Latest KFF Health News Stories
President Donald Trump raised concerns among his advisers and the NRA when he talked about the current political appetite for extensive background checks on guns, an idea that hasn’t been popular among his allies in the past. Meanwhile, Republicans see “red flag” laws as a way to address the public’s renewed calls for lawmakers to “do something.” But a look at previous shooting incidents show that those “red flags” often go unseen or unheeded even by those trained to spot them.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Price Of Snakebite Drug Is Sky High, But New Competitor Unlikely To Lower Costs
The drug CroFab, which has been on the market since 2000, now faces competition from a drug called Anavip. But both are expensive.
Federal Experts’ Advice On HPV Vaccine Could Leave Adults Confused
A federal advisory panel says people between ages 27 and 45 may benefit from the vaccine to fight the human papillomavirus. But some public health advocates worry that the advice doesn’t provide doctors and patients clear guidance about who in this large age group are good candidates for the vaccine.
Obesity Plagues Hispanics And Blacks In Colorado, Nation’s ‘Healthiest’ State
Obesity prevention does not get much attention in Colorado, often billed as the healthiest state. Yet more than 1 in 4 black or Hispanic residents are obese, as state and federal public health spending fuels other needs.
Opinion writers weigh in on these public health issues and others.
Opinion writers express views about the motives behind recent mass shootings and how to stop them.
Media outlets report on news from Georgia, Missouri, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Connecticut, New York, Texas, California, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Florida and Louisiana.
For example, some products containing lead, such as kajal, have been banned by the Food and Drug Administration but can still be purchased at specialty grocery stores. In other public health news: vaccines, boxing, climate change and exercise.
The fate of who gets to manage settlements from opioid lawsuits against drug companies is playing out as the October trial approaches. Federal Judge Dan Polster is overseeing the consolidation of some 2,000 cases from a negotiating bloc of thousands of U.S. cities and towns affected by the opioid crisis. “There has to be some vehicle to resolve these lawsuits,” said Polster. Also, opioid distributors offer their solution to settling claims. News on the opioid epidemic also looks at soaring use of naloxone, abuse by older people, and involuntary treatment, as well.
Series Of Restrictive Arkansas Abortion Laws Including 18-Week Ban Blocked Again By Federal Judge
U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker granted a preliminary injunction preventing the state from enforcing the restrictions: an 18-week ban, a mandate that physicians performing abortions be board-certified or board-eligible in obstetrics and gynecology, and a ban on anyone seeking the procedure because of a Down syndrome diagnosis. Abortion news comes out of Alabama and Illinois, as well.
Novartis Concealed Manipulated Data From FDA While Seeking Approval For $2.1M Gene Therapy Drug
Officials say the issue doesn’t put patients at risk, but the drugmaker could face penalties for withholding the information. The news has also unsettled an industry where many are racing to be the first to come out with these expensive gene therapies.
Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) wants CMS regulators to look into Medicaid managed care companies that he says are prioritizing profits over patients. After meeting with Centene, the nation’s largest Medicaid managed care company, Casey was appalled. “I thought they would try to persuade me that they were going to do better, but they didn’t seem interested in that at all,” he said. Meanwhile, advocates fear that if an Obama-era rule is dropped from Medicaid there won’t be enough providers to care for the low-income patients.
For Many Latinos, The Hatred-Driven El Paso Shooting Is ‘The Death Of The American Dream’
Latinos, regardless of immigration status, across the country were shaken by the shootings — a lethal exhibition of the increased racism and vitriol directed toward them. “It’s really hard to be alive as an immigrant right now and to not be sick and exhausted,” said Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, 30. “It feels like being hunted.” Meanwhile, experts warn that mass shootings can come in clusters and be contagious. In other news from the shootings: a look into the El Paso medical center that handled the victims; President Donald Trump plans to visit the cities; experts question if the death penalty would really be a deterrent; and more.
Following the shooting in Dayton, Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine faces demands that he “do something” from grief-stricken Ohioans. DeWine on Tuesday announced that he would push for measures that he thinks can pass the Republican-controlled state legislature, which has a history of knocking down similar efforts.
Democrats Invoke Emotional, Personal Experiences With Gun Violence In Messaging Shift For Party
Even a few years ago, it was politically fraught for Democrats to take a fierce and vocal stance against guns. “Since 2008 or 2004, we’ve continued to have, both in intensity and quantity, more and more of these horrific shootings that capture the mind’s eye and public attention,” said Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, who runs a rural state with a strong hunting tradition. “My family hasn’t been immune from that.” Other Democrats on the presidential trail are also using stronger language to urge for more restrictions.
President Donald Trump gave political cover to Republicans when he signaled his support for some kind of “red flag” legislation, which allows loved ones and law enforcement to take guns away from those they suspect might harm themselves or others. Some experts, however, question the effectiveness of such proposals and say that despite several “red flags” troubled people still slip through the cracks and end up going on to commit the mass shootings.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.