Latest KFF Health News Stories
Report: People Close To Death Suffer Due To Over-Medicalization
A report from a new Lancet Commission says that increased suffering and loss of dignity are side effects of overreliance on medicine during the process of dying. In other news, Magellan Health will start using a drone to deliver some members’ specialist prescription meds this year.
Suicide Attempts Rise 50% Among Teenage Girls
Although teenage boys remain more likely to die by suicide, teenage girls are more likely to attempt it, a report in the Texas Tribune notes. Meanwhile, in abortion news, AP reports that minority women will be most affected if abortion is banned in the U.S.
More Children Died In Maine In 2021 Than Recorded Before
The Bangor Daily News report says 25 children died in “incidents tracked by the state that were associated with abuse or neglect,” or after a family involvement with the child welfare system. The figure is more than double the total for 2020.
Plan To Target Mental Health Issues Garners Bipartisan Senate Support
Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee leaders say that the group plans a legislative package to tackle mental health and substance use challenges.
A Million Years Of Life Were Lost To Drug Overdoses From 2015 To 2019
A new study says that about 1.2 million years of human life were lost due to unintentional drug doses, with more men than women dying. In other news, Native American tribes have reached a settlement with opioid makers and distributors worth $590 million.
Biden To Relaunch More Modest Cancer Moonshot But No New Funding
The effort will create a “cancer Cabinet” of federal departments and agencies to better focus the government’s efforts on the disease and promote more cancer screenings. But at this point, it doesn’t include any specific funding.
Lockdowns Had ‘Little To No’ Benefit On Public Health, Analysis Finds
The Johns Hopkins researchers concluded that the lockdowns “had enormous economic and social costs,” however. The report says lockdowns in Europe and the United States reduced covid mortality by only 0.2% on average.
Covid ‘Raging’ Among Prisoners Across US
News outlets cover the effects of covid outbreaks in prisons across America, including a push to seek fewer jail bookings in King County, Washington. In other news on the penal system, reports show medical care at Rikers Island in New York has being delayed for thousands of prisoners.
Severity Of Omicron Subvariant Cases Expected To Match Original, WHO Says
Based on data from Denmark — a country where the BA.2 subvariant overtook the original BA.1 virus version — the World Health Organization says that illnesses are not expected to be more serious and that vaccines seem to offer equal protection.
Most Unvaxxed Americans Aren’t Asking For The Free At-Home Tests
A Newsweek report says that around 70% of unvaccinated Americans (who aren’t planning to get a shot) haven’t taken the opportunity to get free tests from the government. News outlets cover other covid testing developments, including how shortages of tests are affecting nursing homes.
FDA’s High-Stakes Plan On Child Vaccines Raises Concerns
Asking Pfizer and BioNTech to submit an authorization request is an unusual move by the FDA and reflects the dangers covid poses to unvaccinated kids under 5. But experts worry that if the plan backfires that it could suppress adoption of the covid shot.
Studies: Immune Cell Protection From Vaccines Holds Up Against Omicron
While antibody protection may wane against omicron in vaccinated people, two studies show that the T-cell response remains strong, matching the durability against the delta and beta variants.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
US Bobsledding Star Joins Teammates In Testing Positive For Covid
Elana Meyers Taylor tested positive for covid two days after arriving in Beijing for the Olympics. Meanwhile, with covid surging around the world, the CDC advised against travel to Mexico, Brazil, Singapore, Ecuador, Kosovo, the Philippines, and Paraguay.
Worries Over Privacy In Sale Of IBM’s Health Database MarketScan
IBM said it would sell the decades-old databases to an investment firm, but its founder has raised worries about the level of detail the system has gathered on 270 million American’s health. Crisis Text Line, Walmart’s AI health business, the Beaumont-Spectrum merger and more are also in the news.
Report Shows Being Black With Cervical Cancer Is More Deadly
Despite advances in treating cervical cancer, a new report from rural Georgia shows “glaring” disparities in death rates between Black patients and those who are white. In other news, worries emerge about the future of the internet as the “metaverse” and its impact on kids’ mental health.
Seeking To Save Nomination To Head FDA, Califf Takes ‘Ethics Pledge’
Some Democratic senators have expressed concerns about Robert Califf, President Joe Biden’s choice to lead the agency. He sought to win the support of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) by vowing to not work for any drug firm for four years after leaving the FDA job. And in other news, White House officials are reportedly unhappy with Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
California Lawmakers Kill Landmark Single-Payer Health Care Bill
Bill 1400, a proposal by Assemblyman Ash Kalra (D., San Jose), would’ve created the U.S.’s first single-payer health system, but it didn’t even get put to a vote due to a lack of support. In other California news, moves to toughen nursing home oversight and plans to shut death row go forward.
DoD To Appeal Order To Empty Navy’s Leak-Stricken Hawaii Fuel Tanks
The Defense Department is set to appeal Hawaii’s order that the Navy drain tanks at a fuel tank farm that had leaked and contaminated Pearl Harbor’s tap water. In Maine, meanwhile, reports say the state may have to pay $20 million annually to fight “forever chemicals” found in contaminated land.
As Wave Of GOP Leadership Rolls Into Virginia, Colleges Cut Vax Mandates
The Washington Post reports that covid vaccine mandates seem “on the way out” at Virginia’s public universities in line with an opinion from the new Republican attorney general. Across the U.S., health worker mandates, National Guard vax rules and more continue to stir controversy.