Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
DeSantis Signs Into Law A Social Media Ban For Kids Under 14
AP: Florida's DeSantis Signs One Of The Country's Most Restrictive Social Media Bans For Minors
Florida will have one of the country’s most restrictive social media bans for minors — if it withstands expected legal challenges — under a bill signed by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday. ... It was slightly watered down from a proposal DeSantis vetoed earlier this month, a week before the annual legislative session ended. The new law was Republican Speaker Paul Renner’s top legislative priority. It takes effect Jan. 1. (Farrington, 3/25)
WFSU: DeSantis Signs Social Media Ban For Minors, Among The Strictest In The Nation
Florida is already preparing to defend its new social media ban for kids under 14. The law targets features like infinite scrolling and likes, which House Speaker Paul Renner believes feed addictive behaviors. (Hatter and Andrews, 3/25)
In news from the Biden administration —
CIDRAP: CDC Releases Ventilation Guidance For Curbing Indoor Respiratory Virus Spread
As part of its updates on strategies to battle respiratory viruses, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 22 detailed steps that people can take to reduce the number of respiratory particles that circulate in indoor air. The ventilation guidance update comes as respiratory disease levels such as flu and COVID are declining from a late December peak. The CDC said ventilation, alongside vaccination and practicing good hand hygiene, is one of the core strategies for protecting people against respiratory illness. (Schnirring, 3/25)
Axios: FDA Authorizes Drug To Boost COVID Protection For Immunocompromised Patients
A new monoclonal antibody is available to help protect immunocompromised patients against COVID-19, filling a gap for a group that remains vulnerable to the coronavirus. (Millman, 3/25)
Stat: Merck Drug For Rare Lung Condition Set For Approval In U.S.
The Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve Merck’s drug to treat a rare lung disorder called pulmonary arterial hypertension on Tuesday, making available a novel treatment for a deadly condition that’s long been challenging to treat. (Chen, 3/26)
Reuters: Regeneron's Blood Cancer Therapy Faces Setback As FDA Raises Trial Concerns
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN.O) said on Monday the U.S. FDA has declined approval for its blood cancer therapy for two forms of lymphoma on concerns over the progress of ongoing confirmatory trials. The FDA said in its response letter that it needs more data from enrollments in dose-finding and confirmatory portions of trials, delaying its decision on the drug, while confirming no issues with clinical efficacy or safety, trial design, labeling or manufacturing. (3/25)
Reuters: FDA Proposes To Ban Certain Shock Devices For The Second Time
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Monday it has proposed a ban of electrical stimulation devices intended to reduce or stop self-injurious or aggressive behavior. The health regulator said these devices present an unreasonable and substantial risk of illness or injury that cannot be corrected or eliminated through new or updated device labeling. Electrical stimulation devices administer electrical shocks through electrodes attached to the skin to deter self-injurious or aggressive behavior. (3/25)
Also —
The Hill: Oversight Ranking Member Raskin Demands Answers In UnitedHealth Cyberattack
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, is asking the UnitedHealth Group (UHG) to explain what it is doing to address the ongoing fallout from the cyberattack on one of its subsidiaries last month. In a letter addressed to UHG CEO Andrew Witty, Raskin wrote that the committee is “concerned that UnitedHealth Group is restricting the ability of federal agencies to provide applicable assistance to Change Healthcare.” (Choi, 3/25)
