During Alabama Nitrogen Execution, Prisoner Struggled For 2 Minutes
The execution of Kenneth Smith put the U.S. at the forefront of a debate on the death penalty, the AP says. The controversial nitrogen gas method saw Smith appear to make seizure-like movements and struggle against his restraints. Also in the news: syphilis, drug price gouging, and more.
AP:
Alabama Execution Using Nitrogen Gas, The First Ever, Again Puts US At Front Of Death Penalty Debate
A man who was paid $1,000 to kill an Alabama woman more than 30 years ago was put to death with pure nitrogen gas, a first-of-its-kind execution that again placed the U.S. at the forefront of the debate over capital punishment. Kenneth Eugene Smith, 58, appeared to shake and convulse at the start before being pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Thursday at an Alabama prison after breathing the gas through a face mask to cause oxygen deprivation. It marked the first time a new execution method was used in the United States since 1982, when lethal injection was introduced and later became the most common method. Smith appeared conscious for several minutes into the procedure. For at least two minutes, Smith made seizure-like movements on the gurney that sometimes had him pulling against the restraints. That was followed by several minutes of labored breathing. He was pronounced dead after 22 minutes. (Chandler, 1/26)
The New York Times:
What To Know About The Execution Of Kenneth Smith In Alabama
The method, known as nitrogen hypoxia, has been used in assisted suicides in Europe. Mr. Smith was fitted with a mask and administered a flow of nitrogen gas, effectively depriving him of oxygen until he dies. Lawyers for the state argued that death by nitrogen hypoxia is painless, with unconsciousness occurring in a matter of seconds, followed by stoppage of the heart. They also noted that Mr. Smith and his lawyers themselves identified the method as preferable to the troubled practice of lethal injection in the state. (Betts and Bogel-Burroughs, 1/25)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
CBS News:
Syphilis Cases Up 244% In Minnesota In Last Decade, Health Department Says
The Minnesota Department of Health says 29 babies were born with congenital syphilis last year — the highest number in more than 40 years. Overall cases of syphilis are up 244% in Minnesota in the last decade. Among women, early syphilis cases have increased by over 1,800%, according to MDH. Syphilis is usually spread through sexual contact. Congenital syphilis occurs when someone passes their infection on to their fetus during pregnancy, which can cause severe complications such as miscarriages, stillbirths, premature birth and brain or nerve problems. (Moser, 1/25)
The Boston Globe:
Panel Calls For Review Of Dana-Farber/Beth Israel Partnership
The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission on Thursday called for additional review of a planned partnership between the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Lahey Health, keeping the affiliation and a proposed 300-bed hospital on ice for now. By a unanimous voice vote, the panel chose to proceed with a cost and market impact review for the planned Dana-Farber/Beth Israel collaboration and the cancer institute’s split with its longtime partner in clinical care, Brigham & Women’s Hospital. (Fox, 1/25)
The Washington Post:
D.C. Paramedics To Begin Blood Transfusions
Trauma victims will soon be able to receive blood transfusions from D.C. paramedics before they reach the hospital, which officials estimate could help as many as 400 patients a year, including those suffering from gunshot and stab wounds. As the American Red Cross faces an emergency blood shortage and a 20-year low in donors, pressure is on D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services leaders to strategically deploy blood to ensure zero waste. (Portnoy, 1/25)
Stat:
Illinois Sued By Generic Group Over A Price-Gouging Law
The trade group for generic drug companies in the U.S. has filed a lawsuit alleging a new Illinois law that is designed to prevent price gouging is unconstitutional, the latest effort to push back against states attempting to lower the cost of medicines. (Silverman, 1/25)
Reuters:
West Virginia County, City Push To Revive Opioid Claims Against Distributors
A West Virginia city and county urged a federal appeals court on Thursday to revive their $2.5 billion lawsuit accusing the nation's three largest drug distributors of causing an opioid epidemic by flooding them with pills. David Frederick, a lawyer for Huntington and Cabell County, the county the city is located in, told a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that a federal judge misunderstood the law when he rejected the lawsuit in 2022, following a non-jury trial. (Pierson, 1/25)
St. Louis Public Radio:
Affinia Receives HHS Grant To Provide Health Education To Afghans
People who resettled in the region from Afghanistan can receive health and wellness services through a federal grant awarded to Affinia Healthcare. The St. Louis-area federally qualified health center received $388,437 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which will be administered through the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a refugee resettlement organization. (Henderson, 1/25)
KFF Health News:
A Record Number Of Californians Are Visiting Emergency Rooms For Dog Bites
Those pandemic puppies are growing up to be a public health concern. The latest California data shows increased rates of emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths from dog bites, with new records set after covid lockdowns. In 2022, there were 48,596 ER visits for dog bites in California, or 125 visits per 100,000 residents, a 70% increase in the rate of visits from 2005, according to the state Department of Health Care Access and Information. (Reese, 1/26)
