Latest KFF Health News Stories
Chinese Officials Acknowledge Low Protection Of Domestic Vaccines
Global health news is reported out of China, Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Israel and Bhutan.
Viewpoints: Are Employer-Aided Vaccinations The Next Step?; Rural Areas Struggling To Vaccinate
Opinion writers analyze covid and vaccine issues.
Soaring Pandemic Wages Of Nurses Is Source Of Dispute
A hospital chain and a nurse staffing firm sue each other over the cost of nurses during the pandemic. In other health care industry news, 3M sues a company, alleging it made fake N95 masks.
Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Ground Turkey
The Department of Agriculture issued an alert about ground turkey made by Plainville Brands. In other news, your newly discovered gray hair could be pandemic-related.
Supreme Court Again Favors Religion Over Covid Restrictions In California
The 5-4 vote bars the state from enforcing a rule that limits both religious and non-religious gatherings in homes to no more than three households. Other news is from Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Florida, Maine, West Virginia and Ohio.
Fed’s Powell: Opening Before Pandemic Is Licked Is Worrisome
The chairman of the Federal Reserve warned that reopening the economy too quickly could lead to more covid cases that will in turn hurt the economy. “We will reopen too quickly, people will too quickly return to their old practices, and we’ll see another spike in cases.”
Big Tech Making Moves Into Patient Records, AI In Health Care
Google is exploring how patients may want to manage their own medical record data with a new tool, and Microsoft is ready to spend billions of dollars to buy an AI firm that could help doctors with note-taking and help predict patient needs.
Progress In Treating Hodgkin Lymphoma
A clinical trial says a treatment using “natural killer cells” is effective against Hodgkin lymphoma. Separately, retevmo, a drug from Eli Lilly already approved for lung and thyroid cancer treatments, has shown promise in beating rare tumors found elsewhere.
Biden Wants $6.5 Billion For Medical Research
The president proposed the creation of a medical research agency to cure cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes. He also wants $400 billion for long-term care of aged Americans.
California Picks Up The Pace Of Vaccinations
California says half of its adults have been vaccinated, while Wisconsin says it hit 25%. More women are getting shots than men, but that statistic may be biased by the earliest group to get shots: health care workers. And the Texas governor uses bad math to claim herd immunity.
Pfizer Seeks FDA Approval For Vaccinating Younger Teens
The vaccine maker revealed a week ago that its vaccine was effective in a late-stage trial in younger teens between 12 and 15. In other vaccine news, more colleges will mandate vaccines before the fall, and worries emerge that covid variants will upset school reopenings.
A New Front In Vaccine Battle: Military Hesitancy
The latest figures shows that almost 40% of Marines have declined to be vaccinated for covid-19. Some have called on President Joe Biden to mandate the shot for members of the U.S. military.
Whitmer Presses For Vaccine ‘Surge’ To Hard-Hit Michigan
So far, the Biden administration has said that it will not allocate additional supply to hot spots while Gov. Gretchen Whitmer continues to make her case. Federal officials said it would deploy other aid to increase testing.
Regeneron Says Covid Antibody Drug Also Effective As Preventive
The drugmaker says a single shot of its monoclonal antibody treatment reduced the chances of developing covid after exposure to the virus by 81%, which suggests it could be effective as a preventive. Regeneron is now seeking FDA approval for this.
Unvaccinated Young People Driving Latest Covid Spikes
Despite an increasing pace of vaccinations, several states are experiencing a surge in covid cases — and covid hospitalizations.
Reactions To Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccine Cause Rollout Problems
Eight people in Georgia suffered adverse reactions to taking the J&J vaccine, causing the state to pause vaccinations — at least the third state to encounter this issue. The CDC is evaluating the situation.
Perspectives: Genome Sequencing Crucial In Sick Infant Care; Are Youth Sports Hurting Kids?
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health issues.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Should Masks Stay Post-Pandemic?; Health Care Provider Burnout Needs Swift Attention
Opinion writers tackle these covid issues.
Perspectives: American Rescue Plan Will Expand ACA; U.S. Laws On Foreign-Trained Doctors Too Rigid
Editorial pages confront these public health topics.