Politico: New Covid Strain Is The Most Transmissible Yet, WHO Says
The coronavirus Omicron strain XBB.1.5, which has become the dominant strain in the U.S. in just a matter of weeks, could drive a new wave of cases, a World Health Organization official told reporters Wednesday. (Paun, 1/4)

CNN: Covid-19: XBB.1.5 May Be 'Most Transmissible Subvariant Of Omicron To Date,' Scientists Warn
Health experts voiced concern Wednesday over the rapid growth of the new Omicron sublineage XBB.1.5, advising the public to stay informed but not alarmed as they work to learn more. Over the month of December, the percentage of new Covid-19 infections in the United States caused by XBB.1.5 rose from an estimated 4% to 41%. (Goodman, 1/4)

Fox News: New COVID Omicron Subvariant XBB.1.5 Is ‘Spreading Like Wildfire’ In US: Health Experts Reveal Why
First, this subvariant is immuno-evasive. It's not as susceptible to natural immunity or vaccines — and it is very contagious, health professionals say. In a phone interview with Fox News Digital, Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel explained that there are actually two subvariants at play: XBB and XBB.1.5. (Stabile, 1/5)

The Hill: White House Cautions Against Panic As XBB.1.5 Omicron Subvariant Spreads
White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha posted a lengthy Twitter thread on Wednesday addressing concerns over the sudden rise of XBB.1.5. He acknowledged that the subvariant going from 4 percent of cases to 40 percent in a matter of weeks was a “stunning increase.” (Choi, 1/4)

Reuters: Biden Flags Concern On China's COVID Response As WHO Doubts Death Toll
China defended on Thursday its handling of its raging COVID-19 outbreak after U.S. President Joe Biden voiced concern and the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Beijing was under-reporting virus deaths. ... U.S. President Joe Biden raised concern about China's handling of a COVID outbreak that is filling hospitals and overwhelming some funeral homes. (Orr and Goh, 1/5)

Stat: Senior WHO Official Faults China For Undercounting Covid Deaths
China is underreporting deaths from Covid-19, a senior official of the World Health Organization said Wednesday as he urged use of a broader definition that would more fully capture the mortality impact of the country’s first big wave of Covid infection. (Branswell, 1/4)

Fortune: WHO: No New COVID Variants In China, But Data 'Under-Represent' Deaths
In a statement released Wednesday, the WHO said that a sample of genomic data provided by China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that almost all cases were of BA.5.2 and BF.7 strains, which are two variants of Omicron. (Gordon, 1/5)

Meanwhile, across the country the covid situation varies —

Houston Chronicle: Houston COVID Cases, Hospitalizations On Rise Amid New Omicron Variant
A new omicron COVID-19 variant is spreading fast across the United States and beginning to make inroads in Houston, where the positivity rate continues to rise. (Gill, 1/4)

Dallas Morning News: North Texas COVID-19 And Flu Hospitalizations On The Rise
North Texas COVID-19 and flu hospitalizations are climbing as the region endures an early and unpredictable respiratory virus season. No one knows whether the current case and hospitalization trajectories will continue, but experts say one thing is certain: The health care system is much better off now than it was a year ago. (Wolf, 1/4)

inewsource: COVID In San Diego County: Infections May Rise After Holiday Travel
The number of hospitalized COVID patients has climbed throughout the holiday season, and with end-of-year travel and new Omicron subvariants taking hold in San Diego County, experts worry the trend could continue. As of Dec. 28, nearly 480 confirmed and suspected COVID patients were hospitalized – more than double the count on Thanksgiving. Since October, the average daily rate of confirmed cases in San Diego County has nearly tripled, reaching 19.7 per 100,000 people as of Dec. 24, and the county reported 15 new deaths this week. Currently, the CDC places San Diego in the “medium” COVID community level. (Harper, 1/3)

Des Moines Register: Iowa’s COVID Hospitalizations Hold Steady As New XBB 1.5 Variant Looms
Iowa entered the new year in roughly the same pandemic situation as it left the previous one, according to data released Wednesday by the Iowa Department of Public Health and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. But a new, even more contagious variant of the virus is waiting in the wings. (Webber, 1/4)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: Clark County, Nevada COVID-19 Cases Still Dropping
Clark County has yet to experience a spike in COVID-19 in the aftermath of the December holidays, with cases in both the county and state continuing to trend downward, according to new state data. (Hynes, 1/4)

And in Georgia a lawsuit over masking is won on appeal —

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia Families Win Appeal In Lawsuit Seeking Mask Requirements In School
A victory for four Cobb County families in an ongoing lawsuit over COVID-19 policies in schools could mean more classroom support for students with disabilities across Georgia, said lawyers for the students. (Alexander, 1/4)

Reuters: Walgreens, CVS Plan To Start Offering Abortion Pills
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc and CVS Health Corp said on Wednesday they plan to offer abortion pills following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to allow retail pharmacies to offer the drug in the country for the first time. The FDA on Tuesday finalized a rule allowing one of two drugs to be dispensed by retail pharmacies, but sellers will have to weigh whether or not to offer the pill. U.S. abortion rights were curtailed in 2022 when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision. (1/4)

Stat: Walgreens To Pursue Certification To Provide Abortion Pills In Pharmacies
The new FDA regulation still requires pharmacies to fill out paperwork to be certified to distribute mifepristone, and requires that they check the provider’s credentials as well. The certification is part of a risk management program that the FDA has required since the pill was first approved in 2000. At the time, the program reflected concerns over ensuring safe use of the medicine. But since then, a growing number of experts have argued that the program amounts to red tape that is no longer necessary, given the safety and efficacy of the drug. (Boodman and Silverman, 1/4)

Also —

Reuters: Explainer: What Does The FDA's New Rule Mean For The Fight Over Abortion Pills?
Previously, mifepristone had to be dispensed by an authorized clinic or through certain specialty mail-order pharmacies — a process that could take days or even weeks if a clinic is busy. Once pharmacies begin dispensing the drug in states that allow abortion, it "will make it much easier to access the pill," according to Naomi Cahn, a professor at University of Virginia School of Law. (Pierson, 1/4)

Columbus Dispatch: FDA Allows Abortion Pills To Be Sold At Pharmacies − But Not In Ohio
"Unfortunately, in Ohio, politics trump science and medical fact once again," Pro-Choice Ohio deputy director Jaime Miracle said. Ohio reported 10,240 medication-induced abortions – nearly 47% of all abortions – in 2021, the most recent year data is available. (Balmert, 1/4)

In other news related to abortion from across the states —

Salt Lake Tribune: Utah’s Abortion Ban Could Go Into Effect If Lawmakers Pass This New Bill
While some of the first bills being prepared for the upcoming session give Utahns a glimpse of what abortion policy could look like in the future, a proposal from Rep. Brady Brammer, R-Pleasant Grove, could upend the past. (Anderson Stern, 1/4)

KHN: In North Carolina, More People Are Training To Support Patients Through An Abortion
Lauren Overman has a suggested shopping list for her clients preparing to get an abortion. The list includes a heating pad, a journal, aromatherapy oils — things that could bring physical or emotional comfort after the procedure. Overman is an abortion doula. (Donnelly, 1/5)

AP: New Jersey Sets Aside $15M For Abortion Provider Upgrades
New Jersey will award $15 million in zero-interest loans and grants to health care facilities that provide abortion services for facility improvements and increased security, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday. The new financial aid stems from last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision to strip away the federal right to abortion, the governor said in a statement. (Catalini, 1/4)

AP: Abortion, Spending Likely Battles In New Nebraska Session
The body is currently made up of 32 senators registered as Republicans and 17 registered as Democrats. That split looms large over the issue of abortion. A Republican-led effort last year to pass a near total abortion ban fell two votes short of garnering the 33 needed to overcome a filibuster. (Beck, 1/4)

And —

The 19th: States Could Expand Paid Leave, Child Tax Credit For Families In 2023
The United States started 2023 as, yet again, one of the few wealthy nations without any national paid family leave or paid sick leave program. And with Congress divided, advocates are turning to the states to bolster benefits for workers and families — pointing to the nationwide rollback of abortion access and a “tripledemic” of COVID-19, RSV and seasonal flu that swept the nation as proof of the urgency of these measures. (Panetta, 1/4)

Axios: Medicare Part B Oversight Gaps Cost Millions Of Dollars
Medicare and its enrollees were unable to realize millions in savings because of gaps in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' oversight of the Part B program, according to a federal watchdog report released Tuesday. (Reed, 1/4)

Modern Healthcare: HHS Medicaid Rule Clarifies Nonclinical Care Reimbursement
CMS' guidance allows Medicaid agencies to pay for nonclinical services such as housing, nutrition and transportation that would reduce health costs by preventing adverse health events. States must determine such services are appropriate and a cost-effective substitute for medical care. It requires such substitutes, known as in-lieu-of services, be written into managed care contracts and considered when determining payment to private insurers. (Tepper and Hartnett, 1/4)

On drug pricing —

Stat: 3 Drug Pricing Issues To Watch In 2023
The legislative saga on drug pricing is mostly over for now, but drug pricing policy will still offer plenty of controversy in 2023. (Cohrs, 1/5)

Also —

Politico: EPA Advances Hot-Button Air Toxics Rule For Sterilizers
EPA is advancing a long-delayed air regulation to limit the release of a cancer-causing gas from medical sterilization facilities, sending its proposal to the White House for inter-agency review just before Christmas. (Snider, 1/4)

Reuters: Sotomayor Felt 'Shell-Shocked' After U.S. Supreme Court's Abortion Decision 
Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Wednesday told legal educators she felt a "sense of despair" at the direction taken by the U.S. Supreme Court during its previous term, during which its conservative majority overturned the constitutional right to abortion. (Sloan, 1/4)

Stat: Improving Global Access To Medicines: Can Voluntary Licensing Show The Way?
At first blush, the deal was hailed as a breakthrough. Last fall, Novartis agreed to license a best-selling cancer drug so that generic companies could make copies for distribution to 44 low- and middle-income nations, marking the first time a voluntary license was arranged for a cancer medicine. Until then, such deals typically involved drugs for infectious diseases, such as HIV and hepatitis C. One public health official said it might point to a “paradigm shift.” (Silverman, 1/5)

In news relating to Jill Biden —

Axios: Jill Biden To Have Lesion Removed Above Right Eye In Surgery
First Lady Jill Biden will undergo surgery to remove a small lesion found above her right eye after a routine eye cancer screening, the White House said Wednesday. The procedure, recommended in an abundance of caution, is scheduled for next Wednesday at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. "We will offer an update after the procedure is completed and we have more information," Kevin O'Connor, physician to the president, wrote in a memo. (Chen, 1/4)

Meanwhile, in developments concerning Florida's Surgeon General —

Washington Post: Fla. Surgeon General Used ‘Flawed’ Vaccine Science, Faculty Peers Say
Joseph A. Ladapo, a professor of medicine at the University of Florida and the state’s surgeon general, relied upon a flawed analysis and may have violated university research integrity rules when he issued guidance last fall discouraging young men from receiving common coronavirus vaccines, according to a report from a medical school faculty task force. But the university says it has no plans to investigate the matter. (Stripling, 1/4)

Politico: UF Won’t Probe Ladapo After Faculty Question ‘Careless And Contentious’ Vaccine Research
The University of Florida has declined to investigate claims raised by its medical faculty alleging that Covid-19 vaccine research led by controversial state Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo was “seriously flawed.” (Atterbury, 1/4)

Axios: Why We (Still) Can't Find Any Children's Tylenol
Respiratory viruses may come and go, but one constant for frustrated parents this season has been the shortage of children's Tylenol and Motrin. How did some of the most common pediatric fever and pain remedies become as scarce as Taylor Swift tickets? Unlike last year's baby formula shortage, it's not because of a broken supply chain, but the result of unexpectedly high consumer demand. (Reed, 1/5)

ABC News: Expected Surge In Virus That Can Paralyze Kids Didn’t Happen, Baffling Experts
"AFM cases have remained low in 2022, despite an uptick in enterovirus D68 circulation and infections," said Dr. Janell Routh, who leads the AFM and domestic polio team for the CDC's Division of Viral Diseases. "This is the first year such a large disconnect between EV-D68 and AFM has been observed since the association was noted in 2014," she said in an email correspondence with MedPage Today. The 30 cases of AFM confirmed at CDC so far this year is similar to numbers in other non-outbreak years, Routh pointed out. (Hein, 1/4)

In developments relating to "forever" chemicals —

Politico: Lawsuit Alleges 'Forever Chemicals' In Popular Juice Brand
Despite being marketed as "all natural," Coca-Cola Co.'s Simply Tropical juice contains PFAS, according to the lawsuit filed Dec. 28. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the complaint alleges that the company violated state and federal consumer laws in marketing the product as free of synthetic substances. (Crunden, 1/4)

Also —

NBC News: Ketamine Clinics For Mental Health Are Popping Up Across The U.S. Does The Treatment Work?
Inside Field Trip Health’s New York City clinic, the vibe is less doctor’s office, more tranquil spa. Tucked away on the 11th floor of a nondescript building, you can barely hear the clamor of the busy streets. Instead, this ketamine clinic feels like an oasis of zen, strewn with twinkle lights, lush greenery and comfy meditation pillows. (Dunn and Snow, 1/4)

Politico: Young Adults Most Likely To Use Marijuana, National Survey Says
More than 52 million people used marijuana in 2021, according to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health released Wednesday, with young adults accounting for the highest share of users. (Zhang, 1/4)

KHN: Lost Sleep And Jangled Nerves: The Rising Onslaught Of Noise Harms Mind And Body
Mike Thomson’s friends refuse to stay over at his house anymore. Thomson lives about 50 yards from a busy freeway that bisects California’s capital city, one that has been increasingly used as a speedway for high-speed races, diesel-spewing big rigs, revving motorcycles — and cars that have been illegally modified to make even more noise. (Bluth, 1/5)

Stat: New Case Study Details Death In Closely Watched Alzhiemer's Trial
Investigators on Wednesday released the first detailed case report about a patient who died after receiving lecanemab, providing a new glimpse into safety concerns surrounding the closely watched experimental Alzheimer’s drug. (Mast, 1/4)

Reuters: Eisai Alzheimer's Drug And Clot Buster Seen As Cause Of Brain Hemorrhage Death -Analysis
Emergency treatment with a blood clot buster called tissue plasminogen activator for a patient who had a stroke while being treated with the experimental Alzheimer's drug lecanemab led to a fatal cascade of brain hemorrhage and burst blood vessels, an autopsy analysis published on Wednesday suggests. (Beasley, 1/4)

In other pharmaceutical science news —

Reuters: Geron Says Blood Cancer Drug Succeeds In Late-Stage Study, Shares Surge
Geron Corp (GERN.O) said on Wednesday its experimental drug helped more patients with a difficult-to-treat blood cancer achieve independence from routine transfusions in a late-stage trial, sending shares of the drug developer nearly 50% higher. The drug, imetelstat, was being studied in patients with types of lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), which requires frequent blood transfusions for patients to manage their anemia, the company said. (Roy, 1/4)

Stat: Roivant-Pfizer Inflammatory Bowel Drug Succeeds In Phase 2 Study
An experimental inflammatory bowel disease medicine that serves as the basis for a partnership between Roivant Sciences and Pfizer met high expectations for a Phase 2 clinical trial data released Wednesday. In a clinical study of 245 volunteers, the drug, called RVT-3101, helped 32% of trial participants with ulcerative colitis go into remission, compared to 12% in the placebo group. (DeAngelis, 1/4)

CIDRAP: Right Choice Of Antibiotic Linked To Lower Risk Of Death From Bloodstream Infections
The multicenter cross-sectional study, which included more than 32,000 patients who had been hospitalized with BSIs, found that receipt of appropriate initial empiric antibiotic therapy was associated with lower risk of in-hospital death for three pathogen groups compared with those whose initial antibiotic was inappropriate. For all three groups, the risk of in-hospital death was more than or nearly cut in half for patients who received the right antibiotic. (Dall, 1/4)

St. Louis Public Radio: The VA Is Studying Using Psychedelics To Help Treat Veterans
Jesse Gould, a retired Army Ranger mortar man who was deployed to Afghanistan three times, was diagnosed with PTSD and given all the usual treatments, but none of them worked. “The concussive forces over time can damage the brain. I was not diagnosed with that but had to figure that out for myself, being around all of these explosions,” Gould said. Then he discovered therapy using psychedelic drugs, and it changed his life. (Ahl, 1/5)

In research related to covid —

CIDRAP: Certain Symptoms Diminish Well-Being In Long-COVID Patients, Survey Shows 
Among long-COVID patients in Israel, nonspecific emotional and cognitive symptoms such as fatigue, lack of concentration, and sleep disorders lowered subjective well-being (SWB) the most, according to a study published today in Epidemiology & Infection. (Van Beusekom, 1/4)

CIDRAP: COVID Shots, Previous Infection May Cut Risk Of Spread In Prisons
Recent COVID-19 vaccination and previous infections independently lowered the odds of Omicron variant transmission from infected California prison inmates to their cellmates, but the risk remained high, suggests a study published earlier this week in Nature Medicine. (Van Beusekom, 1/4)

NBC News: Doctors Call On More People To Learn CPR After Damar Hamlin's Cardiac Arrest
Doctors are calling on the public to familiarize themselves with lifesaving CPR techniques after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a football game Monday night in Cincinnati. (Bendix, Martin and Lewis, 1/4)

ABC News: Difference Between Cardiac Arrest And Heart Attack After Damar Hamlin's Collapse 
"This differentiation between cardiac arrest and heart attack is really important because they are two things that can both occur in the same person or be completely separate," Dr. Deepak Bhatt, an expert in cardiovascular medicine and director of Mount Sinai Heart in New York City, told ABC News. (Kekatos, 1/3)

Los Angeles Times: Want To Learn CPR? Here's Where To Find Classes
Dr. Mariell Jessup, chief science and medical officer of the American Heart Assn., said she couldn’t say for sure what caused Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s heart to stop during an NFL game Monday night. But she was sure of one thing: “Everyone needs to know how to do CPR.” (Healey, 1/4)

Meanwhile, Damar Hamlin's health is showing some signs of progress —

The Washington Post: Bills Safety Damar Hamlin Shows Improvement; NFL Mulls Scheduling Options 
Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin demonstrated signs of improvement following the injury that led to him suffering cardiac arrest on the field during a game, the team announced Wednesday, although he remained listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit of a Cincinnati hospital. (Maske, 1/4)

Bloomberg: A TikTok Trend Sold Out Ozempic, Leaving People With Diabetes Dizzy And Scared
Ozempic, an injection that keeps blood sugar levels in check for patients with Type 2 diabetes, has been in shortage for about four months, according to the database maintained by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and is backordered at Anthony’s Seattle pharmacy. (Court, 1/3)

In news on health care insurance —

WMFE: Survey: Perceived High Cost Of Insurance Keeps Floridians From Enrolling
Thousands of uninsured Floridians say the perceived high cost of health plans keep them from seeking coverage for themselves and their families, according to a survey from Florida Blue. Survey participants between the ages of 21 and 64 say the main reason for not enrolling in a health plan in Florida is the perceived high cost of insurance. Seventy percent say they, “believe they couldn’t afford health insurance.” (Prieur, 1/4)

AP: Aetna Picked To Operate North Carolina Employee Health Plan
Insurance giant Aetna will administer North Carolina’s health coverage plan for state government employees, teachers, retirees and their family members starting in 2025, the State Treasurer’s Office announced Wednesday. (Robertson, 1/4)

On other industry developments —

Reuters: Moderna Snaps Up Japan's OriCiro Genomics In MRNA Manufacturing Push
Moderna Inc (MRNA.O) on Wednesday agreed to buy Japan-based OriCiro Genomics for $85 million to boost the U.S. drugmaker's messenger RNA (mRNA) manufacturing capabilities. (1/4)

Reuters: J&J's Consumer Health Unit Kenvue Files For IPO, Moving Closer To Spin-Off
Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ.N) consumer health unit Kenvue on Wednesday filed to be listed as an independent company, bringing the healthcare conglomerate a step closer to completing the biggest shakeup in its 135-year history. (1/5)

Reuters: GE HealthCare Rises 8% In Market Debut, Eyes Small Deals 
GE HealthCare Technologies Inc's shares rose as much as 8.4% in their Nasdaq debut on Wednesday and its chief executive said the company was looking to do small acquisitions to boost its cardiology and oncology operations in the long term. (Leo and Deka, 1/4)

Stat: Geron, Once A Vaunted Biotech, Finally Reports A Success
Geron Corporation, a biotech that made sci-fi-sounding headlines through the ’90s and 2000s before shuffling along in semi-obscurity for the past decade, said Wednesday that its experimental drug proved effective in a late-stage trial for a group of chronic blood disorders. The results, if they hold up to scrutiny, could provide a lifeline for Geron and set up a new treatment for the disease, known as myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS. (Mast, 1/4)

Crain's Chicago Business: CommonSpirit Health Faces Class-Action Lawsuit Over Data Breach
Chicago-based Catholic hospital chain CommonSpirit Health has been hit with a proposed class-action lawsuit over its month-long data breach at the end of last year that impacted more than 600,000 patients. (Davis, 1/4)

AP: Toxic PFAS Plume Detected In Green Bay — Study
A large plume of toxic chemicals produced by a plant that manufactures firefighting foam has seeped through groundwater to Lake Michigan's Green Bay, scientists said Tuesday. (1/4)

Fortune/AP: Toxic PFAS Chemicals From Tyco Plant In Wisconsin Leak Into Lake Michigan's Green Bay
Water samples taken along the shoreline in the Marinette area found PFAS concentrations of 250 parts per trillion — much higher than levels detected in a previous study of rivers flowing into the bay, Remucal said. They also far exceed the 70 parts per trillion that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency had established as a drinking water health risk threshold for two common PFAS compounds, known as PFOS and PFOA. (Flesher, 1/4)

Other health news from across the states —

Bloomberg: NJ Extends Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Despite Fees Dispute
New Jersey extended its health benefits contract with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield for another year even after state officials alleged the health insurer failed to meet the terms of the deal. The state will pay lower fees in exchange for reducing the scope of some services Horizon was originally hired to provide to state employees, according to the revised document posted on a state website. (Tozzi, 1/4)

The Boston Globe: In Scathing Letter, State Watchdog Criticizes Management Of Chelsea Veterans’ Home
Citing records provided by the state’s Executive Office of Health and Human Services, the letter described veterans being found “soaked in urine and sitting in feces” and a toxic work environment in which at least one worker had a “reasonable” belief that managers had “targeted [him] for retaliation.” (Damiano, 1/4)

Detroit Free Press: Detroit Recreational Marijuana Sales Begin After 1st Licenses Awarded
Recreational marijuana officially went on sale in Detroit on Wednesday when the medical dispensary House of Dank on Fort Street, near the border of Lincoln Park, opened its doors to recreational buyers. A few hours later on the opposite side of the city, DaCut, a medical marijuana dispensary on Gratiot Avenue in Detroit's Eden Gardens neighborhood, started offering recreational marijuana. (Roberts, 1/4)

Houston Chronicle: Sprawling New $6.5M Galveston Medical Examiner's Office Boasts Lots Of Tech, Amenities
When it opens Monday, the $6.5 million, roughly 10,000-square-foot building at 1205 Oak Street will replace the medical examiner's office's old base in Texas City. The agency has been in that space since 1984. (Orozco, 1/4)

The Texas Tribune: Deep East Texas Faces A Growing Maternity Care Crisis
Ginger Kalafatis burst through the doors of Jasper Memorial Hospital, straight into her worst nightmare. It was Labor Day 2019 when two women showed up at the hospital, ready to give birth. Kalafatis, a longtime labor and delivery nurse, assessed the situation, her heart racing. One woman was delivering prematurely; the other had previous cesarean sections and no prenatal care. (Klibanoff, 1/5)

Politico: Council To Introduce Bill Allowing Municipal Retirees To Be Charged For Health Insurance
The City Council will introduce legislation Wednesday that would allow the Adams administration to charge municipal retirees — who don't opt into Medicare Advantage — for private health insurance, but an intense lobbying effort by the former workers means the bill's passage is uncertain. (Touré, 1/4)

AP: Oklahoma AG Announces 4 New Opioid Settlements Worth $226M
Oklahoma entered settlement agreements with three major pharmacy chains and an opioid manufacturer totaling more than $226 million, Attorney General John O’Connor announced Wednesday. Including the new settlements with drugmaker Allergan and pharmacy chains CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, Oklahoma has received more than $900 million from opioid makers and distributors to help address the state’s opioid crisis, O’Connor said. (Murphy, 1/4)

The New York Times: A Colorado Library Closed Because Of Meth Contamination
In downtown Boulder, Colo., a public library that provides the surrounding community with a space to meet and learn has been closed for two weeks. No, winter weather was not to blame. Overdue books weren’t the cause, and neither was funding. It was meth. (Bryson Taylor, Holpuch and Hauser, 1/4)

Also —

KHN: NY Docs Are Now Required To Prescribe Naloxone To Some Patients On Opioid Painkillers
Without opioid painkillers to dull the ache in his knees and other joints, Arnold Wilson wouldn’t be able to walk half a block. The 63-year-old former New York City nurse has crippling arthritis for which he takes OxyContin twice a day and oxycodone when he needs additional relief. For the past several years, he’s kept another drug on hand as well: naloxone, an overdose reversal drug often referred to by the brand name Narcan. (Andrews, 1/5)

New England Journal of Medicine: Trial Of An Intervention To Improve Acute Heart Failure Outcomes 
Patients with acute heart failure are frequently or systematically hospitalized, often because the risk of adverse events is uncertain and the options for rapid follow-up are inadequate. (Lee, M.D., Ph.D., et al, 1/5)

Orlando Sentinel: Researchers Test ‘Holy Grail’ Tech That Could End Chemo For Some Cancer Patients
People with colorectal cancer, the fourth most common cancer in the United States, are often prescribed unnecessary chemotherapy after their cancer is gone. The hope of Orlando researchers is that some patients can be spared after clinical trials of high-technology treatments end and are evaluated in a few years. (Catherman, 1/4)

CIDRAP: COVID Vaccines Appear Safe In Kids Who Had Post-Infection Syndrome
An observational National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study suggests that COVID-19 vaccination is safe for kids 5 years and older who developed the rare but serious post-infection multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). (Van Beusekom, 1/4)

ScienceDaily: Simple Nasal Swab Can Provide Early Warning Of Emerging Viruses
Researchers have found that testing for the presence of a single immune system molecule on nasal swabs can help detect stealthy viruses not identified in standard tests. (Yale University, 1/4)

Los Angeles Times: A Dangerous Dip In Confidence In Vaccines Puts Kids At Risk From Preventable Disease 
We live in an age of advanced scientific knowledge that produces vaccines that can ward off diseases such as measles, rubella, mumps and polio. We also live in an age when an increasing number of parents want the option of not vaccinating their children against these highly contagious and potentially fatal diseases. (1/5)

USA Today: CDC Opioid Guidelines Leave Chronic Pain Patients Suffering
How many innocent lives must be harmed before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changes course on prescription opioids? The CDC recently released opioid guidelines, a recommendation for physician prescribing practices, and an update to the original 2016 document, which wrongheadedly attempted – and failed – to solve the opioid crisis by preventing physicians from prescribing pain medication to patients. (Peter Pischke, 1/5)

The New York Times: Covid Testing Rules Do Little More Than Stoke Anti-Asian Hate
When the Chinese government abruptly eased its draconian Covid-19 policies in December, I felt an uncanny combination of abject horror and relief. After three years of endless PCR tests and lockdowns — “zero Covid,” which has gripped China like a vise, was finally brought to a close. (Frankie Huang, 1/5)

San Francisco Chronicle: Fauci Didn't Get The Sendoff He Deserved. So It Goes In Public Health
After more than half a century of service at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Anthony Fauci has finally retired. Regrettably, after helping to guide the country through one of the deadliest pandemics in global history, Fauci and his life’s work didn’t receive the hero’s sendoff they deserve. (Steven Solter, 1/4)

Stat: Include Dental Health Records In Interoperability Rules
As 2023 begins, health care providers in the United States must make health records more easily available or risk losing Medicare funding under the 21st Century Cures Act. While this is a win for patients, providers, and researchers, the legislation’s failure to include dental care ignores the crucial link between oral health and overall health. (Kiltesh Patel, 1/5)