First Edition: Feb. 22, 2024

KFF Health News: Lawsuits Claim South Carolina Kids Underwent Unnecessary Genital Exams During Abuse Investigations
Three ongoing federal lawsuits filed in South Carolina accuse the state of forcing boys and girls to undergo traumatic genital exams during child abuse investigations, even when no allegations of sexual abuse have been raised. One 14-year-old plaintiff — who goes by “Jane Doe” to protect her privacy — was placed into foster care in 2021 after she disclosed to a social services caseworker that her mother had spanked her with a belt and a tree branch.“I never, ever mentioned sexual abuse,” said Jane. (Sausser, 2/22)

KFF Health News: Health Care Workers Push For Their Own Confidential Mental Health Treatment
States are redefining when medical professionals can get mental health treatment without risking notifying the boards that regulate their licenses. Too often, health care workers wait to seek counseling or addiction treatment, causing their work and patient care to suffer, said Jean Branscum, CEO of the Montana Medical Association, an industry group representing doctors. “They’ve invested so much time in their career,” Branscum said. “To have anything jeopardize that is a big worry on their mind.” (Houghton, 2/22)

The New York Times: University Of Alabama At Birmingham Health System Pauses IVF Procedures After Ruling
The University of Alabama at Birmingham health system announced on Wednesday that it was pausing in vitro fertilization treatments as it evaluated the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that frozen embryos should be considered children. “We are saddened that this will impact our patients’ attempt to have a baby through I.V.F.,” a statement from the health system said, “but we must evaluate the potential that our patients and our physicians could be prosecuted criminally or face punitive damages for following the standard of care for I.V.F. treatments.” (Betts, 2/21)

The Hill: HHS Secretary: UAB Decision To Pause IVF Treatment Will Have ‘Heart-Wrenching Consequences’
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra decried the recent University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) health care system’s decision to pause in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments Wednesday. “I’ve long made clear that overturning Roe was just the beginning of the attacks on women’s health, privacy, & autonomy — and that’s exactly what we continue to see,” Becerra said in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. (Suter, 2/21)

The Washington Post: After Alabama Ruling Threatens IVF, Haley Says Embryos ‘Are Babies’
GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley said Wednesday that she agreed with the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling that frozen embryos are people, but she did not directly address the ruling’s finding that clinics can be sued for disposing embryos. When asked by NBC News whether she agreed with the court’s conclusion that embryos created through in vitro fertilization are considered children and should be offered those same protections, Haley said, “Embryos, to me, are babies.” (Ables and Vazquez, 2/22)

AP: FDA Warns Against Smartwatches And Rings That Claim To Measure Blood Sugar Without Needles
Smartwatches and rings that claim to measure blood sugar levels for medical purposes without piercing the skin could be dangerous and should be avoided, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Wednesday. The caution applies to any watch or ring, regardless of brand, that claims to measure blood glucose levels in a noninvasive way, the agency said. The FDA said it has not authorized any such device. (Aleccia, 2/21)

Reuters: US FDA Warns Against Using Smartwatches To Measure Blood Glucose
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ... said it was working to ensure that manufacturers, distributors and sellers do not illegally market unauthorized gadgets that claim to measure blood glucose levels. The devices are different from smartwatch applications that display data from FDA-authorized blood glucose measuring devices that puncture the skin, the regulator said. (2/21)

The Hill: 83 Percent Of Doctors In New Survey Say AI Could Help Fight Burnout
Most physicians in a new survey said they regularly feel burned out, and many believe artificial intelligence (AI) could be the solution. The survey, released Wednesday by Athenahealth, found around 93 percent of respondents experienced burnout after working 15 hours over their normal hours. ... Roughly 83 percent, however, said AI could contend with some of those problems hovering over the health care industry, per the survey. (Timotija, 2/21)

Politico: House AI Panel Has Health Care Expertise
The new bipartisan House AI task force includes members well-positioned to consider artificial intelligence’s impact on health care. Among the 24 representatives on the task force are several with health care policy expertise. ... Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) announced the new task force Tuesday and asked it to recommend actions Congress could take to set new AI regulatory standards and spur investment in the technology. (Payne, Paun, Reader and Schumaker, 2/21)

Politico: Addiction Apps Are Leaking Sensitive Data, Group Claims
Advocates for people who suffer from substance use disorder say addiction recovery apps are leaking sensitive data to third parties including Facebook and Google. A new report from the Opioid Policy Institute, which supports better addiction care and is lobbying for a government crackdown, names 21 substance use disorder apps that it says have shared information about the people who use them. They include DynamiCare, Workit Health, Bright Heart Health and Eleanor Health. (Reader, 2/21)

AP: Dozens Of Idaho Obstetricians Have Stopped Practicing There Since Abortions Were Banned, Study Says
More than 50 Idaho obstetricians have stopped practicing in the state since a near-total abortion ban took effect in August 2022, according to a newly released report. Data compiled by the Idaho Physician Well-Being Action Collaborative also shows that only two obstetricians moved to the state to practice in the last 15 months, the Idaho Statesman reported on Tuesday. ... The number of obstetricians in Idaho decreased from 227 in 2022 to about 176 in 2023, a decline of 51 doctors, the report said. (2/22)

AP: Sex Ed Classes In Some States May Soon Watch A Fetal Development Video From An Anti-Abortion Group
Baby Olivia isn’t a real baby. It’s an animated fetus that develops over the course of a three-minute video that has become a new front in state-level abortion politics. Bills in the Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri and West Virginia legislatures would require public school students to watch a video like Baby Olivia, which was created by an organization that opposes abortion. ... The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a professional organization with over 60,000 members, said in an email that the video is anti-abortion misinformation “designed to manipulate the emotions of viewers.” (Fingerhut, 2/22)

AP: Georgia GOP Senators Seek To Ban Sexually Explicit Books From School Libraries, Reduce Sex Education
Republican senators in Georgia want to cull sexually explicit books from schools, ban sex education for younger students, display the Ten Commandments in classrooms and allow religious chaplains to counsel teachers and students. The measures, which passed Senate committees Wednesday, could spark contentious debate ahead of a key legislative deadline next week. Many of them mimic measures passed in other states, part of a broad GOP effort to reshape education. (Amy, 2/22)

Politico: Democratic Senators Say They Oppose Any Pandemic Treaty That Weakens Pharma’s Rights
Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) said Wednesday they oppose any weakening of intellectual property protections for the makers of vaccines, drugs and diagnostic tests in a pandemic treaty the World Health Organization is negotiating with member nations. As diplomats work on the treaty this week in Geneva, developing nations are pressing for patent waivers that would allow the countries to quickly make their own products. (Paun, 2/21)

Roll Call: In Congress And Courts, A Push For Better Care For Trans Prisoners 
Congressional Democrats are pushing for more information about the living conditions of transgender inmates in federal prisons and jails amid a spate of lawsuits about alleged civil rights violations, including a refusal to provide gender-affirming care. (Bridges, 2/21)

The Hill: Health Costs, Medical Bills Are Top Economic Concern Among Voters: Poll
Unexpected health costs and surprise medical bills are among the leading concerns of voters heading into the 2024 election, which contribute to their negative views about the economy, according to a poll released Wednesday by health policy research group KFF. At least 8 in 10 voters said it was “very important” for the 2024 presidential candidates to talk about inflation and the affordability of health care. (Weixel, 2/21)

The Hill: 6 In 10 Hold Favorable View Of Affordable Care Act In New Polling
More than half of U.S. adults have a favorable view of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as the health care measure used by millions of Americans continues to gain popularity, according to a poll released Wednesday. The survey, released by health policy research group KFF, found that 59 percent of U.S. adults had a favorable view of the ACA, though respondents differed along party lines on what they would like to see done with the law. (Nazzaro, 2/21)

Reuters: United Therapeutics Starts Litigation With FDA Over Rival Liquidia's Drug Application
United Therapeutics (UTHR.O), opens new tab said on Wednesday it had filed a case with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, alleging that due procedure was not followed in allowing rival Liquidia's (LQDA.O), opens new tab application for a blood pressure drug. United Therapeutics alleged that Liquidia skirted long standing FDA rules, precedents and procedures when it filed its application for an inhaled dry powder of treprostinil for pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD). (2/21)

Newsweek: Forget 10k? Scientists Reveal How Many Steps Cut Senior Heart Failure Risk
There is no doubt that walking is associated with a mountain of health benefits, including reducing our risk of heart diseases, diabetes, dementia and certain cancers. However, studies have shown that the maximum risk reductions for all cause mortality can be seen after 8,800 daily steps, with maximum reduction in cardiovascular risk seen at 7,100 steps. ... But new research, published in the journal JAMA Cardiology, has shown that women over 60 can see significant improvements in heart health after just 3,000 daily steps. (2/21)

CIDRAP: COVID Vaccine Mandates May Have Had Unintended Consequences, Researchers Say
US state COVID-19 vaccine mandates didn't significantly change uptake, and states with mandates actually had lower COVID-19 booster and voluntary adult and child flu vaccine coverage than those that banned vaccine requirements, an analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data suggests. (Van Beusekom, 2/21)

CIDRAP: US Study: Disparities In Death Rates Persist After Acute Phase Of Pandemic
A new research letter in JAMA Network Open demonstrates that pre-COVID disparities in all-cause mortality have largely persisted after the acute phase of the pandemic, as patterns have largely returned to baseline. The study examined annualized age-standardized death rates (ASDRs) among major demographic groups in the United States from March 2018 through May 2023. Sex, race and ethnicity, metropolitan status, and region were all considered. (Soucheray, 2/21)

CIDRAP: Paxlovid Use Tied To 84% Lower Risk Of Hospital Care
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill investigators report today that COVID-19 hospitalization risk was reduced by 84% among Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir and ritonavir) recipients in a large, diverse healthcare system during January to August 2022, when the Omicron strain was dominant. The study appears in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. Paxlovid is authorized for use in US patients 12 years and older at risk for developing severe outcomes from COVID-19 infections. (Soucheray, 2/21)

Stat: Antivenom Research: Lessons From HIV Applied In Search For Universal Antidote
Antivenom, like Mexican Coke or grandma’s cookies, is still made the old-fashioned way. In antivenom’s case, the recipe is straightforward: Pump a horse full of sub-lethal doses of venom from various local snakes, wait for them to develop an immune response, tap their blood, purify out antibodies, bottle, and freeze. (Mast, 2/21)

AP: Silent Brain Changes Precede Alzheimer's. Researchers Have New Clues About Which Come First
Alzheimer’s quietly ravages the brain long before symptoms appear and now scientists have new clues about the dominolike sequence of those changes — a potential window to one day intervene. A large study in China tracked middle-aged and older adults for 20 years, using regular brain scans, spinal taps and other tests. Compared to those who remained cognitively healthy, people who eventually developed the mind-robbing disease had higher levels of an Alzheimer’s-linked protein in their spinal fluid 18 years prior to diagnosis, researchers reported Wednesday. (Neergaard, 2/21)

Stat: Study Fuels Hope CAR-T Cell Therapy Could Treat Autoimmune Disease
People with autoimmune disorders don’t usually get to talk about a cure. There’s symptom management, hopeful periods of remission often followed by relapses, but rarely a lasting fix for the way their immune system attacks healthy cells. If the immune system is an army, then those with conditions like lupus, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis are often fighting a never-ending war of friendly fire. (Gaffney, 2/21)

Reuters: Change Healthcare Network Hit By Cybersecurity Attack
UnitedHealth Group-owned (UNH.N), opens new tab Change Healthcare said on its status page that it was hit by a cybsecurity attack on its systems on Wednesday, saying the disruption will last at least through the day. The Tennessee-based company, which is a national provider of healthcare cost transparency and consumer engagement solutions, said it was facing enterprise-wide connectivity issues that started at 05:05 ET (10:05 GMT). (2/22)

Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Staffing Not Meeting Demand Despite 2023 Hiring Gains
The healthcare industry has significantly increased its staffing over the past few years, returning overall employment levels to pre-pandemic trend lines and leading other sectors in job growth. It’s a monumental accomplishment, but experts say these gains aren’t nearly enough to offset healthcare’s understaffing woes. With employee turnover, clinician retirement and health systems building more facilities to meet the service demands of an aging patient population, industry job openings still vastly outnumber the staff available to fill them. (Devereaux, 2/21)

Modern Healthcare: ACOs, Nursing Homes Collaborate On Proposal For CMS
Better integrating nursing homes into accountable care organizations could lead to significant Medicare savings, but would also require tweaks to ACOs or new value-based care tests, according to a trade organization report released Wednesday. Only about 2,000 nursing homes are participating in ACOs. But a white paper, published by the American Health Care Association and the National Association of ACOs, said nursing homes could play a critical role in value-based care. (Eastabrook, 2/21)

Stat: Dario To Buy Mental Health App Maker Twill In Cash And Stock Deal
DarioHealth, which makes apps for managing chronic diseases, today announced it will acquire digital mental health company Twill for $10 million in cash plus stock valued at over $20 million at the end of Tuesday trading. The move is a bet that a consolidated offering can attract a critical mass of large customers in a market where profits have been elusive. (Aguilar, 2/21)

Modern Healthcare: HCSC Bets On Medicare Advantage With Cigna Deal
Financial and regulatory challenges in Medicare Advantage aren't stopping Health Care Service Corp. from diving deeper into its suddenly murky waters. Industry leaders UnitedHealth Group and Humana, along with other carriers such as Centene, Molina Healthcare and CVS Health subsidiary Aetna, recently disclosed that their Medicare Advantage operations are under financial strain amid higher-than-expected medical expenses, federal policies to constrain spending and promote quality, and a looming payment cut. (Berryman, 2/21)

Reuters: Teladoc Slides On 'Anemic' 2024 Sales Forecast
Shares of Teladoc Health (TDOC.N), opens new tab slumped 20% after the biggest publicly listed telehealth firm forecast 2024 sales below expectations on sluggish demand for its online mental health platform. At least two analysts said while the company managed to improve its margin in the fourth quarter, the weaker sales forecast for this year highlighted continued challenges in demand for its online mental health platform, BetterHelp. (2/21)

Reuters: Icahn Enterprises Warns Of Drop In Asset Value, Names Insider Teno CEO
Icahn Enterprises (IEP.O), opens new tab on Wednesday warned of a sequential decline in its indicative net asset value in the fourth quarter, sending shares of the investment firm, which named insider Andrew Teno as its CEO, down 11%. The drop in a key metric that gauges the value of a fund's assets adds more pressure on IEP's stock, which saw a selloff last year after short seller Hindenburg Research bet against the firm. (2/21)

Modern Healthcare: Community Health Systems Plots $1 Billion In Facility Sales
Community Health Systems may sell more than $1 billion of facilities in the next few years as it tries to improve its bottom line. The possible divestitures are in a handful of markets, and at least one is expected to close by the end of the year, President and Chief Financial Officer Kevin Hammons told analysts on Wednesday's fourth-quarter earnings call. (hudson, 2/21)

Modern Healthcare: Walgreens To Close VillageMD Clinics In Florida, Exit Market
Walgreens is closing its remaining VillageMD primary care clinics in Florida.Clinics in the Tampa and Orlando areas will close on March 15 as the company exits the Florida market, a company spokesperson confirmed Wednesday. VillageMD's website lists about 40 clinic locations in Florida, all co-located with Walgreens stores. VillageMD plans to support patients by providing them with resources on other care sites and how to access their medical records, the spokesperson said. (Hudson, 2/21)

The New York Times: Duke Shuts Down Huge Plant Collection, Causing Scientific Uproar
Duke University has decided to close its herbarium, a collection of 825,000 specimens of plants, fungi and algae that was established more than a century ago. The collection, one of the largest and most diverse in the country, has helped scientists map the diversity of plant life and chronicle the impact of humans on the environment. The university’s decision has left researchers reeling. (Zimmer, 2/21)

Reuters: Emergent Appoints Former Bausch + Lomb CEO To Head Company
Emergent BioSolutions (EBS.N), opens new tab said on Wednesday it has named former Bausch + Lomb (BLCO.TO), opens new tab CEO Joseph Papa to the top job as the company, which makes the opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan, aims to return to revenue growth. Shares of Emergent rose more than 10% before the bell. Papa has 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry. (Santhosh, 2/21)

Modern Healthcare: McDonough District Hospital CEO Brian Dietz Resigns
Brian Dietz resigned Tuesday as president and CEO of McDonough District Hospital in Macomb, Illinois, the hospital said. Dietz was suspended with pay by the hospital's board Dec. 28 amid an internal investigation into unspecified allegations. The suspension was set to end Feb. 5, but was extended to Tuesday for unspecified reasons. (DeSilva, 2/21)

The Washington Post: Jonathan Uhr, Immunologist Who Advanced Cancer Treatment, Dies At 96 
Jonathan W. Uhr, a medical researcher who expanded the field of immunology with studies that helped explain how antibodies work, led to a therapy that effectively eradicated a blood disorder that could be fatal for newborns, and opened promising new avenues in the treatment of cancer, died Feb. 15 at a hospice center in Dallas. He was 96. He had prostate cancer, said his wife, Ginger Uhr. (Langer, 2/21)

The New York Times: Oklahoma’s Anti-Trans Law Draws Scrutiny After Nex Benedict’s Death
A 16-year-old student in a small Oklahoma town outside Tulsa died after what the police said was a “physical altercation” in a high school bathroom, drawing outrage from gay and transgender rights groups who said the student was attacked because of their gender identity.The student, Nex Benedict, who often used the pronouns they and them, told relatives that they did not see themselves as strictly male or female. Under an Oklahoma law passed in 2022, students must use the bathrooms that align with their birth gender. (Goodman and Sandoval, 2/21)

AP: Georgia Has The Nation's Only Medicaid Work Requirement. Mississippi Could Be Next
After years of refusing to expand Medicaid, some of Mississippi’s Republican leaders now say they are open to the policy — if they can require new enrollees to have a job. That approach could hinge on presidential politics and an ongoing legal battle in Georgia. In a statement to The Associated Press, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann said Mississippi must consider all options to improve its labor force participation rate and poor health outcomes, both of which are among the worst in the country. (Goldberg, 2/21)

AP: Amid Fentanyl Crisis, Oregon Lawmakers Propose More Funding For Opioid Addiction Medication In Jails
Kendra Sawyer spoke with her dad from the Deschutes County jail and told him she loved him. Six hours later, in the throes of opioid withdrawal, the 22-year-old took her own life. ... Oregon jails could soon see a rise in the number of inmates struggling with opioid addiction like Kendra, if efforts are successful during this legislative session to roll back Measure 110, the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law that legalized the possession of “personal use” amounts of illicit drugs such as heroin. In response, state lawmakers from both parties are pushing for more funding for medications used to treat opioid addiction in jails. (Rush, 2/22)