/12)

In related news about vaping —

Reuters: Vape Retailer Avail Loses Challenge To Denial Of FDA Approval
A seller of flavored liquid used in e-cigarettes has lost its appeal of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's refusal to approve its products, the latest in a series of court orders upholding the agency's tightening regulation of the e-cigarette industry. A unanimous panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday found that the FDA had acted within its authority as it tackled the "daunting task of ensuring that another generation of Americans does not become addicted to nicotine and tobacco products," rebuffing an appeal from Virginia-based Avail Vapor LLC. (Pierson, 12/12)

In other health news from across the U.S. —

The Hill: Biden Administration Approves Washington State Request To Offer Health Insurance To Undocumented Immigrants 
The Biden administration has approved an application by Washington state to expand health insurance access for all residents regardless of immigration status by allowing it to forgo requirements set by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). (Choi, 12/12)

Los Angeles Times: Long Waits After California Prenatal Testing Program Changed
On Nov. 1, Kate Manriquez, whose first child is due in May, did what many women do a couple months into their pregnancies: She gave a blood sample at her doctor’s office for a genetic test meant to help detect birth defects. More than a month later, 26-year-old Manriquez is still anxiously awaiting her results from California’s state-run prenatal screening program. (Petersen, 12/12)

The Kansas City Star: Missouri Health Department Launches New Dashboard To Track Maternal Deaths Statewide
On average, 61 women die each year from pregnancy or within a year of pregnancy in Missouri, according to the state’s health department. Now, a statewide, interactive dashboard will help make maternal mortality data more accessible to the public, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, which said the dashboard is the first of its kind. (Spoerre, 12/12)

Billings Gazette: Neurodiversity Services On The Rise Across Southern Montana
Public understanding of neurodiversity has seen immense growth in recent decades and Montanans are taking the steps to continue that growth. A new institute at Montana State University Billings and newly certified autism centers are making sure more resources are available to neurodiverse kids and adults. (Young, 12/12)

The Star Tribune: Denying Sufferer's Wishes Is No Triumph Of Civilization
A number of countries — and a few American states — permit some form of assisted suicide for terminally ill patients, but Canada is one of only a handful that have legalized euthanasia. Medical practitioners are permitted to use drugs to end the lives of patients who are suffering, even those who are not immediately terminal. (John M. Crisp, 12/12)

Stat: It's Time To Flip The Primary Care Archetype To Teamwork 
My colleague, Skip, was the kind of primary care doctor I always wanted to be. He could riff on the evaluation of a patient with new joint or liver inflammation like an improvising jazz musician. He could discern a familiar rash in the most puzzling plumes of hot, angry bumps. When I had lab results that flummoxed me, I’d go see Skip. Six months before the Covid-19 pandemic emerged, Skip died by suicide. (Audrey Provenzano, 12/13)

Stat: Lessons From Ecuador On Increasing Access To Mental Health Care
In his assessment of governments’ work to provide sufficient mental health resources to their citizens, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the World Health Organization, warned that “good intentions are not being met with investment." (John Q. Young, 12/13)

Los Angeles Times: Kids Keep Getting Sick, Overwhelming Parents Once Again. Will The U.S. Offer Us Any Help?
If you’re a parent with a young child, odds are that your child is or has recently been sick, sending you and your partner scrambling to figure out who will miss work again to stay home. (Sarah Hunter Simanson, 12/12)

The New York Times: Experience The Great Outdoors From Prison 
Years ago, I read about an exploratory program that showed nature imagery to people in prison to improve their mental health. (Merete Mueller, 12/13)

Los Angeles Times: How Rising Hospital Costs Increase Healthcare Inequities 
In 2020, healthcare costs represented nearly 20% of the United States’ gross domestic product, a sharp rise from 2019 and more than four times higher than in 1960. COVID-19 helped fuel the rapid acceleration of healthcare costs, pushing hospitals to the brink. For America’s urban safety net hospitals, these increases have made it even harder to provide care in high-need communities. (Julianne Malveaux, 12/12)