The New York Times: Supreme Court Upholds Broad Access To Abortion Pill
The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld access to a widely available abortion pill, rejecting a bid from a group of anti-abortion organizations and doctors to unravel the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the pill. In a unanimous decision, written by Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, the court held that the plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the F.D.A.’s actions. The challenge to the availability of mifepristone, a medication used in a majority of abortions in the country, reflected one of the latest fronts over abortion access. The case had returned the abortion issue back to the Supreme Court, even as the conservative majority, in overturning Roe v. Wade, declared that it would cede the question “to the people and their elected representatives.” (VanSickle, 6/13)

ABC News: Supreme Court Unanimously Strikes Down Legal Challenge To Abortion Pill Mifepristone 
The lead plaintiff, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, argued on behalf of anti-abortion rights doctors that those regulations were unsound. The Biden administration defended the FDA's process in court as being supported by science and decades of safe use. But much of the March 25 arguments centered on the question of legal standing, and the court concluded the pill's challengers "failed to demonstrate that FDA's relaxed regulatory requirements likely would cause them to suffer an injury in fact." "For that reason, the federal courts are the wrong forum for addressing the plaintiffs' concerns about FDA's actions," Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote. "The plaintiffs may present their concerns and objections to the President and FDA in the regulatory process, or to Congress and the President in the legislative process." (Dwyer, 6/13)

Bloomberg Law: Supreme Court Backs Full Access To Widely Used Abortion Pill
The ruling leaves open the possibility of a renewed attack on mifepristone by other opponents. After the Supreme Court agreed to take up the case, US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk said a Missouri-led group of states could intervene at the district court level to help press the challenge. The states contend they have standing to sue even if the doctors don’t. (Stohr, 6/13)

NBC News: Supreme Court Rejects Bid To Restrict Access To Abortion Pill
The ruling comes two years after the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, overturned the landmark abortion rights decision Roe v. Wade, which led to a wave of new abortion restrictions in conservative states. Then, the court suggested it was removing itself from the political debate over abortion, but with litigation continuing to rage over abortion access, the justices are continuing to play a pivotal role. The mifepristone dispute is not the only abortion case currently before the court. It is also due to decide whether Idaho’s strict abortion ban prevents doctors in emergency rooms from performing abortions when a pregnant woman is facing dangerous complications. (Hurley, 6/13)

CBS News: Supreme Court Preserves Access To Widely Used Abortion Pill, Rejecting Challenge
The decision does not foreclose other challenges targeting mifepristone, but it means that the FDA's recent steps that made the drug easier to obtain will remain in place. Those actions included allowing mifepristone to be taken later into a pregnancy, expanding the health care workers who can prescribe it, and lifting an in-person dispensing requirement so the pill can be sent through the mail. (Quinn, 6/13)

Reuters: U.S. Healthcare Spending Rises To $4.8 Trillion In 2023, Outpacing GDP
Healthcare spending in the U.S. is projected to have risen 7.5% in 2023 to $4.8 trillion, federal data showed on Wednesday, outpacing the projected annual gross domestic product growth rate of 6.1%. Spending on Medicaid and private health insurance drove the growth, with the insured share of the population surging to a historic high of 93%, data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) showed. (Aboulenein, 6/13)

CIDRAP: Black, Hispanic Adults At Double The Risk Of Losing Medicaid After COVID Emergency Ended, Study Finds 
Black and Hispanic adults were twice as likely than their White peers to be unable to renew their Medicaid enrollment after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) in spring 2023, a Northwestern University–led study estimates. For the study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the researchers analyzed data from seven waves of the US Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey to estimate the racial distribution of adult Medicaid disenrollment from March to October 2023.  (Van Beusekom, 6/12)

Reuters: Elevance Exec Says Medicaid Attrition Has Changed Mix Of Members 
Elevance Health executive Peter Haytaian said on Wednesday that a decrease in the number of people eligible for its Medicaid plans this year, as well as changes the company made in where it operates those plans, shifted its balance of healthy and sick members. Commercial plans and government-backed Medicaid health plans, which cover medical costs for people with low-income, comprise the majority of Elevance's business. (Niasse and Jain, 6/12)

KFF Health News: Watch: California Pays Drug Users To Stay Clean
KFF Health News senior correspondent Angela Hart discusses a state Medicaid experiment for people addicted to methamphetamine, cocaine, and other stimulants. For every clean urine test, they can earn money — up to $599 a year. (6/13)

In Medicare updates —

Roll Call: Bipartisan Prior Authorization Legislation Introduced 
Two key lawmakers reintroduced a bill on Wednesday that would essentially codify parts of a Biden administration rule that aims to streamline the use of prior authorization in Medicare Advantage. The bill, introduced by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., would require Medicare Advantage plans to establish electronic prior authorization programs for health care providers beginning in 2027. (Hellmann, 6/12)

Stat: Insulin Costs $35 In Medicare Thanks To Eli Lilly, Not Biden Or Trump
Both President Biden and former President Trump love to claim credit for getting more Americans $35 insulin. But the credit should actually go to a giant pharmaceutical company — just the type that both men claim to have challenged. (Zhang, 6/13)

In related health insurance news —

Stateline: States Struggle To Help Patients Navigate Insurance Hurdle Known As ‘Step Therapy’
Cassidy Yermal, 32, began experiencing debilitating migraines when she was 17 years old. As a teenager growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania, she saw numerous neurologists and tried a variety of medications before finding one that provided relief. ... In 2022, their new insurer told Yermal that it wouldn’t pay for her medication unless she tried several less expensive drugs first — or could prove that she already had. (Chatlani, 6/12)

KFF Health News: Biden’s On Target About What Repealing ACA Would Mean For Preexisting Condition Protections
President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign wants voters to contrast his record on health care policy with his predecessor’s. In May, Biden’s campaign began airing a monthlong, $14 million ad campaign targeting swing-state voters and minority groups with spots on TV, digital, and radio. In the ad, titled “Terminate,” Biden assails former President Donald Trump for his past promises to overturn the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Biden also warns of the potential effect if Trump is returned to office and again pursues repeal. (Gardenswartz, 6/13)

Roll Call: FDA, DOJ Hammered On Response To Illegal Vapes 
Senators from both sides of the aisle took the Food and Drug Administration and Department of Justice to task Wednesday over what they described as a failure by both agencies to stop the sale of illegal e-cigarettes through online retailers, gas stations and vape shops across the country. (Hellmann, 6/12)

On the gun violence epidemic —

The Hill: Federal Judge Blocks Rule Closing 'Gun-Show Loophole' In Four States
A federal judge in Texas blocked the Biden administration’s attempt to close the so-called gun show loophole on Wednesday, expanding a prior temporary ruling to impact Texas, Louisiana, Utah and Mississippi. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled last month that the requirement to run a background check before purchasing a firearm could not go into effect in Texas. His final ruling Wednesday expands that injunction to the three other states. (Robertson, 6/12)

On medical debt —

PBS NewsHour: How Banning Medical Debt From Credit Reports Could Help Millions Of Americans
When confronted with a grim diagnosis or a catastrophic accident, Americans often wonder not only how they will recover their health and well-being but also if their finances can withstand medical debt and its rippling effects. ... An estimated 100 million people in the United States have medical or dental bills they are paying off or that are overdue, according to the Urban Institute. (Santhanam, 6/12)

U.S. News & World Report: Biden Medical Debt Move Would Build On Recent Progress 
Though the fate of the new rule ultimately may be decided by who wins the November presidential election, it marks the latest step toward curbing what has been a financial burden for millions of Americans. Last year, for example, the country’s three major credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – moved to eliminate medical debt under $500 from credit reports, which followed steps to remove paid medical debts and debts under a year old as well. Such steps reportedly helped lower the number of people with medical debt on credit reports from more than 40 million in 2021 to 15 million today. (Johnson, 6/12)

National Nurses United: Nation’s Largest Nurses Union Applauds Biden Administration’s Medical Debt Reforms 
“Our patients should not have to suffer by being reported to creditors due to medical debt,” said National Nurses United President Nancy Hagans, RN. “Every day at the bedside, we nurses witness the devastation medical debt wreaks on our patients. They should not have to declare bankruptcy for receiving the health care they need. Nor should they have to choose between basic financial security and lifesaving treatment.” (6/12)

The Washington Post: Southern Baptist Convention Votes To Oppose In Vitro Fertilization
The Southern Baptist Convention on Wednesday approved a measure opposing in vitro fertilization as “dehumanizing” and asking “the government to restrain” the practice, a sign of the broadening effort by conservative evangelicals and the antiabortion movement since the fall of Roe v. Wade. The vote thrust the denomination into a national dispute over a medical procedure that is immensely popular among Americans and has already played a role in an intense election season. (Boorstein, 6/12)

Politico: Why The Southern Baptists' Vote Opposing IVF Could Change National Politics 
The move may signal the beginning of a broad turn on the right against IVF, an issue that many evangelicals, anti-abortion advocates and other social conservatives see as the “pro-life” movement’s next frontier — one they hope will eventually lead to restrictions, or outright bans, on IVF at the state and federal levels. The vote comes as Democrats in Washington, hoping to drive a wedge among Republicans, prepare to hold a vote on legislation to protect IVF, while former President Donald Trump struggles with how to message to evangelicals on abortion and other reproductive health issues that they would like to see him take stronger positions on in the post-Roe era. (Messerly, 6/12)

The Texas Tribune: Ted Cruz’s Bill To Protect IVF Blocked
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s effort to protect access to in vitro fertilization was blocked on Wednesday as Democrats instead rallied around their own version of the legislation. (Yu, 6/12)

AP: Democrats Set To Force A Vote On Women's Right To IVF In Election-Year Push
Senate Democrats are seeking to highlight Republicans’ resistance to legislation that would make it a right nationwide for women to access in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments, holding a vote on the matter Thursday as part of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s effort to drive an election-year contrast on reproductive care. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a military veteran who has used the fertility treatment to have her two children, has championed the bill, called the Right to IVF Act. The bill would also expand access through insurance as well as for military members and veterans. (Groves, 6/13)

Missouri Independent: Missouri Advocates Sound Alarm After IVF Safeguards Stymied In Legislature
Danielle Faith Zoll and her husband have one last embryo frozen in Missouri. Zoll’s daughter, who is 2 years old, was conceived through in vitro fertilization. But during that pregnancy Zoll developed Hellp Syndrome, an extreme and life-threatening case of preeclampsia. After giving birth to her daughter at 35 weeks, Zoll’s doctor advised her not to do so again out of fear that she wouldn’t survive another pregnancy. That warning left Zoll and her husband unsure of the best future for their last embryo. And the uncertainty turned to fear after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling in February. (Spoerre, 6/13)

In abortion updates —

The New York Times: 171,000 Traveled For Abortions Last Year. See Where They Went. 
More than 14,000 Texas patients crossed the border into New Mexico for an abortion last year. An additional 16,000 left Southern states bound for Illinois. And nearly 12,000 more traveled north from South Carolina and Georgia to North Carolina. These were among the more than 171,000 patients who traveled for an abortion in 2023, new estimates show, demonstrating both the upheaval in access since the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the limits of state bans to stop the procedure. The data also highlights the unsettled nature of an issue that will test politicians up and down the ballot in November. (Escobar, Walker, McCann, Reinhard and Rosales, 6/13)

News Service of Florida: Nearly 10,000 Abortions Reported In Florida In May After Six-Week Law Began
Nearly 10,000 abortions were reported in Florida in May, when a law took effect that was expected to dramatically decrease the number of procedures performed. However, those numbers likely include some abortions from April because of the way data are reported to the state. (6/13)

CBS News: Florida Seeks Stay Of Abortion "Statement" Ruling
The state late Tuesday asked an appeals court to put on hold a circuit judge's decision that required changes to a "financial impact statement" that will appear on the November ballot with a proposed constitutional amendment about abortion rights. Solicitor General Henry Whitaker and other state lawyers filed a motion urging the 1st District Court of Appeal to issue a stay while an appeal of Circuit Judge John Cooper's ruling plays out. The motion came hours after Cooper rejected a stay in the case. (6/12)

CBS News: Drug-Resistant "Dual Mutant" Flu Strains Now Being Tracked In U.S., CDC Says
At least two human cases of the new so-called "dual mutant" strains of H1N1 influenza have been detected in U.S. patients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday, with genetic changes that could cut the effectiveness of the main flu antiviral that hospitals rely on. An analysis of the new H1N1 flu viruses with these two concerning mutations – which scientists call I223V and S247N, describing changes to key surface proteins of the virus – was published this week in the agency's Emerging Infectious Diseases journal. (Tin, 6/12)

Indy Star: Indianapolis-Based Company Roche Produces Test For COVID, RSV And Flu
Indianapolis-based Roche Diagnostics is releasing a PCR test for people suffering from cough, congestion, fever and sore throat, symptoms common in many viral infections. The second test of its kind, Roche's nasal swab will be able to determine if the patient has COVID-19, Influenza A, Influenza Flu B or Respiratory Syncytial Virus during the span of a doctor's visit. (Huang, 6/13)

Los Angeles Times: COVID Rising In L.A. County And California As New Subvariants Take Hold 
California’s COVID-19 numbers are on the rise thanks in part to new subvariants, suggesting an earlier-than-normal start to the summer season. The percentage of COVID tests coming back with positive results in the state rose to 5.3% for the week that ended June 3, up from 2.2% the month before. (Lin II, 6/12)

CIDRAP: Study: Previous COVID-19 Infection May Protect Against Common Colds 
Infection with COVID-19 may offer protection against other, less severe endemic coronaviruses (eCOVs) that are often behind the common cold, according to a study today in Science Translational Medicine. COVID vaccines, however, don't appear to afford similar protection. (Soucheray, 6/12)

On bird flu —

Reuters: Two Dozen Companies Working To Find Bird Flu Vaccine For Cows, US Agriculture Secretary Says 
Twenty-four companies are working to develop an avian flu vaccine for cattle, as the virus spreads among U.S. dairy herds, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Reuters on Wednesday. Bird flu has infected 90 dairy herds across 12 states since late March, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Three dairy farm workers also have been infected with the virus, two in Michigan and one in Texas. (Douglas, 6/12)

CIDRAP: Wisconsin Orders Avian Flu Testing For Lactating Cattle Before Fairs And Exhibits
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) yesterday announced that lactating dairy cows must be tested for influenza A before movement to fairs and exhibits to prevent the spready of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian flu in cattle. So far, no H5N1 outbreaks have been reported in Wisconsin, but the virus has been detected in 12 states, including in neighboring Michigan, Minnesota, and Iowa. (Schnirring, 6/12)

On mpox and dengue —

Reuters: South Africa Reports Second Mpox Death This Week
A second person has died in South Africa this week from the viral infection mpox, the health ministry said on Thursday, less than 24 hours after it announced the first death. The second person who died was a 38-year-old man. He was admitted to a hospital in the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province with extensive lesions, headache, fatigue, oral ulcers, muscle pain and a sore throat. He tested positive for mpox on Wednesday. (6/13)

Fox News: Tiger Mosquitoes Blamed For Spread Of Dengue Fever: ‘Most Invasive Species’
As dengue fever continues to spread throughout Europe, experts are blaming an invasive mosquito species as the culprit. Known as "tiger mosquitoes," the insects — of the species name Aedes albopictus — have spread into 13 EU countries, according to an alert from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Elitza Theel, PhD, director of Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Minnesota, confirmed that tiger mosquitoes are a "known vector" for dengue virus and can transmit the virus to individuals who have not previously been infected. (Rudy, 6/12)

CBS News: 9/11 First Responders With Severe Debris Exposure Have Higher Risk Of Dementia, Study Finds
New research is giving a deeper look into how dust and debris from the fallen World Trade Center may play a role in the brain health of first responders. In the study, published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open, researchers at Stony Brook University in New York found severe exposure to building debris was significantly associated with a higher risk of dementia before age 65 versus those who weren't exposed or who wore personalized protective equipment such as masks or hazmat suits. (Moniuszko, 6/12)

Modern Healthcare: MD Anderson Cut Off Care To 9/11 Responders: 9/11 Health Watch
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center is disrupting care for three dozen patients sickened while responding to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack over a payment dispute, the advocacy organization 9/11 Health Watch alleges. The renowned Houston-based oncology provider would not comment on these claims but insists it stands ready to treat the 9/11 survivors. (McAuliff, 6/12)

More on dementia —

Reuters: About 4% Of US Adults Age 65 And Older Have A Dementia Diagnosis, Survey Finds 
Some 4% of U.S. adults aged 65 and older say they have been diagnosed with dementia, a rate that reached 13% for those at least 85-years old, according to a report of a national survey released on Thursday. ... Ellen Kramarow, the report's lead author, said dementia diagnosis estimates were in general similar from 2019 to 2022, adding that they "do not see this as a measure that is going to have large changes year to year." (Santhosh, 6/13)

NPR: African Ancestry Genes Linked To Higher Risk For Alzheimer’s, Stroke
Black Americans are known to be at higher risk of some neurological disorders, and the reasons for this disparity remain unclear. Now, after examining the postmortem brains of 151 people, researchers in Baltimore have identified genes that may help explain why. In those people, who all identified as Black or African American, the scientists analyzed the influence of two different ancestries: African and European. They found that genes associated with African ancestry appear to affect certain brain cells in ways that could increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. (Hamilton, 6/12)

The Harvard Gazette: Alzheimer’s Indicators Track With Biological Changes In Brain
Using imaging reports to back up their findings, researchers have concluded that reports from patients and their partners about cognitive decline can be an early indicator of an accumulation of tau tangles, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. “There is increasing evidence that individuals themselves or a close family member may notice changes in memory, even before a clinical measure picks up evidence of cognitive impairment,” said Rebecca E. Amariglio of the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the senior author of the study. Results are published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. (Bridger, 6/10)

The Conversation: When Mice With Alzheimer’s Inhaled Menthol, Their Cognitive Abilities Improved
Imagine a future where the smell of menthol could alleviate some of the worst symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. This might sound like science fiction, but innovative new research is making it a potential reality. Scientists have discovered that when mice with Alzheimer’s inhaled menthol, their cognitive abilities improved. This unexpected finding highlights a potential new avenue for treating this debilitating condition. (Spencer, 6/11)

USA Today: Exclusive: Data Reveals Startling Fact About US Soldiers And Suicide
U.S. soldiers were almost nine times more likely to die by suicide than by enemy fire, according to a Pentagon study for the five-year period ending in 2019. The study, published in May by the Defense Health Agency, found that suicide was the leading cause of death among active-duty soldiers from 2014 to 2019. There were 883 suicide deaths during that time period. Accidents were the No. 2 cause with 814 deaths. There were 96 combat deaths. (Vanden Brook, 6/11)

Axios: 988 Suicide Hotline Response Times Vary Based On Where You Live
Almost two years after the debut of a revamped national suicide hotline, its promise of a quicker, more seamless crisis response across the country is still a work in progress. (Goldman, 6/12)

WHYY: Physician-Assisted Suicide Bill Heads To Del. Senate
A Delaware Senate committee has approved legislation allowing medical aid in dying after terminally ill patients urged members to let it get a floor vote. It’s the first time the state Senate has held a hearing on the Ron Silverio/Heather Block Delaware End of Life Options Act, named in honor of two advocates of the legislation. (Mueller, 6/13)

WBKO: Kentucky Schools To Implement New Suicide Prevention Measures
Schools across Kentucky will soon enact new suicide prevention measures put in place by the state legislature in hopes of bringing mental health resources to students as young as fourth grade. Each year, students from sixth to twelfth grade are given a mental health screening at the beginning of the school year that tracks stressors and potential trauma that could impact their education. The enacted changes will make those screeners mandatory for students in fourth and fifth grade as well, allowing school counselors to flag mental health struggles earlier on, ensuring that students receive needed care. (Parham, 6/12)

CBS News: Are California's Mental Health Courts Successful? That Depends On Who You Ask Because There's No Reliable Data
There is growing concern about who is eligible to avoid a felony conviction by participating in California's Mental Health Diversion Court.  There are also many success stories and studies that point to the potential for reduced recidivism among successful mental health court candidates. However, critics worry that recent changes to the law are allowing some defendants to misuse California's recently expanded Mental Health Diversion Court program. (Watts, Sarwate and Manthey, 6/12)

If you need help —

Dial 988 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.

Axios: Ransomware Attacks Surged After Change Healthcare Hack
Ransomware attacks against health care organizations surged following the hack of Change Healthcare that crippled much of the U.S. health care system, according to cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. (Reed, 6/13)

Modern Healthcare: Ascension Cyberattack May Have Compromised Patient Data
Ascension said Wednesday it believes a recent cyberattack may have compromised patient data. Hackers stole files that may contain protected health information from seven servers used for daily tasks after an employee mistakenly downloaded a "malicious file," Ascension said in a news release. (Hudson, 6/12)

More health industry news —

CBS News: UPMC, Leaders Celebrate Acquisition Of Washington Health System
A major transition for health care on Wednesday with UPMC merging with Washington Health System, creating UPMC Washington and UPMC Greene hospitals. Local leaders celebrated the merger and praised UPMC for saving the 127-year-old hospital from closing. "We help people in Washington, Greene, Fayette counties, as far as West Virginia and the tri-state area. Without this hospital, we have problems," said JoJo Burgess, mayor of Washington. (Sorensen, 6/12)

The Mercury News: New Sutter Health Medical Center Coming To Morgan Hill
Sutter Health has announced the lease of a medical center in Morgan Hill slated to open this winter and set to offer internal medicine, family medicine, and imaging services to the historically underserved region of south Santa Clara County. “Our expansion into Morgan Hill marks a milestone in our mission to continuously improve healthcare access and care delivery,” said Kevin Cook, Greater Silicon Valley president for Sutter Health in a news release. (Melecio-Zambrano, 6/12)

The Boston Globe: Owner Of 2 Safety-Net Hospitals In R.I. Ordered To Pay $17m Within 10 Days
Prospect Medical Holdings, the owner of two cash-strapped community hospitals in Rhode Island, was ordered by state Superior Court Judge Brian Stern to pay $17 million in unpaid bills within 10 days, according to court documents made public on Wednesday. (Gagosz, 6/12)

Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Consolidation May Be Fought With Gilded Age Laws
An idea birthed in the Gilded Age is gaining traction as a way to counter increasing consolidation in the healthcare industry: banning the corporate practice of medicine. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, physicians and state legislatures grew concerned that corporations and monopolists were hiring and controlling company doctors whose first concern would no longer be the needs of their patients, but of their employers'. About two-thirds of states enacted laws that, to varying degrees, dictate that lay people may not own or control medical practices. (McAuliff, 6/12)

KFF Health News: Funding Instability Plagues Program That Brings Docs To Underserved Areas
For Diana Perez, a medical resident at the Family Health Center of Harlem, the handwritten thank-you note she received from a patient is all the evidence she needs that she has chosen the right training path. Perez helped the patient, a homeless, West African immigrant who has HIV and other chronic conditions, get the medications and care he needed. She also did the paperwork that documented his medical needs for the nonprofit that helped him apply for asylum and secure housing. (Andrews, 6/13)

On health workers —

Los Angeles Times: Doctors At L.A. County-Run Hospitals To Get Bonuses Under Deal
Unionized doctors and dentists who work at hospitals and other health facilities run by Los Angeles County will get cost-of-living increases and bonuses under new agreements with the county, reached after more than two years of bargaining and threats of a strike. The tentative agreements with a pair of bargaining units represented by the Union of American Physicians and Dentists are expected to be voted on this month by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. (Alpert Reyes, 6/12)

St. Louis Public Radio: Missouri Hospital Job Vacancies Drop But Are Still High
Hospital employment is rebounding from record-high vacancy and turnover, though rates remain higher than pre-coronavirus pandemic levels, according to a new survey of 128 of the state’s hospitals. The report from the Missouri Hospital Association found around 14% of all staff positions at hospitals were vacant in 2023, a rate that’s lower than it was at the height of the pandemic but still higher than in 2019. (Fentem, 6/12)

Modern Healthcare: URAC Accreditation Extends To Community Health Worker Programs
URAC, an independent quality and safety nonprofit, will accredit organizations that employ or contract with community health workers in an attempt to standardize their roles across the industry. The accreditation program, unveiled Wednesday, will be available to any entity with a community health worker program, including health systems, state and local governments, public health departments, insurers and community-based groups. (Devereaux, 6/12)

Health News Florida: USF Faculty Adds A Pioneering Virologist And An International Network Of Viral Researchers
The University of South Florida’s recognition as a top-tier research center just ascended to another level of prestige with two prized additions to its Morsani College of Medicine. Riding the synergy of last year’s inclusion in the Association of American Universities, USF last week sealed a deal to become the international headquarters of the Global Virus Network, an organization of prominent virologists from more than 40 countries. (Mayer, 6/12)

Bloomberg: Michigan’s Largest Insurer To Drop Coverage For Obesity Drugs Like Wegovy
Weight-loss drugs from Novo Nordisk A/S and Eli Lilly & Co. will lose coverage under many plans run by Michigan’s largest health insurer as companies grapple with whether the drugs are worth the cost. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan will drop coverage of GLP-1 obesity drugs in fully insured large group commercial plans starting in January, a spokesperson said, a move that will affect nearly 10,000 people on the medications. (Swetlitz, Muller, and Smith, 6/12)

CBS News: UC Berkeley Researchers To Have Human Subjects In Psilocybin Study
A UC Berkeley research center seeks to understand why psilocybin alters the visual experience in a study with human subjects. The study marks UC Berkeley's first experiments on humans with a Schedule I substance — those which the federal government considers to have no currently accepted medical use. The drug appears in select mushrooms, often dubbed "shrooms" or "magic mushrooms," according to the National Institutes of Health. (6/12)

Stat: Pfizer's Gene Therapy For Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Fails Trial
Pfizer said Wednesday afternoon that a closely watched gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy failed to slow the disease’s progression in a Phase 3 trial. (Mast, 6/12)

Stat: Europe Shakes Up The Way It Values Drugs. Gene Therapy Makers Are Worried
A major shakeup in how the benefits of medicines are assessed in Europe is looming, and developers of treatments like gene therapies are already arguing that what they see as flaws in the new system could entrench the issues they’ve had getting their products to patients. (Joseph, 6/13)

In tech and science news —

ABC News: Oklahoma Girl Becomes 1st Pediatric Patient To Undergo Robotic Deep Brain Stimulation
An Oklahoma girl has become the first pediatric patient in the world to have robotic deep brain stimulation performed on her, two hospitals have announced. The patient, 8-year-old Karliegh Fry, suffers from rapid-onset primary dystonia, a neurological movement disorder that causes involuntary muscle contractions. (Kekatos, 6/12)

NPR: This New Brain-Mapping Device Could Make Neurosurgery Safer
A flexible film bristling with tiny sensors could make surgery safer for patients with a brain tumor or severe epilepsy. The experimental film, which looks like Saran wrap, rests on the brain’s surface and detects the electrical activity of nerve cells below. It’s designed to help surgeons remove diseased tissue while preserving important functions like language and memory. (Hamilton, 6/13)

Stat: AI For Biopsies Can Analyze Microscopy Images, Help With Diagnosis
To non-pathologists, the histology slide looked, as all histology slides do, like a sea of mottled lilac and burgundy. Oblong pink spots, like sprinkles on a cookie at a Barbie-themed birthday party, spotted the left side of the image. To LLaVA 1.5, an open-source artificial intelligence mode, the cells looked like they were from the cheek. LLaVA-Med, a version of LLaVA trained on medical information, told researchers the cells were from breast tissue. (Trang, 6/12)

Fox News: Artificial Intelligence, Used By NASA And Neurosurgeons, Could Remake Education
Artificial intelligence delivered advances to the U.S. space program and to medicine decades before it made headlines. Now, AI is poised to bring major improvements to American education, tech entrepreneur Alex Galvagni said in an exclusive interview in New York City with Fox News Digital. Galvagni is CEO of Age of Learning, the California-based company behind popular school-room products such as ABCmouse Early Learning Academy. (Byrne and Borchers, 6/13)

CBS News: Michigan Researches Say Honey Bees Can Detect Lung Cancer
Researchers at Michigan State University have found that honey bees could detect lung cancer. Bees have long provided humans with honey, wax, and the pollination of around 80% of our flowering plants, but they could also sniff out cancer in the future. (Vaughen, 6/13)

CBS News: Research Shows Link Between Certain Social Factors And Prediabetes In Children
New research shows a link between certain social factors and prediabetes in children, regardless of race and ethnicity. The senior author of the study shared how these findings could make a difference in helping reverse prediabetes in kids and diabetes prevention. A group of University of Pittsburgh and UPMC researchers have found that food insecurity, low household income and not having private health insurance are linked to higher risk of prediabetes in children, regardless of race and ethnicity. (Guay, 6/12)

The Boston Globe: Massachusetts Sees First Decline In Opioid-Related Deaths In Years
The number of people who died in Massachusetts from opioid-related overdoses fell by 10 percent in 2023, the largest decrease in the state in more than a decade, according to newly released state data. The news offered a hint of hope after two years of record-setting death rates. However, the total number of deaths for the year, 2,125, was still the third highest since 2001 according to the Department of Public Health, which released the data Wednesday. (Laughlin, 6/12)

Marijuana Moment: Communities Closer To Marijuana Dispensaries Have Lower Opioid Prescription Rates, New Study Finds 
Researchers who looked at opioid prescription and mortality rates in Oregon found that nearby access to retail marijuana moderately reduced opioid prescriptions, though they observed no corresponding drop in opioid-related deaths. Specifically, communities located within a mile of state-licensed cannabis outlets had prescription opioid rates that were 1.0 percent to 3.9 percent lower than surrounding areas, according to the analysis, published this week in the journal Regional Science and Urban Economics. (Adlin, 6/12)

North Carolina Health News: State Water Systems Grapple With High Cost Of PFAS Compliance.
At a sparsely attended meeting in May at the Carrboro-based Orange Water and Sewer Authority board member Todd BenDor asked Stephen Winters, OWASA’s executive deputy director, an expensive question about what it would cost the utility to clean up the PFAS present in its water, which supplies about 80,000 customers in southern Orange County. (Atwater, 6/13)

Los Angeles Times: California Beach Tops List Of Nation's Most Polluted Beaches
California is home to one of the most polluted beaches in the country, according to a new study — a stretch of surf so toxic officials have made repeated calls for a state of emergency. Last year, the Surfrider Foundation tested thousands of water samples across the nation, as well as in Canada and Costa Rica, and found that 64% of the 567 sites tested had at least one sample with unsafe bacteria levels. (Tchekmedyian, 6/12)

CIDRAP: Federal Officials Report More Cucumber-Linked Salmonella Cases, Second Outbreak 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today reported 34 more illnesses linked to a multistate Salmonella Africana outbreak with a suspected link to cucumbers, raising the total to 196. Illnesses have also been reported in 3 more states, putting that total at 28 plus the District of Columbia. (Schnirring, 6/12)

KNSI: Attention Cookie Lovers: Massive Recall Of Cookie Dough Due To Salmonella Risk
Attention cookie lovers: Several varieties of cookie dough are being recalled due to potential Salmonella contamination. Rise Baking Company is recalling more than 29,000 cases of cookie dough sold in several states. The products were sold at Costco and Sam’s Club under their private labels and under the Rise Baking and Panera labels. (Lewerenz, 6/12)

NBC News: CDC Warns Of Illnesses Linked To Diamond Shruumz Mushroom Chocolates
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning the public to avoid Diamond Shruumz chocolates, cones and gummies following an outbreak of severe illnesses that has led to 10 hospitalizations. In an alert Wednesday to health care providers, the CDC said that a dozen people in eight states have gotten sick after eating the brand’s “microdosing” mushroom edibles. All but two needed to be hospitalized. (Bendix, 6/12)

The Washington Post: Sandwiches Recalled Across Seven States Over Listeria Concerns
Packaged sandwiches sold across seven states were recalled Monday by their manufacturer over possible listeria contamination. In a recall notice issued Monday, Ohio-based Classic Delight identified 25 sandwich, burger, breakfast and hot-dog products that may have been contaminated. The products listed in the notice were distributed to school cafeterias and convenience stores and produced between May 2023 and June 2024. (Ziegler, 6/12)

Also —

The Washington Post: At Least 20 E. Coli Cases Reported After Lake Anna Visits, Va. Health Says
Judy Inglett never dreamed her healthy 15-year-old daughter would end up on dialysis and undergo blood transfusions after swimming at Lake Anna State Park in Virginia over the Memorial Day weekend. Ava was there with family friends and neighbors who had invited her on their boat and rented a house, enjoying the festive recreation area as they have countless times before, her mother said. (Portnoy, 6/12)

Medical Xpress: Why Many Lung Cancer Patients Who Have Never Smoked Have Worse Outcomes
The reason targeted treatment for non-small cell lung cancer fails to work for some patients, particularly those who have never smoked, has been discovered by researchers from UCL, the Francis Crick Institute and AstraZeneca. The study, published in Nature Communications, shows that lung cancer cells with two particular genetic mutations are more likely to double their genome, which helps them to withstand treatment and develop resistance to it. (6/13)

CIDRAP: Long Delay In Antibiotic Administration Increases Mortality Risk In Kids With Sepsis 
A study of pediatric sepsis patients suggests long delays in initiation of antibiotic therapy increase the risk of mortality, researchers reported yesterday in JAMA Network Open. The study, which used data from 51 US children's hospitals, found that children with sepsis who received antibiotics more than 5.5 hours after emergency department (ED) arrival had a more than three-fold increase in the odds of sepsis-attributable 3- and 30-day mortality. (Dall, 6/6)

CIDRAP: Severe Neurologic Conditions Common In Hospitalized Kids With COVID, MIS-C, Data Suggest
Pediatric patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 or the related multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) experience new neurologic problems and/or impaired function at rates of 18.0% and 24.8%, respectively, an international group of researchers suggests in JAMA Network Open. (Van Beusekom, 6/11)

CIDRAP: NIH Researchers Never Said There Is No Risk Of CWD Spillover To Humans
Some news stories on a recent study finding a strong chronic wasting disease (CWD) species barrier between cervids such as deer and humans have concluded that there is no risk of a zoonotic spillover of the fatal prion disease. But the study authors and other leading CWD and prion experts don't share that conviction. "We think there's a low risk," senior study author Cathryn Haigh, PhD, Chief of the Prion Cell Biology Unit at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)'s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, told CIDRAP News. "We can't say no risk." (Van Beusekom, 6/6)

Stat: H5N1 Bird Flu: Protecting Dairy Farmworkers Key To Averting Crisis
Although a third U.S. dairy worker has been confirmed to be infected with the H5N1 bird flu, many dairy farms are still unwilling to use even freely offered personal protective equipment (PPE). This is cause for alarm. Working with a pathogen assigned a biosafety level of 3 — meaning it “can cause serious or potentially lethal disease through respiratory transmission” — with at best BSL 2 level protections is playing with fire. (Ranu Dhillon and Devabhaktuni Srikrishna, 6/12)

USA Today: The Right To IVF Isn't Guaranteed - Or Affordable. Congress Has A Chance To Change That
While every single American should have access to IVF, this life-changing medical care has remained out of reach for millions. This could change dramatically with the "Right to IVF" legislation introduced in the Senate this month. It would establish a statutory right for patients to access IVF, require more insurance providers to cover fertility care, and ensure our service members and veterans have access to this treatment. (Dr. Paula Amato and Barbara Collura, 6/13)

USA Today: Dr. Fauci Didn't Invent Social Distancing. CDC's Botched Covid Response Isn't On Him
In the early days of a pandemic, what we don’t know usually far outstrips what we do know. That’s the nature of new diseases – by definition, we don’t know much about them. (Dr. Ashish J. Jha, 6/13)

Stat: To Make Public Housing Healthier, Replace Gas Stoves With Electric
The nation’s public-housing system provides homes to hundreds of thousands of low-income families, many of them Black or Hispanic. That makes availability and condition of public housing an enormously important factor in health equity. Replacing gas stoves and appliances in these home with electric ones would be an advance for equity. (Esther Agbaje and Tonya Curry, 6/13)

Stat: After Chile Banned Tony The Tiger, Obesity Rates Did Not Improve
“In Sweeping War on Obesity, Chile slays Tony the Tiger.” So read the headline of a front-page story in The New York Times in 2018 on a dramatic step Chile was taking to fight obesity. With some of the highest obesity levels in South America, the country had begun enforcing strict regulations on Frosted Flakes and other foods that exceeded set thresholds for sugar, calories, salt, or saturated fat in 2016. (Paul von Hippel, 6/13)