Latest KFF Health News Stories
EU, UK Fret Over AstraZeneca Vaccine Issues; CureVac Version Makes Progress
People under 30 won’t get the AstraZeneca covid vaccine in the UK, but the EU is only acknowledging “possible” blood clot risks for the vaccine. Meanwhile CureVac may be close to gaining approval as an alternative.
European Officials Target Merck For Predatory Pricing
Merck settles its “predatory pricing” case in Austria. Also, how the home covid-testing business is growing, and a JAMA podcast is scrutinized for saying racism doesn’t exist in medicine.
More States Move To Legalize Marijuana
Add Virginia, Texas, Montana and Alabama to the growing list of states that are loosening or considering changes in restrictions on marijuana use.
Gender Bias Found In Pain Relief
Women’s pain is as intense as men’s pain, but doctors and nurses often view women’s pain as less intense. In other public health news, tracking STDs fell off during the pandemic because health officials were busy tracking covid.
Lifting Of Pandemic Prior-Authorization Procedures Was Brief
A number of studies and surveys examine how various aspects of health care were affected by the pandemic, including patients taking medicines, cardiac arrests at home and c-sections.
Opioid Epidemic May Have Killed 90,000 In 2020
In other news, Georgia officials raise an alert about overdoses from counterfeit fentanyl, Maine police give out fentanyl test kits and a federal judge warns of government lawsuit risks for pharmacies.
As Covid Variants Take Hold, U.S. Has Few Options To Make More Vaccine
Politico examines the vaccine “manufacturing gap” and reports that experts say the United States has little capacity to manufacture revised vaccines or booster shots alongside the original versions. This comes as public health officials raise concerns about the increasing prevalence of variants of the covid virus.
Medicaid Work Requirements Rescinded In Michigan And Wisconsin
The work requirements, championed by the Trump administration, were instituted in some conservative states during Medicaid program expansions. In other news about the program for low-income Americans, Missouri lawmakers who refused to accept voters’ decision last fall to expand Medicaid have redistributed money that the government said would support the expansion.
States Claw Back Covid Restrictions
Georgia plans to lift all restrictions while North Dakota, Ohio and Florida take steps against mandating masks or shots.
Evidence Of Another Covid Surge Abounds
More young adults are suffering severe covid cases.
Covid Shots Hit Target: 1 In 4 US Adults Fully Vaccinated
In other news, nearly 90% of college students say they will get vaccinated, as a growing list of universities say they’ll mandate covid vaccines before the fall. Also, researchers work to understand covid vaccine side effects.
J&J Covid Vaccine Shortage Will Hit Rollout Efforts Next Week
Even as states expand covid vaccine eligibility — including to Pennsylvania’s prisoners — the recent manufacturing error in a Johnson & Johnson plant will dramatically affect rollouts, with 85% fewer doses of this vaccine being sent out next week.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages weigh in on these public health issues.
Florida Lawmakers Take Aim At PBMs
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Perspectives: How PBMs Are Aiding Fight For Prescription-Drug Affordability
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Different Takes: People Are Tired Of Pandemic Rules; Are Vaccine Passports Ethical?
Opinion writers tackle these vaccine issues.
California Sets June 15 Full-Reopening Date, With Vaccine Supply Caveats
Among other news reports from across the states, the ACLU is suing South Carolina’s governor over a mandate to “immediately expedite” workers’ return to the office, and Arkansas’ state legislature enacts a gender-affirming health care ban for transgender children.
AstraZeneca Trial For Children Suspended
The University of Oxford has paused its small clinical trial of the AstraZeneca vaccine in children over concerns about blood clotting. Also, life expectancy has dropped in Europe.
Drug Company Admits Using Fake Data
Fibrogen used false data for its anemia pill. In other news, a lot of money is sloshing around the drug and medical device industries.