First Edition: June 5, 2023

KFF Health News: Will A ‘National Patient Safety Board,’ Modeled After The NTSB, Actually Fly?
People concerned about the safety of patients often compare health care to aviation. Why, they ask, can’t hospitals learn from medical errors the way airlines learn from plane crashes? That’s the rationale behind calls to create a “National Patient Safety Board,” an independent federal agency that would be loosely modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board, which is credited with increasing the safety of skies, railways, and highways by investigating why accidents occur and recommending steps to avoid future mishaps. (Jaklevic, 6/5)

KFF Health News: California Confronts The Threat Of ‘Tranq’ As Overdose Crisis Rages
When the city’s medical examiner announced in February that four people who had recently died of overdoses had the animal sedative xylazine in their systems, public health workers across the state sprang into action. Drug dealers on the East Coast had in recent years begun mixing xylazine, which can have devastating effects on people, with the opioid fentanyl, causing a surge in emergency room visits in Philadelphia and other cities. But there had not been much evidence of it in California. (Rinker, 6/5)

The Wall Street Journal: For Some Cancers, Less Treatment Is A Better Bet
Doctors are coalescing around the ironic idea that for some cancer treatment, less can be better. Some patients with cervical and pancreatic cancer can do as well with less invasive surgery, according to research presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago over the weekend. Other studies at the annual meeting showed some patients with rectal cancer or Hodgkin lymphoma can safely get less radiation. (Abbott, 6/5)

The New York Times: Rectal Cancer Patients May Not Need Radiation, Study Finds
Rectal cancer researchers have pulled off a daunting feat, demonstrating in a large clinical trial that patients do just as well without radiation therapy as with it. The results, revealed Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and in a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine, could give more than 10,000 patients every year in the United States the option to forgo a cancer treatment that can have serious side effects. (Kolata, 6/4)

Stat: ‘Extraordinary’ Data Reported For AstraZeneca Lung Cancer Drug
Giving the AstraZeneca drug Tagrisso to patients with non-small cell lung cancer who have had their tumors removed reduced the risk of death by 51%, researchers said Sunday. Put another way, that would mean that about one in 10 patients who received the drug would live another five years. (Chen and Herper, 6/4)

Stat: Targeted Drug Greatly Slows Growth Of A Brain Cancer
An experimental drug dramatically slowed the growth of glioma, a type of brain cancer, if the tumor carried a specific type of genetic alteration, researchers said Sunday, potentially sparing patients exposure to radiation and chemotherapy. (Herper, 6/4)

Stat: ImmunoGen Drug Prolongs Survival In Advanced Ovarian Cancer
An antibody that delivers chemotherapy directly to tumor cells extended the lives of women with a form of advanced ovarian cancer in a large study, researchers reported Sunday. The drug, called Elahere, is made by the biotech company ImmunoGen. It was granted conditional approval in the U.S. last November based on preliminary evidence showing it shrank tumors. (Feuerstein, 6/4)

Reuters: Grail Says About 400 Patients Incorrectly Informed They May Have Cancer
Cancer test maker Grail Inc (GRAL.O) said on Friday that its telemedicine vendor erroneously sent letters to about 400 patients suggesting they may have developed cancer. Grail's flagship cancer detection blood test Galleri is designed to detect more than 50 types of cancer before symptoms appear. (6/2)

Fox News: Most US Adults Are Declining COVID Boosters As CDC Warns Of Health Risks: 'Relatively Little Protection' 
Adults who aren’t current on their COVID-19 vaccine booster doses may have "relatively little remaining protection" against hospitalization compared to those who haven’t been vaccinated at all, suggests a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study spanned multiple states and examined more than 85,000 hospitalizations of people with "COVID-like illness." (Rudy, 6/4)

CIDRAP: More Than 70% Of US Household COVID Spread Started With A Child, Study Suggests
A study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open suggests that 70.4% of nearly 850,000 US household COVID-19 transmissions originated with a child. ... The authors concluded that children had an important role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and that in-person school also resulted in substantial spread. (Van Beusekom, 6/2)

CIDRAP: 96% Of US Blood Donors Had SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies In 2022, CDC Reports
By third quarter 2022, an estimated 96.4% of US blood donors had antibodies against COVID-19 from a previous infection or vaccination, including 22.6% from infection alone and 26.1% from vaccination alone, with 47.7% having both (hybrid immunity), according to a study published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. (Van Beusekom, 6/2)

CIDRAP: US COVID Activity Stays Low, But NYC Sees Rise In Wastewater Positives
Most US COVID measures showed continuing declining trends, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), though high levels of the virus in New York City wastewater hint at a local increase. (Schnirring, 6/2)

Politico: How Covid Made It Nearly Impossible To Pass New Vaccine Rules 
The HPV vaccine has been around for almost two decades and could spare thousands of people from developing cervical and oral cancer — so mandating it for schoolchildren once seemed an easy call for Democrats in deep-blue California. But a bill to do just that has been watered down beyond recognition in one of the most liberal states in the U.S., a victim of a homegrown anti-vaccine movement that has become more organized and more successful since the pandemic. (Bluth, 6/4)

The Hill: Instagram Reinstates Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Account 
Instagram reinstated the personal account of anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who declared his bid to run in the 2024 Democratic primary earlier this year. Kennedy’s personal account was permanently removed from Instagram in 2021 after he repeatedly posted misinformation about COVID-19 on the social media platform. The company said in a statement at the time that it removed the account for sharing “debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines.” (Sforza, 6/4)

Bloomberg: Cities Cite Mental Health, Loneliness And Depression As Top Policy Concerns
An “unprecedented” mental health crisis is overwhelming US cities, which lack adequate resources to address growing challenges, according to a new report released today by the US Conference of Mayors. In recent years, the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health issues, particularly involving substance abuse, said a survey of mayors of 117 cities in 39 states. (Yee, 6/3)

NPR: Doctors Rally To Defend Abortion Provider Caitlin Bernard 
Hundreds of Indiana doctors are coming to the defense of Caitlin Bernard, the obstetrician/gynecologist who was recently punished by a state licensing board for talking publicly about providing an abortion for a 10-year-old rape victim. In public statements, doctors across a range of specialties are speaking out against the board's decision, and warning that it could have dangerous implications for public health. (McCammon, 6/3)

Military.Com: 650 Military Promotions Threatened As Senator Shows No Signs Of Relenting 
About 650 general and flag officer promotions could be delayed this year by a legislative hold on Capitol Hill imposed by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., over military abortion policies, according to the Pentagon. Tuberville’s hold could not only hold up the promotions of rank and position -- the vast majority of the 852 total officers at those ranks -- but is also threatening recent major nominations for a new Joint Chiefs chairman and Marine Corps commandant, as well as the growing list of other key replacements. (Toropin and Kheel, 6/2)

The 19th: In Florida, Black Women Health Professionals Are Fighting For Reproductive Justice
As Florida has tightened its abortion laws and passed policies that restrict access to reproductive health care, nearly 40 Black women in the state have formed a coalition to push back against these measures that are disproportionately harming them. (Barber, 6/2)

The 19th: Environmental Advocates Ask EPA To Take Stand On Reproductive Justice 
Waning abortion access has dominated conversations around reproductive justice, but a lesser known principle of the movement to maintain bodily and reproductive autonomy is being threatened by a changing climate and a slew of environmental contaminants. One of the main tenets of reproductive justice is the ability to raise a child in a safe and healthy environment, according to SisterSong, one of the leading reproductive justice collectives in the country. But the evidence that pollutants are impacting the health of pregnant people is everywhere. (Kutz, 6/2)

AP: Transgender Adults In Florida `Blindsided' That New Law Also Limits Their Access To Health Care
Debate surrounding Florida’s new restrictions on gender-affirming care focused largely on transgender children. But a new law that Republican presidential candidate and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed last month also made it difficult – even impossible – for many transgender adults to get treatment. Eli and Lucas, trans men who are a couple, followed the discussions in the Legislature, where Democrats warned that trans children would be more prone to suicide under a ban on gender-affirming care for minors and Republicans responded with misplaced tales of mutilated kids. Eli said he and his partner felt “blindsided” when they discovered the bill contained language that would also disrupt their lives. “There was no communication. … Nobody was really talking about it in our circles,” said Eli, 29. (Beaty, Farrington and Schoenbaum, 6/4)

The Hill: How Biden Has Navigated LGBTQ Issues As A Catholic President 
President Biden, only the second Catholic president in U.S. history, is navigating LGBTQ issues in a way that has at times labeled him a champion and at others labeled him as behind the times. Much like his handling of abortion issues  –  before it erupted when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade – Biden can appear to be uncomfortable at times with matters that can contradict his faith. And transgender issues, in particular, can be considered quite new to older Americans like Biden. (Gangitano, 6/4)

The New York Times: No One Knows How Many L.G.B.T.Q. Americans Die By Suicide 
Cory Russo, the chief death investigator in Utah, is used to asking strangers questions at the most excruciating moments of their lives. When she shows up at the scene of a suicide, a homicide or another type of unexpected death, her job is to interview the grievers about how the deceased had lived. How old were they? What was their race? Did they have a job? Had they ever been hospitalized for psychiatric issues? How had they been feeling that morning? Over the past couple of years, she has added new questions to the list: What was their sexual orientation? What was their gender identity? (Ghorayshi, 6/1)

The Boston Globe: Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against Compass Medical Over Abrupt Closure Of Facilities In Mass.
An Abington man has filed a class-action lawsuit against Compass Medical claiming the Quincy-based health organization was negligent in not warning patients prior to shutting down its six South Shore medical offices last week. The lawsuit brought by Richard Callanan, whose family all received care through Compass Medical, argues that the organization abandoned its approximately 70,000 patients by abruptly closing the facilities without notice, leaving them scrambling to fill prescriptions, find new doctors, and reschedule examinations. (Stoico, 6/4)

Becker's Hospital Review: Acadia-Owned Psychiatric Hospital In Washington State To Close, Layoff 288
Cascade Behavioral Health Hospital in suburban Seattle is winding down operations and laying off 288 employees, according to a WARN filing posted June 1.A spokesperson for the Tukwila, Wash.-based hospital told Becker's the 135-bed psychiatric hospital will close by July 31 due to financial challenges. (Emerson, 6/2)

Modern Healthcare: Critical-Access, Acute-Care Hospitals Increase Capital Spending
In a Modern Healthcare analysis of cost reports for hospitals filing from 2018 through 2022, median net capital costs for critical-access hospitals increased almost 17%, while those for acute-care hospitals rose only 1% over the same period. Net capital costs are defined as the total costs of buildings, fixtures and movable equipment. (Broderick, 6/5)

Modern Healthcare: Hospital-At-Home Market To Grow By 50% Within 5 Years: Chilmark 
The hospital-at-home market is projected to grow 50% from $200 billion to nearly $300 billion by 2028, and is a magnet for companies trying to get a foothold in the space. (Eastabrook, 6/2)

NBC News: Trapped At Work: Immigrant Health Care Workers Can Face Harsh Working Conditions And $100,000 Lawsuits For Quitting
Nurses and other health care workers who have been brought to the U.S. from overseas to fill thousands of vacant jobs say in some instances they’ve been subjected to unsafe working conditions, wage theft and threats of tens of thousands of dollars in debt if they quit or are fired. (Pettypiece, 6/4)

Axios: Hospitals Unexpectedly Cut Off From Discounted Drugs At Outpatient Clinics
An unexpected policy change has left some hospital outpatient clinics potentially shut out of the government's discount drug program, rattling health systems with a lot of poorer patients that are accustomed to buying medicines at cheaper prices and keeping the savings. The change means health systems may incur higher drug costs at a time when many are trying to push more care outside hospital walls, to offsite clinics. (Dreher, 6/5)

Stat: For Many Who Use Power Wheelchairs, CMS Decision Just Made Seat Elevation Much Less Expensive
For years, patients and medical groups have advocated for Medicare to cover wheelchairs with power-seat elevation, allowing users to, among other things, reach cabinets and countertops more easily and conduct conversations eye to eye. In a major shift in its approach to the devices, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last month granted that request, saying it would cover some wheelchairs with a power-seat elevation feature. (Young, 6/5)

NPR: Indivior Settles Claim Over Suboxone Competition
The maker of an important addiction treatment medication has agreed to pay $102 million dollars to settle claims it stifled competition. Indivior makes Suboxone, which reduces drug cravings in people with opioid use disorder. The Virginia-based Indivior introduced Suboxone in 2002 and then, according to state attorneys general, used "monopolistic" strategies to keep generic versions of the opioid-treatment medication off the market. (Mann, 6/2)

NBC News: Women More Likely Than Men To Skip Or Delay Medications Due To Cost, CDC Report Finds
Women are more likely than men to skip, delay or take less medication than was prescribed because of cost, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. The finding came from the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey, an annual survey in which tens of thousands of people in the U.S. are asked questions about their health-related experiences. (Lovelace Jr., 6/2)

CNN: Estrogen-Only Pills Used As HRT Raised Blood Pressure In Study. Experts Weigh In
People who use estrogen-only pills during menopause were more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure than those using patches or creams, a new study found. However, doctors who treat menopause say estrogen-only pills are rarely prescribed for high-risk patients, and the overall benefits of hormone replacement therapy far outweigh the risks for many patients. (LaMotte, 6/5)

Good Morning America: Women Who Struggle With PCOS Find Help Using Ozempic, Mounjaro
Branneisha Cooper of Texas said she was diagnosed during her senior year of high school with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, a reproductive hormone imbalance that can cause problems with the menstrual cycle and lead to the formation of multiple ovarian cysts and infertility, according to the U.S. Office on Women's Health. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but people with this condition have higher levels of androgens, such as testosterone, and insulin that can lead to insulin resistance which is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. (Kindelan, 6/5)

NPR: Heart Transplant Recipient Dies After 2 Days In Florida Jail; ACLU Wants Probe
On the day he was arrested for a misdemeanor, Dexter Barry warned Florida police that if he did not take his anti-rejection medication, his heart would fail. "I take rejection medicine for my heart transplant. I can't miss those doses," he said, according to body camera footage obtained by NPR. (Kim, 6/3)

NPR: Scientists Zap Sleeping Humans' Brains With Electricity To Improve Their Memory 
A little brain stimulation at night appears to help people remember what they learned the previous day. A study of 18 people with severe epilepsy found that they scored higher on a memory test if they got deep brain stimulation while they slept, a team reports in the journal Nature Neuroscience. (Hamilton, 6/2)

The Washington Post: More People Are Living With Dementia. What Are The Signs And Risk Factors?
More than 55 million people globally live with dementia, and the number is expected to increase to an estimated 153 million by 2050, according to the World Health Organization. With the number of people living with dementia rising, individuals need to take steps to reduce the risk of developing it, experts say. These include sustained physical activity, making healthier lifestyle choices and staying socially connected, a 2020 article published in Lancet recommended. (Cimons, 6/2)

Military.Com: America Faces A Tidal Wave Of Aging Veterans, Including A 237% Increase In Women Over 65 By 2041 
As Vietnam and eventually Gulf War-era veterans grow older, they bring with them new needs, different expectations for care, and greater diversity than the Korean War and World War II veterans who came before them. The Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans organizations across the country are working to care for a new generation of older veterans who tend to have greater expectations for longevity and independence than earlier generations, yet also may struggle with more complex medical conditions. (Kehrt, 6/4)

Dallas Morning News: Poison Hemlock Was Spotted In A Dallas Suburb. Here’s What You Should Know About The Plant
Not everything that grows in your yard is meant to be touched. On Sunday, Kenzie Kizer of Lancaster wrote on Facebook about her incident handling a plant that doctors later identified as poison hemlock. Kizer said she was attempting to remove weeds near her home when she began experiencing some severe symptoms. (Adatia, 6/3)