Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opinion writers weigh in on these health topics and others.
Media outlets report on news from Alabama, Virginia, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Maryland and Missouri.
Ex-FDA Head Robert Califf Hired To Lead Strategy At Google Health, Verily Life Sciences
Former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf has been tapped by Google parent Alphabet to serve as head of strategy and policy for Google Health and Verily Life Sciences. Califf served at FDA from 2016 to 2017 during the Obama administration. And other hospital and health system news is reported from Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Illinois.
Say What?: Put Processed And Red Meats Back On The Dinner Table, Controversial New Study Suggests
Just as plant-based burgers are starting to gain acceptance, a new study published in the American College of Physicians’ journal Annals of Medicine is saying there’s little scientific evidence to support that eating less red meat is better for your health. But the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and other groups have attacked the findings and the journal that published them.
‘Big Cultural Change’: VA Smoking Ban Has Some Vets Fuming, But Other Welcome The Change
Compared to those who have never served in the military, veterans smoke at double the rate—29% compared to 14%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Tuesday, the VA isn’t allowing smoking or vaping inside or outside campuses.
Pharmacy Chains CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid Remove Zantac From Store Shelves Over Cancer Concerns
The FDA is investigating the source of the contamination in the popular heartburn drug.
The FDA Tried To Ban Kid-Friendly, Flavored Vaping Fluids Years Ago – What Stopped It?
The Los Angeles Times reports that as the regulation was being considered as part of an Obama administration tobacco control rule, tobacco industry lobbyists and small business advocates applied a full court press on the White House. Now, with so much attention on the vaping disease outbreak, some congressional Republicans are being pulled between free market principles and efforts to regulate e-cigarette and vaping products. Outlets also report on the sprawling black market for vaping products as well as efforts to crack down on vaping in the Bay Area. In addition, six Massachusetts vape shop owners are suing the state over its temporary ban on vaping-product sales.
Will This Year’s Flu Vaccine Mix Protect People From The Coming Season?
Evidence emerges that lead some to worry that two of the four selections made last winter for this upcoming season’s flu vaccine could be off the mark, Stat reports. In other public health news: social media’s impact on kids; good Samaritans who donate organs twice; asthma; and dangerous cosmetics.
Unconventional Settlement Idea Eyed By Drugmakers Named In Massive Ohio Opioids Lawsuit
Endo International, Johnson & Johnson and other drugmakers are working on an unusual strategy to end or shrink one of largest, most complex cases in U.S. history, The Wall Street Journal reports. The plan involves enacting a global settlement that would be implemented through OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy case. Meanwhile, as the Ohio trial approaches, a manufacturer accuses that state of not doing enough to stop the opioid epidemic. And an Ohio county experiences a spike in fatal fentanyl overdoses.
HHS Redistributes $34M In Family Planning Funds No Longer Going To Planned Parenthood And Others
Planned Parenthood and some states gave up the funding this summer after the Trump administration began enforcing new rules that ban providers from referring women for abortion.
The program, initiated under the Affordable Care Act, is designed to reward top-performing health providers with bonuses while pushing those that do poorly to repay Medicare. In her announcement, Seema Verma, the head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, said nearly 11 million Medicare beneficiaries are served by an accountable care organization. Other Medicare news includes the penalties hospitals face for having too many readmissions.
Collins was the largest investor and a member of the board of directors for Innate Immunotherapeutics, an Australian biotech company. He was charged with passing inside information on the company to his son Cameron and Stephen Zarsky, father of Cameron Collins’ fiancee.
Progressive Democrat Seeks Changes To Pelosi’s Plan To Curb Drug Costs
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) circulated a letter urging “necessary improvements.” In addition, the Pelosi plan could cause problems for the 340B program, a federal drug discount program designed to aid hospitals that serve poor people.
First Edition: October 1, 2019
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Skin-Lightening Cream Put A Woman Into A Coma. It Could Happen Again.
A Sacramento woman is in a coma after using a face cream from Mexico. It is the nation’s first case of methylmercury poisoning from a cosmetic, and public health officials can do almost nothing to prevent other contaminated cosmetics from hitting the shelves.
New Round of Medicare Readmission Penalties Hits 2,583 Hospitals
Starting today, Medicare is keeping half a billion dollars in payments from 83% of general hospitals for having too many patients come back.
Trastorno de atención: pediatras apoyan la medicación, pero otros la terapia primero
La prevalencia del TDAH se ha disparado en las últimas dos décadas, y ahora, 1 de cada 10 niños recibe este diagnóstico en el país. Hay controversia sobre qué terapia utilizar primero.
Opinion writers weigh in on these health care issues and others.
Editorial pages focus on solving the rising cost of health care and maintaining quality.
Media outlets report on news from California, Tennessee, Georgia, Minnesota, Washington, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Texas and New York.