First Edition: Dec. 7, 2023
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KFF Health News:
Food Sovereignty Movement Sprouts As Bison Return To Indigenous Communities
Behind American Indian Hall on the Montana State University campus, ancient life is growing. Six-foot-tall corn plants tower over large green squash and black-and-yellow sunflowers. Around the perimeter, stalks of sweetgrass grow. The seeds for some of these plants grew for millennia in Native Americans’ gardens along the upper Missouri River. It’s one of several Native American ancestral gardens growing in the Bozeman area, totaling about an acre. Though small, the garden is part of a larger, multifaceted effort around the country to promote “food sovereignty” for reservations and tribal members off reservation, and to reclaim aspects of Native American food and culture that flourished in North America for thousands of years before the arrival of European settlers. (Robbins, 12/7)
KFF Health News:
Colorado Blames Biden Team And Drugmakers For Delaying Canadian Imports
Colorado officials say their plan to import cheaper medicines from Canada has been stymied by opposition from drugmakers and inaction by the Biden administration, according to a state report obtained by KFF Health News. The Dec. 1 report, prepared for the state legislature by Colorado’s Department of Health Care Policy & Financing, says that state officials approached 23 drugmakers in the last year about an importation program. Only four agreed even to discuss the proposal; none expressed interest in participating. (Galewitz, 12/7)
KFF Health News and Cox Media Group:
Social Security Clawbacks Hit A Million More People Than Agency Chief Told Congress
The Social Security Administration has demanded money back from more than 2 million people a year — more than twice as many people as the head of the agency disclosed at an October congressional hearing. That’s according to a document KFF Health News and Cox Media Group obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. (Hilzenrath and Fleischer, 12/6)
KFF Health News:
Watch: The Long-Term Care Crisis: Why Few Can Afford To Grow Old In America
For many in America, especially people in the middle class, old age is a daily struggle to keep up with basic activities. For some, the trials of dementia add to the emotional and financial burden for loved ones and caregivers. Long-term care options — assisted living, home care, or full-time family care — are costly, complex, and often inadequate. Jordan Rau, KFF Health News senior correspondent, moderated a Zoom event Dec. 5 about “Dying Broke,” an investigative project undertaken with The New York Times and Times reporter Reed Abelson about America’s long-term care crisis. Panelists shared their lived experiences of caregiving. (Rau, 12/6)
Reuters:
Over 7 Million People Have Signed Up For 2024 Obamacare Plans
Nearly 7.3 million Americans so far have signed up for health insurance for next year through the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) marketplace, according to data released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday. The enrolment for 2024 includes 1.6 million new additions to the marketplace, the data showed. (12/6)
The Hill:
Public Health Groups Alarmed At White House Delay Of Menthol Cigarette Ban
The Biden administration is delaying a decision on whether to ban menthol flavored cigarettes amid intense lobbying from critics including the tobacco industry, industry-backed groups and some Black criminal justice advocates. The delay is alarming public health groups, which fear that the White House could cave to pressure and delay the rule indefinitely, especially against the backdrop of President Biden’s reelection bid. “Any delay in finalizing the FDA’s [Food and Drug Administration’s] menthol rule would be a gift to the tobacco industry at the expense of Black lives,” said Yolanda Richardson, CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. (Weixel, 12/6)
Politico:
Targeting Costly Meds, Biden Admin Asserts Authority To Seize Certain Drug Patents
The Biden administration has determined that it has the authority to seize the patents of certain high-priced medicines, a move that could open the door to a more aggressive federal campaign to slash drug prices. The determination, which was described by three people familiar with the matter, represents the culmination of a nearly nine-month review of the government’s so-called march-in rights. Progressives have long insisted that those rights empower the administration to break the patents of pricey drugs that were developed with public funds, in an effort to create more competition and lower prices. ...The framework is likely to face sharp opposition from pharmaceutical companies that argue it’s illegal for the government to seize its patents and would disincentivize the development of new drugs. (Cancryn, 12/6)
Stat:
Most Drugmakers Have So Far Ignored FTC Deadline On Wayward Patents
With 10 days to go, only one company has responded to a demand by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for several brand-name drugmakers to delist dozens of patents that were improperly or inaccurately listed in a government registry, according to a source familiar with the matter. (Silverman, 12/6)
Stat:
U.S. Judge Orders Minn. To Pause Its Drug Pricing Transparency Law
In a victory for the pharmaceutical industry, a U.S. judge ruled that Minnesota must temporarily halt a controversial law that is designed to provide transparency into prescription drug pricing over concerns that it is unconstitutional. (Silverman, 12/6)
Politico:
‘Stalemate’ On AIDS Relief To Drag Into 2024
The top Republican working to extend the United States’ global HIV/AIDS relief work admitted negotiations are deadlocked, jeopardizing one of the most successful U.S. foreign interventions of this century. “I’m disappointed,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) told POLITICO. “Honestly, I was looking forward to marking up a five-year reauthorization, and now I’m in this abortion debate.” (Ollstein and Paun, 12/7)
Stat:
Study Billed As The Last Chance To Soon Develop An HIV Vaccine Fails
A study billed as the last chance to develop an HIV vaccine this decade has been shut down, investigators announced Wednesday at a conference in Harare, Zimbabwe. The trial, known as PrEPVacc, was testing two different vaccine regimens on about 1,500 volunteers in East and Southern Africa. After multiple other high-profile trials failed, a PrEPVacc investigator described the study this summer as “the last roll of the dice” for an HIV vaccine until the 2030s. (Mast, 12/6)
Las Vegas Review-Journal:
UNLV Police Kill Gunman After 3 Murdered In Campus Attack
Three victims were shot and killed Wednesday on the UNLV campus in an attack that ended after the gunman’s death, authorities said. ABC News, citing multiple law enforcement sources, reported late Wednesday that 67-year-old Anthony Polito was the suspect. A law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press that the shooter was a professor who unsuccessfully sought a job at the school. Earlier Wednesday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal obtained a copy of Polito’s driver’s license with a Henderson address and arrived to find police blocking the entrance to the Promontory Point Apartments, 360 N. Arroyo Grande Blvd. (Garcia and Torres-Cortez, 12/6)
The Wall Street Journal:
Activist Nuns, With Stake In Smith & Wesson, Sue Gun Maker Over AR-15 Rifles
A group of activist nuns filed an unusual shareholder lawsuit to pressure gun maker Smith & Wesson to drastically change the way it markets, makes and sells its popular version of the AR-15 rifle. The so-called shareholder derivative action, which the nuns filed in Nevada state court Tuesday against publicly traded Smith & Wesson, alleges that company leaders are putting shareholders at risk. They argue the leaders are exposing the company to liability by the way they have made and sold the rifle, which has been used in several mass shootings in recent years. (McWhirter and Elinson, 12/5)
AP:
Texas Judge To Consider Pregnant Woman's Request For Order Allowing Her To Have An Abortion
Texas’ strict abortion ban will face an unprecedented test Thursday, when a judge considers a request for an emergency court order that would allow a pregnant woman whose fetus has a fatal diagnosis to have an abortion in the state. The lawsuit filed by Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two from the Dallas area, is believed to be the first of its kind in the nation since the U.S. Supreme Court last year overturned Roe v. Wade, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Cox. (Weber, 12/7)
Axios:
Out-Of-State Travel For Abortion Surged After Roe Was Overturned
More than twice as many people crossed state lines for abortion care in the first half of 2023 compared with a similar period in 2020 when abortion was legal nationwide, according to a new analysis. The Guttmacher Institute data demonstrates how state bans that took effect since Roe v. Wade was overturned have forced patients to travel longer distances to obtain an abortion. (Goldman, 12/7)
Stat:
Electronic Health Record Privacy At Issue For Out-Of-State Abortions
At a time when abortion access can vary widely across the U.S., many reproductive health advocates are concerned about the impact of data sharing systems that automatically transmit patients’ electronic health records across institutions and state lines. The Biden administration is looking to introduce new regulations to bolster patients’ privacy — but the proposed rules are getting pushback from companies like UnitedHealth Group and Epic, which argue that they would make data sharing harder overall, contrary to the overarching goals of the health care system. (Webster, 12/7)
Stat:
Abortion Pill Activist Network Links Women In Mexico, U.S.
Just over a decade ago, when Crystal Pérez Lira needed an abortion, she had to leave Mexico. The procedure was illegal in her home state of Baja California and so deeply stigmatized that even Pérez Lira supported the procedure only for those who were raped. Until she unexpectedly got pregnant. (Goldhill, 12/7)
USA Today:
For First Time Ever, FDA Approves At-Home Artificial Insemination Kit
Anyone who's struggled with infertility knows that getting treatments can be expensive. Insurance doesn't cover artificial insemination, a procedure that places sperm into the cervix or uterus during ovulation. ... That means that many people who need such treatments to reproduce often can't afford them. But that could be changing with the introduction of a new at-home artificial insemination kit. This week in a historic first, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the kit for use by consumers. (Walrath-Holdridge, 12/6)
The 19th:
Advocates Relieved After Supreme Court Dismisses Acheson Case As Moot
Disability advocates are breathing a sigh of relief after the Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday to dismiss as moot Acheson Hotels LLC. v. Laufer, a case that could have gutted a key enforcement tool of the Americans with Disabilities Act nationwide. At issue was whether civil rights testers have standing to sue hotels they have no intention of staying at, a practice that disability and civil rights advocates argue is necessary to force businesses to comply with accessibility standards set by the ADA. Standing is the right to sue by dint of being an impacted party, (Luterman, 12/6)
CBS News:
First Cold-Related Death Of Winter Season Reported In Maryland. Doctors Urge Safety In Frigid Weather
An elderly man who died in Baltimore County was the first death of a cold-related illness in the state this winter, the Maryland Department of Health said Wednesday. The health department said the man, who was between the ages of 70 and 80 years old, died as a result of hypothermia. Marylanders are encouraged to avoid exposure to cold weather. And with temperatures continuing to drop, doctors say all of us need to be mindful with our time outdoors and also layer up. (Olaniran and Kushner, 12/6)
CBS News:
Respiratory Infections And Flu Cases Among Children Rising Ahead Of Holidays
Pediatricians are seeing an increase in pediatric cases of respiratory viral infections and the flu, Allegheny Health Network says. In a news release on Wednesday, Allegheny Health Network provided guidance for parents and caregivers ahead of the holiday season, saying it anticipates "these numbers will continue to rise this month as we gather and travel for the holidays." Allegheny Health Network said weekly respiratory syncytial virus cases have nearly tripled since early November and Allegheny County is reporting the state's highest flu totals. (Guise, 12/6)
CIDRAP:
Study Shows Infants Exposed To COVID In Utero At Risk For Developmental Delay
A new study based on a cohort of Brazilian infants shows those who were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infections in the uterus may be at an increased risk for developmental delays in the first year of life. The study appeared yesterday in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases. ... At 12 months, 20.3% of COVID-exposed children and 5.9% of the controls received a diagnosis of neurodevelopmental delay. (Soucheray, 12/6)
CIDRAP:
Using Both Nose, Throat Swabs Boosts Sensitivity Of Rapid COVID Testing
Today in JAMA Network Open, a randomized clinical trial shows that a single healthcare worker (HCW)-collected throat swab had significantly higher sensitivity for COVID-19 rapid antigen testing (RAT) than an HCW-collected nose swab during Omicron predominance, but self-collected nose swabs were more sensitive than self-collected throat swabs among participants with symptoms. (Van Beusekom, 12/6)
ABC News:
Free At-Home Testing And Treatments Now Available For COVID And Flu Through Federal Program
Eligible adults can now receive free at-home rapid tests, telehealth sessions and at-home treatments for both COVID and influenza through a newly expanded federal government program. Initially launched as a pilot program in select areas, the Home Test to Treat program from the National Institutes of Health is now available nationwide at test2treat.org. (Benadjaoud, 12/6)
The Boston Globe:
New England Sinai Rehab Hospital In Stoughton Will Close
Steward Health Care has announced that it will shutter the New England Sinai rehabilitation hospital in Stoughton by next April, a decision that will put further pressure on regional hospitals already struggling to discharge patients who need continued care. In a letter sent to state officials Dec. 4, a law firm for Steward Health Care System said it planned to submit a formal notice with the state to close 39 rehabilitation service beds, 119 chronic care service beds, and all ambulatory care services at New England Sinai Hospital. As of Wednesday, there were 45 patients in the hospital. (Bartlett, 12/6)
CBS News:
Senators Probe Private Equity Hospital Deals Following CBS News Investigation
The top Democrat and Republican on a powerful Senate committee launched a wide-ranging investigation into private equity's impact on the U.S. health care system on Wednesday. ... "The American people deserve to understand the role that PE [private equity] firms play — and any potential resulting negative financial or patient care impacts — in the delivery of their health care," wrote the senators, who lead the Senate Budget Committee. (Kaplan, 12/6)
Modern Healthcare:
Nurses Seeking Work In U.S. On The Rise Despite Visa Pause
A record number of occupational visa certificates were issued this year to nurses and other healthcare workers by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. The nonprofit, which helps foreign-educated nurses work in other countries by verifying their credentials for federal and state agencies, said it issued almost 27,000 visa certificates this year—85% of which were for registered nurses—twice as many as in 2022. The number of certificates has quadrupled since 2017. (DeSilva, 12/6)
AP:
A Nurse's Fatal Last Visit To Patient's Home Renews Calls For Better Safety Measures
The killing of a Connecticut nurse making a house call in October was a nightmare come true for an industry gripped by the fear of violence. Already stressed out by staffing shortages and mounting caseloads, heath care workers are increasingly worrying about the possibility of a patient becoming violent – a scenario that is too common and on the rise nationwide. Joyce Grayson, a 63-year-old mother of six, went into a halfway house for sex offenders in late October, to give medication to a man with a violent past. She didn’t make it out alive. (Collins and Eaton-Robb, 12/7)
Reuters:
AbbVie To Buy Drug Developer Cerevel For $8.7 Billion
AbbVie said on Wednesday it would buy Cerevel Therapeutics, a developer of drugs for neurological conditions, for about $8.7 billion in a bid to replace revenue as its arthritis drug Humira faces a raft of new competition. It marks the second large deal for AbbVie in the past week, coming days after it agreed to buy cancer drug developer ImmunoGen for $10.1 billion in cash, highlighting its appetite to place big bets on promising new medicines. (12/6)
Reuters:
Fresenius Medical Care Says Data On 500,000 People Stolen In U.S.
Dialysis group Fresenius Medical Care said on Wednesday that data including medical records on 500,000 patients and former patients were stolen from a U.S. subsidiary's data warehouse. "The incident may have affected approximately 500,000 patients, former patients, guarantors and 200 staff located across several states, U.S. territories and four countries," the German company said in a statement. (Burger, 12/6)
San Francisco Chronicle:
CVS To Close Another San Francisco Store, Only 12 Locations Left
CVS Health is set to close another San Francisco store early next year, a company spokesperson said Wednesday. ...“Maintaining access to pharmacy services in the communities we serve is an important factor we consider when making store closure decisions,” Thibault said in a statement. “Other factors include local market dynamics, population shifts, a community’s store density, and ensuring there are other geographic access points to meet the needs of the community.” (Vaziri, 12/6)
CBS News:
Michigan Health Department Warns Of Possible Rabies Exposure From Skunks Purchased From Breeder
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is warning residents of possible rabies exposure from skunks purchased from sellers in Lapeer and Macomb counties. Officials say anyone who purchased a skunk from Countryside Feather Farm/Rose's Skunks in Attica or a Chesterfield Township/New Baltimore seller connected to Rose's Skunks can surrender the animal to a local animal control agency for testing. (Booth-Singleton, 12/6)
CBS News:
Princeton On High Alert After Possibly Rabid Raccoon Attacks 2 People
The Princeton Health Department is warning residents and Princeton University students to keep an eye out after two attacks in close succession by a raccoon (or raccoons) that may have rabies. The first occurred near the Dillon Gym on Princeton's campus around 8:45 p.m. Monday. The health department said a student was attacked by a raccoon exhibiting common behaviors typical of a rabies infection, including chirping noises and unprovoked aggression. (Brandt, Tallant, and Roberts, 12/6)
The New York Times:
‘Mystery’ Dog Illness May Not Be A Mystery At All, Experts Say
Although the scientific investigation is in early stages, what has become known as the mystery illness may not be all that mysterious — or even a single illness, scientists said. Instead, a variety of run-of-the-mill viruses and bacteria could be driving the current outbreaks. “We cannot know or even assume that all cases being reported have the same cause,” Dr. Rena Carlson, the president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, or A.V.M.A., which has been monitoring the situation, said in an email. (Anthes, 12/6)
The New York Times:
William P. Murphy Jr., Innovator Of Life-Saving Medical Tools, Dies At 100
Dr. William P. Murphy Jr., a biomedical engineer who was an inventor of the vinyl blood bag that replaced breakable bottles in the Korean War and made transfusions safe and reliable on battlefields, in hospitals and at scenes of natural disasters and accidents, died on Thursday at his home in Coral Gables, Fla. He was 100. His death was confirmed on Monday by Mike Tomás, the president and chief executive of U.S. Stem Cell, a Florida company for which Dr. Murphy had long served as chairman. He became chairman emeritus last year. (McFadden, 12/5)