Latest KFF Health News Stories
More Elderly People Are Prescribed Drugs That Could Lead To Falls
The Washington Post reports on a two-decade-long rise in the use of drugs that can raise fall risks in older people. Meanwhile, rural children have greater difficulty finding health care, and a mom in Florida is demanding better labeling on marijuana edibles.
Special Report: Axios Investigates Predatory Billing At Top US Hospitals
The news group, in partnership with Johns Hopkins University, takes a deeper look at rising deductibles and out-of-pocket costs that are increasingly leaving patients with bloated medical bills.
Judge Rejects Houston Medical Workers’ Anti-Vaccine Mandate Lawsuit
Houston Methodist’s requirement for employee covid vaccines is valid, a federal judge ruled. Meanwhile, reports say a shortage of physicians could top 139,000 by 2033, and a shortage of psychiatric workers is leading to long waits for children’s mental health care.
Philips Recalls Some CPAP Machines, Ventilators Over Cancer Risk
The recall centered around a foam part that might degrade and become toxic, potentially causing cancer, the company said Monday. In other pharmaceutical and biotech news, the FDA authorized IpsiHand for stroke victims, and Bayer is expanding its manufacturing of birth control.
Alzheimer’s Association Urges Biogen To Lower Price Of Aduhelm
And the continued controversy over the approval of Aduhelm has many people wondering: When will the FDA get a permanent commissioner?
Where Covid Is Still Spreading In The US — Or Could Claw Back Again
While cases drop dramatically in the U.S., experts are carefully watching trends in states with lower vaccination rates. A slight rise has already been reported in eight. And minority communities are still at critical risk.
Long-Haul Covid Shares Similarities With Alzheimer’s, Study Suggests
Other covid research news is on antigen tests, antibody treatments, smart thermometers and bickering over how to name the covid variants.
G7 Leaders Discuss Covid Lab-Leak Theory, Call For Renewed WHO Probe
President Joe Biden signed onto the communique asking for a “timely, transparent” investigation by the World Health Organization into the origins of the covid pandemic.
J&J Must Toss 60M Doses After Plant Contamination Incident
Following inspections at the Emergent BioSolutions plant in Baltimore, the Food and Drug Administration told Johnson & Johnson that 60 millions covid vaccine doses could be tainted and are unusable, The New York Times reports. No shots manufactured at the troubled facility have been administered in the U.S.
Novavax Says Trials Show Its Covid Vaccine To Be Safe And 90% Effective
The vaccine manufacturer plans to apply for FDA clearance in the third quarter of this year. If authorized, it would be the fourth vaccine available in the U.S. And another coronavirus shot option would help boost global vaccination efforts.
US Vaccine Donations Could Spike By Another 1 Billion, Biden Says At G7
“There’s a possibility over in 2022, going into 2023, that we would be able to be in a position to provide another billion U.S., but that’s not done yet,” President Joe Biden said Sunday at a news conference at the end of the Group of Seven summit.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KHN finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on covid, pregnancy, happiness, mental health, coffee, polio and more.
Opinion writers tackle these covid issues.
Viewpoints: Current Malaria Drug Unaffordable In US; Pandemic Appears To Have Worsened Eyesight
Editorial pages weigh in on these various public health issues.
North Carolina Advances Abortion Ban; Governor Likely To Veto
The bill, which bans the procedure based on race, sex or a Down syndrome diagnosis, may be vetoed when it reaches the governor’s desk. Rising flu in Texas, dog attacks on mail deliverers and Louisiana ending jobless benefits are also in the news.
BioNTech Chooses Africa For Expanded MRNA Vaccine Production
In other news, India pushes for more second covid vaccine doses; Germany rolls out a digital vaccine passport; Japan gets ready for the Olympics; and the world’s first decuplets may have been born in South Africa.
UnitedHealthcare Pauses Plans To Scrutinize ER Visit Payments
UnitedHealthcare delayed its plan to examine and possibly claw back money from emergency room payments, after facing pushback from hospitals and doctors. Ransomware, covid-sniffing dogs and rising demand for mental health care are also in the news.
NIH’s Plan To Tackle Structural Racism Faces Criticism
The National Institutes of Health is the largest funder of biomedical research in the U.S. Meanwhile, med school cheating, nursing staff burnout caused by bad electronic health records and shortages of rural health care staff in North Carolina are also in the news.
Delayed Childhood Vaccines May Cause A ‘Serious Health Threat’ After Covid
The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned that the slump in childhood vaccinations during the pandemic may cause big long-term problems. Separately, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes an unusual wave of RSV cases sweeping Southern states.