Latest KFF Health News Stories
Rural Residents Get Depressed More Than Urban Dwellers
Rural residents experience depression more than urban residents, a new study found. Several lawmakers also talk about their mental health. And in other health news from across the US, California considers mandating HPV shots for all college students.
Viewpoints: Covid Guidance Is Ready For An Update; Is It Cheaper To Bypass Insurance?
Editorial writers tackle covid guidance, pricey insurance, health issues related to climate change, and more.
Perspectives: Ideas To Finance New Medications; Narcan Isn’t The Best Opioid Addiction Tool
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Vaccination Centers Were Too Limited During Mpox Spread; ‘Antibiotic Resistance Genes’ Found In Food
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week.
Lawmakers Weigh In On Appeal Of Texas Judge’s Abortion Pill Ruling
After 240 Democratic lawmaker filed an amicus brief urging a federal appeals court to block a Texas judge’s order that the FDA vacate authorization of one of the drugs used in a medication abortion, 69 Republicans submitted their own brief arguing for the ruling to be upheld. An antiabortion group did the same.
Abortion Providers Prepare For No Mifepristone
Misoprostol alone is still an option for a medication-induced abortion. “It’s a little old-school, but we could do it,” one doctor said.
Abortions Fell 6% After Dobbs Ruling, More Than Some Expected
The data ran through the end of 2022, by which point 13 states had banned abortion with almost no exceptions and another state had banned it after six weeks of pregnancy, The New York Times reported. Meanwhile, in Montana, a preemptive lawsuit failed to halt the state’s pending abortion ban.
Tranq-Laced Fentanyl Is ‘Emerging Threat,’ White House Official Warns
The illegal drug combination of fentanyl and xylazine has been linked to a growing number of deaths, said Dr. Rahul Gupta, the nation’s anti-drug czar. In other news on the drug crisis: overdose kits are becoming more widely available, and a woman is charged in Louisiana for failing to seek aid for an overdose victim.
EPA Proposes Limits On Ethylene Oxide
The carcinogenic gas is used to sterilize medical equipment and can leak into the environment. In other news, claims that the diabetes drug Mounjaro may be more effective that Ozempic for weight loss, but there are major caveats.
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Some States Stockpiling Mifepristone, Misoprostol Amid Legal Upheaval
Governors in California, Massachusetts, and Washington have secured supplies of drugs used in a medication abortion as court challenges around mifepristone raise future access concerns. And for now, sales of the drug are continuing.
Digital Privacy Concerns Raised In First-Of-Its-Kind Abortion Lawsuit
A Texas man’s wrongful death lawsuit against three women he says helped his ex-wife get a medication abortion is paving new ground in the abortion court cases and also highlights the role of text messages and other digital evidence, NPR reports.
‘Project Next Gen’ Aims To Expedite Vaccines To Combat Future Coronaviruses
As the successor to “Operation Warp Speed,” the White House is kicking off a new $5 billion initiative to develop vaccines and treatments for future covid variants as well as new coronaviruses that might emerge as public health threats. Also, President Joe Biden signs the bill ending the covid national emergency. The public health emergency remains in place until May 11.
Louisville Gunman Didn’t Fit Mental Health Profile Of A Killer, People Say
Police say Connor Sturgeon, 25, killed five people Monday at Old National Bank, where he had worked full-time since 2021. Sturgeon was described as “extremely intelligent” and in 2020 earned both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree at the same time from the University of Alabama. He was athletic and popular but had also expressed having trouble with his self-esteem.
CMS Floats 2.8% Increase For Hospital Inpatient Payments
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing a 2.8% pay increase, or $3.3 billion in additional funding in fiscal year 2024. Hospitals say the pay hike will only barely cover inflation.
By 2030, Moderna Aims To Offer Vaccines For Cancer And Heart Disease
A Moderna spokesperson tells CNBC that new vaccines could even come as quickly as five years from now, thanks to advancements in mRNA technology. Other pharmaceutical news is on the Theranos case, cancer drug shortages, Juul, and more.
Don’t Stress: High Stress Linked With Cognitive Problems After Age 45
Public health news also focuses on a rise in the number of girls being diagnosed with autism; why Latinos and Hispanics are more likely to get certain leukemias; a salad recall due to listeria; and more.
GOP May Tweak Work Requirements For Those On Medicaid, Food Stamps
Meanwhile, AP reports on an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation that found 6,500 psychotherapy requests for kids were denied by a Georgia Medicaid insurer. In other news from around the country: air conditioning in Texas state prisons; avian flu in Colorado; concern over changes to Title IX; and more.
In War On Drugs, Some Republicans Are Calling For Actual Battles
Politico reports that Reps. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) and Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) have introduced a bill seeking authorization for the use of military force against drug cartels, and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said he is open to sending U.S. troops into Mexico to target drug lords.
Viewpoints: Kacsmaryk’s Ruling Feels Like He Is Sure Of Supreme Court Win
Opinion writers weigh in on abortion, heart failure, drugs, and other topics.