Latest KFF Health News Stories
Oklahoma Heartbeat Law Blocked; Other Abortion Restrictions Allowed
An Oklahoma judge temporarily blocked two new anti-abortion laws from going into effect next month, including a restriction similar to Texas’ that bans abortion around 6 weeks of pregnancy. The judge allowed three others, including restrictions on medication-induced abortion and which doctors can perform the procedure.
NIH Director Collins Will Resign At End Of Year: Reports
The National Institutes of Health is expected to announce that its longest-serving director will soon step down, Politico first reported. Francis Collins has run the agency since 2009 when he was nominated by then-President Barack Obama. No interim director has been named yet, an agency official told The Washington Post.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Pink Ribbons Aren’t Helping Breast Cancer; New Moms Deserve Better Lactation Supports
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health topics.
New Zealand Abandons Zero-Covid Plan, Mandates Vax For All Visitors
The New Zealand government has admitted it can no longer completely eradicate covid in the country. Separately, CNN reports that from Nov. 1, all foreign visitors entering New Zealand must be vaccinated. Meanwhile, the global covid death tally has hit 5 million.
Mental Health Support For Tennessee Flood Victims Boosted By FEMA Funds
More than $116,000 in funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is going to help people needing ongoing mental health support after suffering in August’s flood emergency. Meanwhile, California is pushing to regulate the CBD industry with safety standards and labels.
Perspectives: Antiviral Pill Molnupiravir Shows Impressive Results; Vaccine Mandates Are Working
Opinion writers weigh in on these covid and vaccine issues.
Pro-Insurer White House Surprise Billing Rule Angers Providers
Modern Healthcare reports on fallout from the recent regulation covering surprise medical bills, a move thought to favor insurers. The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, reports on how similar covid treatment costs can vary by tens of thousands of dollars, even in the same hospital.
Silicon Chip Shortage Pushes Medical Tech Makers To Front Of Queue
The chip shortage that’s impacted the car industry also hit pacemaker and ultrasound makers, but the Wall Street Journal reports that their tactic for ensuring supply rests on the life-saving tech they make. Also, generic drugmakers settle price-fixing suit; Pfizer loses a copay lawsuit; and more.
Study Shows The Pain Of Carrying Debt Can Be Physical, Too
A new study shows people who carry unsecured debt were 76% more likely to experience pain that interfered with daily life versus those who don’t. Separately, studies show the impact of pandemic-related stress on mental and physical health. Meanwhile, paid family leave may become law.
Outing Herself, Whistleblower Says Facebook ‘Optimizes’ Misinformation
The Facebook staffer who shared thousands of pages of internal documents with the Wall Street Journal revealed her identity on 60 Minutes last night, saying the social media giant is aware of the harm bad info on its platforms can cause during the pandemic and on teen mental health.
US Scientists Earn Nobel In Medicine For Finding How We Sense Heat, Touch
David Julius at the University of California at San Francisco and Ardem Patapoutian at Scripps Research shared the award for investigating nerve impulses. CNN reports that part of the research used capsaicin from chili peppers to activate the heat-sensing nerve endings in skin.
Fractured Democrats Search For Deals On Spending Bills
The weekend brought little progress on reaching agreement between the moderate and progressive wings of the party on the intertwined infrastructure and social spending packages. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer set a new target goal for passage of next month.
Abortion, Gun Rights On Docket As Supreme Court Opens New Session
Court watchers are anticipating landmark decisions with the strong majority of conservative justices as they kick off the fall session today — in person for the first time since the covid pandemic hit.
Health Care Worker Mandates See Mixed Results; Many Employees Fired
Data from New York show that hospitals saw a marked increase in the number of vaccinated workers as the deadline approached. But in Rhode Island, 92 facilities didn’t meet the deadline. Meanwhile, three more airlines have announced that their employees will be required to get the jab.
California School Kids Will Be Required To Get Vaccinated Against Covid
It’s the first state to mandate the shot for all students — which will not go into effect until a vaccine for younger kids is approved by the FDA. Separately, the Supreme Court allowed New York’s teacher and school staff vaccination requirement to stand.
Ending The Pandemic Through Vaccines May Need 90% To Get Shots
Fox News covers an interview with Dr. Eric Topol, founder of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, talking about the challenges of vaccinating against the virus in the era of delta covid. Booster shots have been given to 2 million people in the last week, according to the White House.
J&J To File This Week For Booster Shot Approval
Johnson & Johnson plans to apply early this week to the Food and Drug Administration for authorization to administer a second dose of its covid vaccine.
As Holiday Season Approaches, Will It Be Safe To Gather?
Dr. Anthony Fauci says it’s too soon to know what’s going to be advised for December: “We’ve just got to concentrate on continuing to get those numbers down and not try to jump ahead by weeks or months and say what we’re going to do at a particular time.” And before that, parents must decide how to approach Halloween.
More Than 700,000 Americans Have Died From Covid
News outlets cover the tragic figure, reached late Friday. AP notes the total is larger than the population of Boston and that the last 100,000 of the deaths occurred during a period when vaccines were freely available. ABC News reports the total also beats cancer death numbers.