Latest KFF Health News Stories
When Labels Mislead, Spur Health Crisis : A Look At How Even Lead Once Got A Thumbs Up
The Washington Post looks at why governmental limits lagged for years on the use of lead in products. News about regulations to reduce health risks is on baby foods and ethylene oxide, as well.
“Everyone sat up and said: ‘Wow, we’re not very good. Not only are we very expensive, we kill a lot of people,’ ” recalled Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the department of medicine at University of California at San Francisco, who who has written about patient safety issues for years. Many of the report’s ambitious goals, such as creating a reliable system of measuring errors, have yet to be realized. In other news on hospitals: debilitating lawsuits, financial struggles at rural facilities, infant deaths from contaminated equipment, and more.
FDA Revokes Controversial Orphan Drug Status For Opioid Addition Treatment In Unusual Move
Critics had argued that the FDA goofed in granting the orphan status in the first place. Stat takes a dive into the complicated background of the case. In other news from the national drug crisis: chronic pain, how Germany avoided an opioid epidemic, needle exchanges, and more.
The startup with only 14 employees raised flags with U.S. regulators over the safety of Zantac leading to an ever-growing recall of the product. “I had a fairly dim view of drug quality in the United States going into this, but we’ve discovered tons of problems I never even thought of — and they’re all over the place,” said Adam Clark-Joseph, one of Valisure’s founders. In other pharmaceutical news: the patent battle over the HIV prevention drug; 340B payment cuts; and Congress’s struggle to contain high drug prices.
Under the Trump administration, there’s been a push to allow veterans to seek care outside the VA system as a way to cut down on wait times and improve access. But some worry that will ultimately hurt veterans in the long run. Media outlets cover other news related to vets’ health care on Veterans Day.
The oil can become “like honey” and stick to the vaper’s lungs. Officials left open the possibility that other chemicals or toxins from vaping fluids or devices could also be causing the severe respiratory ailments. Meanwhile, ahead of any announcement on a vaping ban, President Donald Trump said he supports the idea of raising the minimum age to purchase e-cigarettes to 21.
Separating Rhetoric From Fact Can Be Tricky With Politically Divisive ‘Medicare For All’
The New York Times offers a fact check of some of the more pervasive claims and explains why there’s such different takes about how much the program will cost. Meanwhile, doctors, hospitals and specialists are gathering their forces to fight against any such proposal. And the topic of health care continues to dominate the 2020 Democratic primary race.
First Edition: November 11, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Sit, Heal: Dog Teaches Military Med Students The Merits Of Service Animals
Although service dogs are commonly seen at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, a retriever mix is a clinical instructor in the Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology.
Voters Say Congress Needs To Curb Drug Prices, But Are Lawmakers Listening?
Nearly 8 in 10 Americans say the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable, but the odds look grim for Congress to pass significant pricing legislation this year.
How Germany Averted An Opioid Crisis
Doctors are less likely to prescribe opioids in Germany and quicker to notice if a patient is at risk of abuse. And, for those who do experience addiction, treatment is easier to come by.
Must-Reads Of The Week From Brianna Labuskes
Newsletter editor Brianna Labuskes wades through hundreds of health care policy stories each week, so you don’t have to.
Longer Looks: Child Abuse; Social Media And Loneliness; And The Enduring Power Of Asperger’s
Each week, KHN finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care topics and others.
Media outlets report on news from New York, Oregon, Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, California, Tennessee, Louisiana, Ohio, North Carolina, Texas, Minnesota, and New Hampshire.
Leapfrog Issues Semi-Annual Hospital Safety Ratings Report
Media outlets take a look at what area hospitals rated on the closely watched Leapfrog Group report, which bases its rankings on preventable errors, accidents, injuries and infections that occur in hospitals.
The stations that are equipped with tools like blood pressure cuffs and could help people deal with minor health issues like colds can potentially be set up just about anywhere people might need them like airports. Currently, some medical centers and drug stores are testing them out. News on health technology is on data breaches involving 300,000 patients in October, as well.
HSAs Can Be A Powerful Savings Tool–But You Have To Know How To Utilize Them Right
Health savings accounts are unique in the triple tax advantage they offer, but many people can overlook them or find them too confusing to use.
The decision to offer contraception at the pregnancy centers would be a huge cultural shift, but it reflects a growing demand from some in the anti-abortion rights movement for the centers to rebrand themselves amid attacks on Planned Parenthood. Meanwhile, a second judge has struck down the Trump administration’s conscience rules that would make it easier for health care providers to deny care to patients based on moral beliefs.
Red States Go Back To The Drawing Board As Roadblocks Derail Medicaid Work Requirements
Legal rulings have made red states more hesitant to try to implement work requirements, but Republicans aren’t throwing in the towel yet. Work requirements “are not dead, but they’re certainly on life support,” said Joan Alker, of Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. “The reasons for states not to go down this path are piling up.” Medicaid news comes out of Missouri, Wyoming and Maine, as well.