First Edition: July 18, 2022
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KHN:
Boost Now Or Wait? Many Wonder How Best To Ride Out Covid’s Next Wave
Gwyneth Paige didn’t want to get vaccinated against covid-19 at first. With her health issues — hypertension, fibromyalgia, asthma — she wanted to see how other people fared after the shots. Then her mother got colon cancer. “At that point, I didn’t care if the vaccine killed me,” she said. “To be with my mother throughout her journey, I had to have the vaccination.” (Whitehead and Allen, 7/18)
KHN:
Biden’s FTC Has Blocked 4 Hospital Mergers And Is Poised To Thwart More Consolidation Attempts
Fresh off the Federal Trade Commission’s successful challenges to four hospital mergers, the Biden administration’s new majority on the commission is primed to more aggressively combat consolidation in the health care industry than it has in past years. Although hospital mergers were supposed to improve cost efficiency, experts agree that the creation of huge conglomerates and hospital networks has driven up U.S. medical costs, which are by far the highest in the world. Many enjoy near-monopoly pricing power. (Meyer, 7/18)
KHN:
Conservative Blocs Unleash Litigation To Curb Public Health Powers
Through a wave of pandemic-related litigation, a trio of small but mighty conservative legal blocs has rolled back public health authority at the local, state, and federal levels, recasting America’s future battles against infectious diseases. Galvanized by what they’ve characterized as an overreach of covid-related health orders issued amid the pandemic, lawyers from the three overlapping spheres — conservative and libertarian think tanks, Republican state attorneys general, and religious liberty groups — are aggressively taking on public health mandates and the government agencies charged with protecting community health. (Weber and Barry-Jester, 7/18)
KHN:
FTC Official: Antitrust Push In Health Care Must Focus On A Merger’s ‘Human Impact’
President Joe Biden has ordered the Federal Trade Commission to combat consolidation in the health care industry, saying that it is driving up prices for consumers and limiting their access to care. The new Democratic majority on the FTC has signaled that it not only will be looking at traditional mergers among hospitals and other health care providers but also is interested in some legal theories of antitrust enforcement that have been less frequently used. That includes questioning whether a merger affects labor market conditions and increasing its scrutiny of vertical mergers, in which hospitals, insurers, or other types of health care companies seek to merge with companies that provide needed products or services. (Meyer, 7/18)
The New York Times:
Demand For Monkeypox Vaccine Exceeds Supply, C.D.C. Says
As the monkeypox outbreak grows in the United States, demand for the vaccine is outstripping the nation’s supply, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a news briefing on Friday. “We don’t yet have all the vaccine that we would like in this moment,” she said. (Anthes, 7/15)
AP:
US Officials: States Getting More Monkeypox Vaccine Soon
More than 100,000 monkeypox vaccine doses are being sent to states in the next few days, and several million more are on order in the months ahead, U.S. health officials said Friday. They also acknowledged the vaccine supply hasn’t kept up with the demand seen in New York, California and other places. (Stobbe, 7/16)
Axios:
Former FDA Chief Warns U.S. Has "Failed To Contain" Monkeypox
The U.S. has failed to contain the outbreak of monkeypox and is "at the cusp" of seeing the virus become endemic, former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday. ... "I think the window for getting control of this and containing it probably has closed, and if it hasn't closed it's certainly starting to close," Gottlieb said. (Saric, 7/17)
The Hill:
DC Mayor Estimates Districts Needs 100K Monkeypox Vaccine Doses
The nation’s capital needs 100,000 monkeypox vaccine doses to respond to the new virus, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) said on Sunday. A “robust testing regime” is already in place, Bowser told CBS “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan, but the city currently has just 8,000 vaccine doses. (Mueller, 7/17)
Stat:
NYC To Use One-Dose Monkeypox Vaccine Strategy To Stretch Supplies
New York City’s Health Department announced Friday it will speed up the delivery of first doses of monkeypox vaccine to people in the city at high risk of contracting the disease. The move, it warned, may delay the city’s ability to dole out second doses to those who’ve been vaccinated. (Branswell, 7/15)
AP:
First 2 Cases Of Monkeypox Found In Alabama
Alabama public officials said Friday that they’ve identified the state’s first known cases of monkeypox, a disease that has emerged in more than 50 countries and most U.S. states. (7/15)
AP:
House Votes To Restore Abortion Rights, Senate Odds Dim
The House has voted to restore abortion rights nationwide in Democrats’ first legislative response to the Supreme Court’s landmark decision overturning Roe v. Wade. The bill has little chance of becoming law, with the necessary support lacking in the 50-50 Senate. Yet voting marks the beginning of a new era in the debate as lawmakers, governors and legislatures grapple with the impact of the court’s decision. The legislation passed 219-210. The House also passed a second bill to prohibit punishment for a woman or child who decides to travel to another state to get an abortion, 223-205. (Amiri and Clare Jalonick, 7/16)
Politico:
Abortion Foes Move To Block Online Ads For Reproductive Services
The National Right to Life Committee is lobbying states to enact legislation it’s drafted that would make it a crime to advertise information about abortion pills or other methods of ending a pregnancy. The model bill treats abortion like organized crime, by using a combination of civil and criminal penalties in the same way that the 1970 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act does. The scope is broad and suggests penalizing anyone who even conveys information about the procedure. State lawmakers in Indiana and South Carolina have already shown interest. (Reader, 7/16)
The Washington Post:
Abortion Bans Create Confusion Around Miscarriage, Ectopic Pregnancies
A woman with a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy sought emergency care at the University of Michigan Hospital after a doctor in her home state worried that the presence of a fetal heartbeat meant treating her might run afoul of new restrictions on abortion. At one Kansas City, Mo., hospital, administrators temporarily required “pharmacist approval” before dispensing medications used to stop postpartum hemorrhages, because they can also be also used for abortions. (Stead Sellers and Nirappil, 7/16)
AP:
Abortion Laws Spark Profound Changes In Other Medical Care
Even in medical emergencies, doctors are sometimes declining immediate treatment. In the past week, an Ohio abortion clinic received calls from two women with ectopic pregnancies — when an embryo grows outside the uterus and can’t be saved — who said their doctors wouldn’t treat them. Ectopic pregnancies often become life-threatening emergencies and abortion clinics aren’t set up to treat them. (Tanner, 7/16)
Axios:
Anti-Abortion Memo To Republicans: Don't Leave It To The States
A leading anti-abortion rights group is urging Republicans in Congress to stay away from phrases like "nationwide ban" and make clear they won't criminalize pregnant people's own actions. (McCammond, 7/17)
The Hill:
Cruz Says Marriage Equality, Like Abortion, Should Be Left To States
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Saturday said Obergefell V. Hodges, the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court precedent that legalized same-sex marriage, should be overturned with states left to decide their own marriage laws. On his podcast “Verdict with Ted Cruz,” the Texas lawmaker compared Obergefell to Roe V. Wade, which the Supreme Court overturned last month, ending 50 years of the constitutional right to abortion. (Dress, 7/17)
The Washington Post:
Caitlin Bernard, Indiana Doctor In 10-Year-Old's Abortion, Faced Kidnapping Threat Against Daughter
The Indianapolis doctor who helped a 10-year-old Ohio rape victim obtain an abortion was forced to stop offering services at a clinic in 2020 after she was alerted of a kidnapping threat against her daughter. And she is currently listed as a “threat” on an antiabortion website that was linked to Amy Coney Barrett before she was nominated to the Supreme Court and helped overturn Roe v. Wade. (Bella and Bellware, 7/16)
AP:
Indiana Doctor's Lawyer Tells AG To Halt False Statements
A lawyer on Friday emailed the Indiana state’s attorney general asking him to stop spreading false or misleading information about an Indianapolis doctor who performed an abortion in June on a 10-year-old rape victim from Ohio. Attorney Kathleen DeLaney sent the “cease and desist” letter to Indiana Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita on behalf of obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlin Bernard, who performed a medical abortion on the girl. (Rodgers, 7/17)
AP:
Texas Hospitals Delaying Care Over Abortion Law, Letter Says
Some hospitals in Texas have reportedly refused to treat patients with major pregnancy complications for fear of violating the state’s abortion ban, the Texas Medical Association said in a letter this week. The association did not name the hospitals but said it’s received complaints that hospitals, administrators and their attorneys may be prohibiting doctors from providing medically appropriate care in some situations, The Dallas Morning News reported. (7/15)
AP:
Louisiana Abortion Ban Case Heard Before Judge
With access to abortion flickering in Louisiana, the legal battle over the statewide ban continues with a court hearing scheduled to begin Monday morning. State District Judge Donald Johnson issued a temporary order last week blocking enforcement pending the hearing in a lawsuit that claims the state law is unconstitutionally vague. (7/18)
The 19th:
Abortion Clinics In Kansas, Illinois And Colorado Are Overwhelmed By Out-Of-State Demand
For months, Trust Women had been gearing up for the federal abortion protections to disappear. They had a plan. (Luthra, 7/15)
The Washington Post:
Montana GOP Lawmaker Brad Tschida: Woman’s Womb Has ‘No Specific Purpose To Her Life Or Well-Being’
As millions of Americans protest restrictions that preclude abortions, even when the life of a woman is at risk, Montana state Rep. Brad Tschida (R) is arguing that a woman’s womb “serves no specific purpose to her life or well-being.” Tschida, a former Montana House majority leader who is running for the state Senate, wrote an email this week to more than 100 legislators citing a podcast featuring a woman who is an antiabortion advocate, according to the Daily Montanan. (Bella, 7/15)
AP:
Georgia Abortion Law Challenge Now Focused On 'Personhood'
Attorneys for groups challenging the law acknowledged that the ruling allows the state’s ban on many abortions to take effect. But they argued in their brief that a provision that grants “personhood” to a fetus should remain blocked. (Brumback, 7/16)
Politico:
Federal Judge Blocks Education Department’s Title IX Guidance That Protects Transgender Students
The states also argued that forcing schools to use transgender students’ pronouns is illegal under the First Amendment and that the Education Department violated the Administrative Procedure Act and the Tenth Amendment, which delegates certain powers to the states. The Education Department, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Justice Department, along with their leaders, are listed as defendants. They had urged the court to dismiss the lawsuit, which Atchley denied. (Quilantan, 7/16)
AP:
US Agencies Temporarily Barred From Enforcing LGBTQ Guidance
U.S. District Judge Charles Atchley Jr. in an order on Friday ruled for the 20 state attorneys general who sued last August claiming the Biden administration directives infringe on states’ right to enact laws that, for example, prevent students from participating in sports based on their gender identity or requiring schools and businesses to provide bathrooms and showers to accommodate transgender people. (Gillispie, 7/16)
The New York Times:
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Enforcement Of L.G.B.T.Q. Protection
A federal judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from enforcing directives that extended civil rights protections to L.G.B.T.Q. students and workers. (Sasani, 7/17)
AP:
Academics Attack Florida Plan To Limit Transgender Treatment
A plan by Florida health officials that likely would restrict Medicaid insurance coverage for gender dysphoria treatments for transgender people lacks sound medical justification and may be politically motivated, according to a group of academics from Yale University and other schools. (7/15)
The Washington Post:
Intersex Youth Are Also Hurt By Anti-Trans Laws, Advocates Say
“There are a lot of overlapping issues between the trans and intersex community,” said Bria Brown-King, engagement director at InterACT, an organization that advocates for intersex children. “What both communities are really fighting for is the right to bodily autonomy.” According to interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth, people born with intersex characteristics make up at least 1.7 percent of the population — a figure comparable to the amount of people who are born with red hair. And that number doesn’t include people whose intersex traits show up later in life. (Branigin, 7/16)
AP:
Biden Tells Dems To Quickly Pass Pared-Down Economic Package
President Joe Biden seemed to bow Friday to Sen. Joe Manchin’s demand for a slimmed-down economic package, telling Democrats to quickly push the election-year measure through Congress so families could “sleep easier” and enjoy the health care savings it proposes. (Fram, 7/16)
The Washington Post:
Biden Urges Congress To Pass Health-Care Bill As Manchin Talks Falter
With his long-stalled economic agenda in political peril, President Biden on Friday called on congressional Democrats to refocus their once-sweeping spending ambitions — and adopt a package soon that aims to lower Americans’ health-care costs. (Romm, 7/15)
Axios:
Manchin Makes Dems Ponder If They Can Live With A Skinny Health Bill
Sen. Joe Manchin’s insistence on a skinny reconciliation bill is infuriating Democrats but forcing them to consider the power of running on health costs and coverage heading into the midterms. (Bettelheim, 7/18)
The Hill:
White House COVID-19 Coordinator Says Virus ‘Still Evolving Rapidly’
As variants continue to circulate and develop, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha says the U.S. has “got to stay on top of this virus” as it quickly evolves. “We’re still in the middle of this pandemic,” Jha said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week.” (Mueller, 7/17)
Politico:
Anthony Fauci Wants To Put Covid’s Politicization Behind Him
The most famous scientist in America is facing retirement. After more than five decades of federal service under seven presidents, Anthony Fauci says he’s leaving by the end of President Joe Biden’s term. In a wide-ranging interview with POLITICO, he spoke of his legacy, the hard truths about the country’s pandemic response and his desire to calm the politicization wracking the country. (Owermohle, 7/18)
Stat:
Major Abortion Pill Maker Hires Its First Lobbyists In Washington
GenBioPro, which sells the generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, hired its own team of lobbyists for the first time this summer, according to new federal disclosures. (Florko, 7/15)
Politico:
Dems’ Base Wants A Simple Roe Fight. It's Getting Complexity Instead
Rep. Jim Himes says he’s tried the Democratic Party’s main talking points on abortion rights — elect more of us so we can push the Senate to act. As he tells it, they only frustrated voters more. “The plan of attack right now is not terribly good, at least in my district,” Himes said of the Democrats’ strategy for a post-Roe v. Wade world. (Ferris and Levine, 7/15)
The Hill:
Skittles Accused In Lawsuit Of Failing To Stop Using Toxin
A woman filed a lawsuit against Mars Inc. this week accusing the multinational food company of failing to discontinue its use of a chemical toxin in its popular candy Skittles. In a lawsuit filed in California court on Thursday, Jenile Thames alleged she opened a Skittles package in April that still contained titanium dioxide (TiO2). (Oshin, 7/17)
The Hill:
Experts Divided On Whether Taking Juul Off Market Would Dent Teen Vaping
Clifford Douglas, the director of the University of Michigan’s Tobacco Research Network and a professor at the University’s School of Public Health, said Juul should not be cast as the “poster child of evil” for the youth vaping epidemic. “Clearly Juul played a significant role, most visibly in 2018, in fueling an increase in youth experimentation with vaping products. By the same token … in the years since then, partly under duress from the FDA, they significantly changed their conduct,” Douglas said. (Dress, 7/17)
The Daily Yonder:
Congress Passes A Bill With Provisions To Save Pandemic-Era Universal Free School Lunches
Backed by a group of bipartisan lawmakers, the Keep Kids Fed Act alleviates child food insecurity by keeping some of the expansions introduced in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. It could offer a summer lifeline for those in rural areas who rely on school-served meals during the vacation season. (Melotte, 7/16)
The New York Times:
Do Cancer Centers Push Too Many Tests?
Medical societies and the independent U.S. Preventive Services Task Force publish guidelines about who should be screened for lung, prostate and breast cancers and how frequently, among many other prevention recommendations. But websites for cancer centers often diverge from those recommendations, according to three studies published recently in JAMA Internal Medicine. (Span, 7/17)
CNBC:
These Are The Top 10 Healthiest Communities In The U.S.: 2022 Report
Living in a big city may come with better job opportunities or more weekend activities — but it might not be the healthiest choice you can make. (Onque, 7/17)
The New York Times:
Covid-19 Vaccines Temporarily Changed Menstrual Cycles, Study Shows
Nearly half of the participants of a recent study who were menstruating regularly at the time of the survey reported heavier bleeding during their periods after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. Others who did not typically menstruate — including transgender men, people on long-acting contraceptives, and post-menopausal women — also experienced unusual bleeding. (Sheikh, 7/15)
CIDRAP:
More (Mostly Mild) Side Effects When Flu Vaccine Given With COVID Booster
Self-reported data from nearly 1 million Americans show an 8% to 11% higher rate of mostly mild systemic adverse events after simultaneous seasonal flu vaccine and mRNA COVID-19 booster (third) doses than with the COVID-19 booster alone. (Van Beusekom, 7/15)
CIDRAP:
Cancer Treatment Delays Spotlighted In Minority Groups Amid COVID-19
A higher proportion of Black (75.6%) and Latino (80.2%) participants and those of other races (75.9%) experienced care modifications, including delayed clinic visits, lab tests, and imaging, as well as a change in care location than White participants (57.1%). A higher proportion of Black (98.0%) than White respondents (84.1%) who had care modifications said their clinic or physician requested the modifications. (7/15)
CIDRAP:
Study Shows Global Rise In Macrolide-Resistant Mycoplasma Pneumoniae
Antibiotic resistance, one of the most common causes of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children, has risen dramatically over the past two decades, according to a study published this week in JAMA Network Open. To analyze global patterns, temporal trends, and regional variations in macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MRMP) infections, a team of South Korean researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 153 studies from 150 articles published prior to Sep 10, 2021. (7/15)
Zenger News:
Glass Of Wine A Day May Lead To Alzheimer's, Research Suggests
Just one small glass of wine a day could give you Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, according to new research. Consuming just seven units of alcohol a week - half the recommended maximum - fuels iron in the brain. (Kitanovska, 7/16)
AP:
High-Flying Experiment: Do Stem Cells Grow Better In Space?
Researcher Dhruv Sareen’s own stem cells are now orbiting the Earth. The mission? To test whether they’ll grow better in zero gravity. Scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles are trying to find new ways to produce huge batches of a type of stem cell that can generate nearly any other type of cell in the body — and potentially be used to make treatments for many diseases. The cells arrived over the weekend at the International Space Station on a supply ship. (Ungar, 7/17)
Fortune:
Snacking On Fruit May Help Bolster Your Mental Health
Substituting your typical midday packaged snack for a bowl of fruit may help your overall well-being, a new study finds. In the study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, people who consumed a diet rich in fruits and vegetables reported a more positive psychological state and were less likely to have symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety compared to those who do not eat these nutrient-rich foods as regularly. (Mikhail, 7/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
High-Tech Smell Sensors Aim To Sniff Out Disease, Explosives—And Even Moods
But now scientists and entrepreneurs are redoubling their efforts to recreate the sense of smell in compact devices that detect and analyze odors similar to the way cameras now recognize our faces and microphones our words. In pursuit of these high-tech devices–which could use odors to detect disease like cancer or Covid-19, locate hidden explosives or decipher our moods and behaviors—some companies are leveraging advances in synthetic biology and genetic engineering. Others are harnessing advances in artificial intelligence. (Hernandez, 7/16)
Reuters:
Roche Launches Dual Antigen And Antibody Diagnostic Test For Hepatitis C
Roche (ROG.S) has launched an new dual antigen and antibody diagnostic test for hepatitis C, the Swiss pharmaceuticals company said on Monday, which it says will give an earlier diagnosis of the virus. The Elecsys HCV Duo is the first commercially available immunoassay that allows the simultaneous and independent determination of the hepatitis C virus status from a single human plasma or serum sample. (7/18)
Stat:
UnitedHealthcare To Offer $0 Insulin, Epi-Pens, But Only For Some Members
Next year, UnitedHealthcare will offer employer health plans that have no copays or out-of-pocket costs for five vital drugs — insulin, epinephrine, glucagon, naloxone, and albuterol — but those discounts will only be a guaranteed for less than a quarter of UnitedHealthcare’s membership for now. (Herman and Bannow, 7/15)
Reuters:
GSK Spins Off Haleon In Biggest European Listing For A Decade
In a long scripted overhaul of its business, British drugmaker GSK (GSK.L) spun off its consumer health business on Monday in the biggest listing in Europe for more than a decade. The new company, Haleon, becomes the world's biggest standalone consumer health business, home to brands including Sensodyne toothpaste and Advil painkillers. (Grover and Raitano, 7/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
GSK Spins Off $36 Billion Consumer-Healthcare Business Haleon
GSK GSK 2.56%▲ PLC completed the spinoff of its consumer-healthcare business, a bet that greater focus on innovative drugs and vaccines will help accelerate growth at the pharmaceuticals giant. (Roland, 7/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
ForSight Robotics Grabs $55 Million For Cataract Surgeries
Israeli startup ForSight Robotics Ltd. has raised $55 million in new venture capital to develop robotic systems designed to improve cataract surgeries and make them more widely accessible. The company, which raised a $10 million seed financing last year before closing this Series A round of funding, says it has applied its technology successfully in an animal eye model and plans to use this funding to move its platform into clinical trials. (Gormley, 7/18)
Stat:
Health Care's High Rollers: As The Pandemic Raged, CEOs' Earnings Surged
Health care’s top executives sat comfortably atop their perch during the second year of the pandemic, cushioned more than ever by the rising fortunes of their stock ownership. (Herman, Sheridan, Parker, Feuerstein and Ravindranath, 7/18)
The Washington Post:
Kids’ Coronavirus Vaccines Are Hard To Find In Fla. Many Blame DeSantis
“We heard that [the vaccine] was coming, and we were super excited. We saw a chance for some normalcy,” said Tampa mom Ashley Comegys, whose 1-year-old and 4-year-old sons are on a waitlist for the vaccines at their pediatrician’s office, which is likely to take about three weeks. But even that timing is uncertain. After nearly a month, more retail outlets around the state began to offer the vaccines this past week, but many parents who want their child’s doctor to give the shot have long waits ahead. (Rozsa, 7/17)
The New York Times:
Comic-Con International Returns To San Diego With A Mask Mandate
Comic-Con International, which considers itself the oldest pop-culture convention in the world, is returning to San Diego for its first major in-person event since before the coronavirus pandemic began, and masks will be mandatory. (Albeck-Ripka, 7/15)
Carolina Public Press:
Sexual Assault Nurse Training Program May Get Boost From Budget
The state’s nearly $28 billion budget for the new fiscal year includes $1.5 million to boost Fayetteville State University’s fledgling training program for sexual assault nurse examiners, or SANE nurses. (Martin, 7/17)
Newsweek:
Doctor Ordering 'Unnecessary Brain Scans' Received Kickbacks: Officials
A doctor from Connecticut pleaded guilty to ordering hundreds of "unnecessary brain scans" in order to receive kickbacks in federal court on July 14. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the District of Massachusetts, the doctor, Donald Salzberg, 67, appeared before U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock and plead guilty to "one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to receive kickbacks." (Impelli, 7/15)
Reuters:
Shanghai Enforces New COVID Testing, Some Areas In China Extend Lockdowns
Several large Chinese cities including Shanghai are rolling out new mass testing or extending lockdowns on millions of residents to counter new clusters of COVID-19 infections, with some measures being criticised on the internet. (7/18)
Reuters:
Ghana Confirms Its First Outbreak Of Highly Infectious Marburg Virus
Ghana has officially confirmed two cases of the Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease similar to Ebola, its health service said on Sunday, after two people who later died tested positive for the virus earlier this month. (7/18)