Latest KFF Health News Stories
14-Year-Old Invents Soap To Treat Skin Cancer, Wins Top Young Scientist Prize
Heman Bekele, who’s only in the ninth grade, developed a compound-based bar of soap designed to treat melanoma — with a delightful upshot, in this era of high medical bills, of a price of only 50 cents a bar. It earned him the top prize from 3M and Discovery Education.
Ways To Save Medicare Money May Not Be Popular With Voters, Industry
News outlets explore test models and policy debates over how Medicare spending could be reduced. Other insurance and health industry reports on older physicians, cybersecurity, premiums, and more.
Being Homeless In San Francisco Dramatically Raises Your Death Risk
A new study shows that being unhoused in San Francisco means you’re 16 times more likely to suddenly die than local residents with homes. Among other news, psychedelic mushrooms go on sale in Oregon; Ohio’s medical marijuana is among the cheapest; Narcan is stocked in New York City high schools; and more.
Survey: Shortages Of Meds, Equipment Now At Levels To Harm Patients
A survey from a nonprofit patient safety organization has revealed the extent that medical supply chain shortages are impacting health systems and patients across the country. Also, the FDA cleared Verve Therapeutics to conduct a clinical trial of a gene-edit therapy for a common heart disease.
Next Year, You Might Be Able To Take Your Own Flu Vaccine At Home
The FDA is reviewing an application from AstraZeneca to allow its nasal spray flu vaccine, FluMist, to be self-administered. If approved, it could be available for home use during the 2024-25 flu season. Plus, updates on RSV, strep, and covid.
Colo. Judge: Catholic Facility Allowed To Offer So-Called Abortion ‘Reversals’
The unproven treatment involves administering a high dose of progesterone. The judge said a Colorado law banning the treatment likely violates the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of religious freedom. In other news, a county in Texas has approved an abortion travel ban.
White House Wants To End All Use Of TCE, Chemical Linked To Cancer, Parkinson’s
The Biden administration aims to revive efforts from the Obama White House to ban trichloroethylene. It is a solvent used in cleaning chemicals and adhesives. Exposure to it, even in small amounts, has been linked in studies to cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Covid Cases Faded Across US, But Deaths Rose
U.S. covid markers are said to have shown more declines over recent weeks, but one of the markers for severity of infections — deaths from covid — were shown to have risen by CDC data. Even amid hopes the virus is becoming more flu-like, scientists worry more deadly surges may occur.
In California, Someone Caught Dengue Via Local Infection For The First Time
In startling news, a rare case of mosquito-borne dengue virus was locally acquired by someone in Pasadena — the first known case in the state for someone who had not recently traveled. Also in the news: In the hunt for Zika virus vaccines, volunteers are safely infected for the first time.
Doctors, Hospitals Increasingly Caught In Crossfire Despite Geneva Conventions
The New York Times highlights Article 18 of the First Geneva Convention, ratified after World War II, which says hospitals “may under no circumstances be the object of attack,” while pointing out that across the world, doctors and hospitals are being hit. AP covers the “nightmare” in Gaza’s hospitals.
Roche Drug Achieves Dramatic Impact On Some Early-Stage Lung Cancers
The risk of recurrence or death for patients with a type of early non-small cell lung cancer on Alecensa fell by 76% versus chemotherapy. The drug is already approved for advanced cases where the cancer has spread to other areas in the body. Also in the news: growing “pharmacy desert” risks.
New Report Highlights Giant Health Care Costs Associated With Dementia
A new study from the University of Michigan highlights how massive the out-of-pocket health care financial burden can be for families of people with dementia. Meanwhile, a separate study shows how the cost of giving birth in the U.S. is already high, and is getting ever higher over time.
Pfizer’s Vaccine For Meningococcal Diseases Earns FDA Approval
Approval for the vaccine Penbraya makes it the first to protect against five groups of the bacteria behind meningitis and blood poisoning. Among other news, Sanofi reports “unprecedented” demand for its RSV therapy; the CDC’s acting director warns of respiratory disease season; and more,
Congress’ Battle Against Opioid Crisis Becomes Slog, As Thousands Die
There seems to be no answer from Congress for the opioid drug crisis, Politico reports. And an investigation reveals drug overdose deaths are soaring at Georgia prisons. Elsewhere, it’s reported Texas cities are destroying expired Narcan doses despite that they can still be effective against overdoses.
Your ‘Friendly’ AI Chatbot May Give You Racist Health Guidance
Some high-profile artificial intelligence chatbots perpetuate false or debunked medical information about Black people, a new study has found, reminding us of the risks of using low-quality data to train the new tech even as other reports show how much promise AI has in some health care settings.
Georgia Enrolls Just 1,343 So Far For Medicaid Program With Work Requirement
The new Georgia Pathways to Coverage is off to a slow start, enrolling fewer than estimated people in the first 3 months of the alternative Medicaid program. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution secured the records from the state.
Viewpoints: FDA Oversight Needed For Lab-Developed Tests; Here’s How We Got The Covid Response Wrong
Editorial writers discuss lab testing, covid responses, advanced directives and more.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers discuss covid boosters, yellow fever, weight-loss drugs, and more.