Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Doxy-PEP Is Working: Fewer Gay Men In Calif. Catching Chlamydia, Syphilis
San Francisco Chronicle: Studies: S.F. Strategy Helps Combat Sexually Transmitted Infections
Rates of chlamydia and syphilis — two of the most common sexually transmitted infections in the United States — plummeted in one key demographic after patients were offered a widely prescribed antibiotic after sex, according to two new studies by San Francisco researchers. The studies, published in JAMA Internal Medicine this month, found that incidence of syphilis and chlamydia fell dramatically among gay and bisexual men and transgender women after patients were offered doxy-PEP, short for doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis. (Ho, 1/23)
In news from Maryland, North Carolina, and Colorado —
The Washington Post: Maryland Crematory Shut Down After Bodies Found Piled Up, Decomposing
Maryland officials have suspended the operating permit of a crematory in the southern part of the state after inspections showed that, among other things, has allowed bodies to pile up and block a refrigeration unit door from closing, with some visibly decomposing after being stored at too-warm temperatures. The Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors has reached out to people and funeral homes who may have worked with Heaven Bound Cremation Services LLC to inform them of a disciplinary order issued on Jan. 17 against the crematory located about 30 miles south of Washington. (Shepherd and Mettler, 1/24)
The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore Area Food Insecurity Is Down, Hopkins Survey Says
The 2024 Baltimore Area Survey conducted by Johns Hopkins University researchers found less food insecurity for Black residents as well as higher satisfaction with schools and local governments. (Bazos, 1/23)
North Carolina Health News: NC Man With Disabilities Waits Months In An ED For A Better Place To Stay
For more than four months, 32-year-old Jackson Hedgepeth has lived in a small room at Atrium Health Union hospital in Monroe, waiting for help. Jackson has autism, and he’s nonverbal. He’s been on the waitlist for admission to J. Iverson Riddle, a state-operated center that provides services for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (often referred to as I/DD) for more than a year. (Vespa, 1/24)
The Colorado Sun: Colorado Plans To Limit Coverage Of Weight-Loss Drugs Like Wegovy For State Employees To Save $17M
Colorado plans to start limiting insurance coverage of prescription weight-loss drugs for its roughly 40,000 state employees, a cost-cutting measure in a difficult budget year that officials say will save nearly $17 million annually. (Paul, 1/23)
In bird flu updates —
CIDRAP: Avian Flu Hits More Poultry In 4 States Amid Snow Geese Deaths In Delaware
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today confirmed more H5N1 avian flu detections in poultry from four states, all involving commercial poultry. Two of the events involved broiler farms, one a facility in Arkansas’ Cleveland County that has nearly 107,000 birds and another in Maryland’s Dorchester County that has 152,000 chickens. (Schnirring, 1/23)
Healthbeat: Bird Flu Isn’t An Immediate Health Threat In New York. But Preparations Have Begun.
As more cases of bird flu emerge across the country, public health leaders in New York City are watching warily — and making preparations in case the virus becomes a more immediate threat. There have been no confirmed cases of bird flu in humans in New York state. But cases have emerged recently among wild birds and poultry, including at a commercial farm on Long Island, which started euthanizing 100,000 ducks this week. (Fawcett, 1/24)
