First Edition: Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024

KFF Health News: A Centenarian Thrives Living Alone, Active And Engaged
“The future is here,” the email announced. Hilda Jaffe, then 88, was letting her children know she planned to sell the family home in Verona, New Jersey. She’d decided to begin life anew — on her own — in a one-bedroom apartment in Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan. Fourteen years later, Jaffe, now 102, still lives alone — just a few blocks away from the frenetic flashing lights and crowds that course through Times Square. (Graham, 12/10)

KFF Health News: Rural Governments Often Fail To Communicate With Residents Who Aren’t Proficient In English
Eloisa Mendoza has spent 18 years helping people who aren’t fluent in English navigate complex legal documents. She guides them through stressful events and accompanying dense paperwork, such as citizenship applications, divorces, and birth certificate translations. Mendoza works in Elko, Nevada, situated in a remote region in the state’s northeastern corner. Her work has become increasingly important as the town’s Hispanic or Latino population has grown to about 26%. (Orozco Rodriguez, 12/10)

The Washington Post: 3 In 5 Underinsured Adults Said They Avoided Needed Care Because Of Cost
Some 8 percent of Americans, or an estimated 26 million people, lacked health insurance in 2023, according to the Commonwealth Fund 2024 Biennial Health Insurance Survey. Before implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, nearly twice as many people, 16 percent of the population, were without health coverage, the Commonwealth Fund reported, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (McMahan, 12/9)

The Hill: Gallup Poll: Majority Of Americans Say Health Care Is Government Responsibility
Sixty-two percent of Americans say it’s the federal government’s responsibility to ensure everyone has health care coverage, a survey from Gallup found. The figure is the highest it’s been in more than a decade. It slipped to its low of 42 percent in 2013, during the difficult rollout of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as ObamaCare. (Irwin, 12/9)

Modern Healthcare: Rural Providers Beg Employers: No Retirees In Medicare Advantage 
Nemaha Valley Community Hospital CEO Kiley Floyd is pleading with her local school district not to switch its retired teachers from traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage. Floyd believes it’s her only hope to slow enrollment in the program in Seneca, the small city in northeastern Kansas where her 18-bed facility is located. Fee-for-service Medicare can't compete with the marketing, benefits and low premiums Medicare Advantage plans offer, she said. But insurers finance those perks by paying her critical access hospital 52 cents for every dollar billed, she said. (Tepper, 12/9)

Stat: Costly U.S. Health Care System Could Take Lessons From Portugal
Getting to the MRI machine at one of this city’s largest public hospitals means taking a trip through time. Plastic waiting room chairs in radiology sit amid centuries-old blue and white Azulejo tiles, while a nearby chapel glimmers with Renaissance statuary and paintings. Hospital de São José’s ambulance bays, exam rooms, and labs, after all, occupy a former college the Jesuits started building in 1579. (McFarling, 12/10)

Stat: Pharma Not Lobbying Against RFK Jr. For Trump's HHS Secretary
The pharmaceutical industry is not lobbying senators to stop the confirmation of long-time critic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the top health care role in the Trump administration. RFK Jr., President-elect Trump’s pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services, has lambasted the pharmaceutical industry and spread discredited ideas about vaccines. But his rhetoric has not yet compelled drugmakers to try to convince senators to oppose his confirmation. (Zhang and Wilkerson, 12/9)

The New York Times: Nobel Laureates Urge Senate To Turn Down Kennedy’s Nomination
More than 75 Nobel Prize winners have signed a letter urging senators not to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. The letter, obtained by The New York Times, marks the first time in recent memory that Nobel laureates have banded together against a Cabinet choice, according to Richard Roberts, winner of the 1993 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine, who helped draft the letter. (Rosenbluth, 12/9)

The Wall Street Journal: Meet The Trump Nominees Selling Vitamins On The Side
President-elect Donald Trump’s top political appointees want you to buy supplements. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Trump’s pick for surgeon general, sells her own line of vitamins. Kash Patel, Trump’s choice to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation, recommended pills on Truth Social in February that he said could “rid your body of the harms” from Covid-19 vaccines. (Mosbergen, 12/9)

The New York Times: Suspect Is Charged In C.E.O.’s Murder After Arrest In Pennsylvania
Mr. Mangione, officials said, had a gun and a silencer similar to the ones used in the Dec. 4 shooting, and a fake driver’s license that matched one used by the man suspected in the killing. He also carried with him a three-page handwritten manifesto condemning the health care industry for putting profits over patients. “These parasites had it coming,” it said, according to a senior law enforcement official who saw the document. It added: “I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done.” (Shanahan, 12/9)

AP: UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooting Suspect Charged With Murder, Court Records Show 
From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. ... At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. (Sisak and Scolforo, 12/10)

The New York Times: What Is A Ghost Gun?
The man held in the killing of a health care executive, arrested on firearms charges in Pennsylvania on Monday, possessed what investigators believe was a so-called ghost gun, said Joseph Kenny, the chief of detectives for the New York police. Ghost guns, made with parts sold online, are typically easy and relatively inexpensive to assemble. An alluring selling point for many buyers is that ghost guns do not bear serial numbers, unlike traditional firearms made by companies and bought from licensed dealers. (Kilgannon, 12/9)

The New York Times: The Brave New World Of A.I.-Powered Self-Harm Alerts
Dawn was still hours away when Angel Cholka was awakened by the beams of a police flashlight through the window. At the door was an officer, who asked if someone named Madi lived there. He said he needed to check on her. Ms. Cholka ran to her 16-year-old’s bedroom, confused and, suddenly, terrified. Ms. Cholka did not know that A.I.-powered software operated by the local school district in Neosho, Mo., had been tracking what Madi was typing on her school-issued Chromebook. (Barry, 12/9)

NPR: Lawsuit: A Chatbot Hinted A Kid Should Kill His Parents Over Screen Time Limits
A child in Texas was 9 years old when she first used the chatbot service Character.AI. It exposed her to "hypersexualized content," causing her to develop "sexualized behaviors prematurely." A chatbot on the app gleefully described self-harm to another young user, telling a 17-year-old "it felt good." The same teenager was told by a Character.AI chatbot that it sympathized with children who murder their parents after the teen complained to the bot about his limited screen time. (Allyn, 12/10)

AP: California To Consider Requiring Mental Health Warnings On Social Media Sites
California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. (Nguyễn, 12/9)

AP: Trump Appointees May Offer Clues On Administration's Abortion Policy
As Donald Trump’s Cabinet begins to take shape, those on both sides of the abortion debate are watching closely for clues about how his picks might affect reproductive rights policy in the president-elect’s second term. Trump’s cabinet picks offer a preview of how his administration could handle abortion after he repeatedly flip-flopped on the issue on the campaign trail. (Fernando, 12/9)

Reuters: US Supreme Court Will Not Hear Drug Industry Challenge To Arkansas Contract Pharmacy Law
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal by the nation's leading drug industry group challenging an Arkansas law requiring pharmaceutical companies to offer discounts on drugs dispensed by third-party pharmacies that contract with hospitals and clinics serving low-income populations. (Pierson, 12/9)

The New York Times: E.P.A. Bans Perc And T.C.E., Two Chemicals Used In Dry Cleaning
The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday banned two solvents found in everyday products that can cause cancer and other serious diseases. It was a move long sought by environmental and health advocates, even as they braced for what could be a wave of deregulation by the incoming Trump administration. For decades, communities close to factories, airports, dry cleaners and other sites have lived with the consequences of exposure to trichloroethylene, or TCE, a toxic chemical used in cleaners, spot removers, lubricants and glue. (Tabuchi, 12/9)

USA Today: Will FDA Ban Red Dye 3? Food Additive Under Scrutiny In Petition
A red food dye prevalent in candies, drinks and other products could soon be banned in the United States if federal regulators side with a petition that is under review. The Food and Drug Administration has signaled that it may finally crack down on the use of the additive known as red dye No. 3, an artificial dye that gives a cherry-red coloring to thousands of American products. While the FDA has claimed that red 3 ... can be safe to consume, advocates have long called for its ban amid concerns that the food dye is linked to cancer and behavioral problems in children. (Lagatta, 12/9)

Newsweek: Antidepressant Recall Update As FDA Sets Risk Level
A commonly prescribed antidepressant has been recalled across the U.S. due to fears of contamination with a potentially cancer-causing chemical. 233,003 bottles of the drug, named Duloxetine, were voluntarily recalled by their distributor, Rising Pharmaceuticals, Inc.—based in East Brunswick, New Jersey—on November 19. ... The recalled drugs have now been issued a "Class II" risk level by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (Thomson, 12/9)

Next City: Postpartum Depression Is Costing The United States Billions. Can Cities Help?
Amaryllis Castillo gets to work at 7:45 a.m. for her job as a certified home health aide. The mother of two, who was 26 weeks pregnant when we spoke, works a six-hour shift caring for elderly patients, taking them to activities and out for lunch. At 5 p.m., she clocks in for her second job providing customer service, which she works until 9 p.m. She does that from home, which allows her to be with her children, who are 12 and 2. (Somerstein, 12/9)

CNN: ‘Lifting From Head To Toe’: Weight-Loss Drugs Boost Popularity Of Surgeries To Remove Extra Skin 
Leah Rae Russell lost more than 200 pounds over a decade, but she says she wasn’t able to fully appreciate her accomplishment until she took a final step: tightening and removing about 3 pounds of skin hanging from her chest and stomach. The change has been so dramatic, she often doesn’t recognize herself when she looks in the mirror. (Goodman, 12/9)

NPR: Food Recalls: What To Know About Recent Outbreaks, Food Safety Tips
A Gallup poll in July found Americans' confidence in the government to ensure a safe U.S. food supply had sunk to a record low. "While 57% express at least a fair amount of confidence in the government to keep food safe," the organization said, "28% of Americans do not have much confidence and 14% have 'none at all.'" (Chappell and Aubrey, 12/9)

Newsweek: Hundreds Of Vials Of Deadly Viruses Missing After Lab Breach
Hundreds of vials containing live viruses have gone missing from a laboratory in Australia, sparking an investigation. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls announced today that 323 samples of live viruses—including Hendra virus, Lyssavirus and Hantavirus—went missing in 2021 in a "serious breach of biosecurity protocols. (Thomson, 12/9)

Newsweek: Fentanyl Detected In Gulf Of Mexico Dolphins
The effects of the opioid epidemic may not be limited to humans, with dolphins found to have fentanyl in their systems. A large proportion of bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico were found to have human pharmaceuticals in their bodies, including fentanyl, muscle relaxants and sedatives, according to a study published in the journal iScience. The dolphins are thought to have accumulated these drugs from eating fish and shrimp, which we also consume, suggesting that there could be risks to human health from environmental pharmaceuticals. (Thomson, 12/9)

Stat: ASH 2024: Early Treatment May Prevent Multiple Myeloma, Study Finds
It’s been decades since Vincent Rajkumar, a multiple myeloma physician and researcher at the Mayo Clinic, remembers first feeling that he was treating patients far too late. Myeloma, he explained in an interview, is unique among cancers in that it is only considered cancer once patients experience organ damage like renal failure and bone lesions. It would be better, he believed, to start treating patients sooner — rather than watching and waiting until after all that suffering has begun. (Chen, 12/9)

The New York Times: 3-D Mammograms Are Overtaking Traditional Scans. Are They Better?
Women going in for routine mammograms are increasingly being screened with a new type of imaging tool: digital breast tomosynthesis. The new technology, which is sometimes referred to as 3-D mammography or D.B.T., lets doctors look at the breast in greater detail. Some research has shown that it can detect slightly more cancers with fewer false positive results than conventional mammograms — though it’s still too early to know whether these benefits will translate to fewer cancer deaths. (Agrawal, 12/9)

Reuters: AbbVie's Parkinson's Disease Drug Improves Patient Mobility In Late-Stage Study
AbbVie's (ABBV.N) experimental drug to treat early Parkinson's disease helped significantly improve patients' ability to carry out daily tasks such as eating and walking, months after the drugmaker disclosed its success in a separate study. The late-stage study tested the safety and efficacy of flexible doses of the once-daily drug, tavapadon, ranging from 5 milligrams (mg) to 15 mg, as a monotherapy, the company said on Monday. (Sunny, 12/9)

Stat: GLP-1s For Parkinson's? This Startup Really Wants Pharma To Study It
On the 77th floor of One World Trade Center, in an office with panoramic views of Manhattan, executives from pharma and biotech companies like Regeneron and Merck heard the pitch: Please help us study GLP-1s in Parkinson’s disease. (Aguilar, 12/10)

CIDRAP: Problem-Solving, Social Support Tied To Native Americans' Emotional Health Amid Pandemic
A study of urban American Indians and Alaska Natives (AIANs) during the COVID-19 pandemic links problem-solving skills and social support to better emotional well-being. A team led by Denver Health Medical Center and University of Colorado researchers surveyed 1,164 AIAN adults who sought care at six urban health centers in Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, and Utah from November 2021 to May 2022. The average age was 42.5 years, and 61% were women. (Van Beusekom, 12/9)

Reuters: Relmada Discontinues Late-Stage Trials For Depression Drug, Explores Sale 
Relmada Therapeutics (RLMD.O) said on Monday it would discontinue the two late-stage studies planned for the development of its depression drug and explore strategic alternatives including a sale. ... The stock fell more than 70% last week after the company said its depression drug, esmethadone, was "unlikely" to meet the main goal of a late-stage trial. The drug was being tested in patients with major depressive disorder as an adjunct to be used along with other approved antidepressants. (12/9)

Bloomberg: VC Firm Dimension Raises $500 Million To Bet On AI And Medicine 
Dimension Capital, a venture firm targeting life sciences and technology startups, has raised $500 million just two years after debuting its first fund. The New York-based firm aims to tap into trends such as the growth of artificial intelligence and the rise of new ways to develop medicine — particularly the use of technology in the search for new drugs. (McBride, 12/9)

Modern Healthcare: Cala Health Raises $50M From J&J Innovation, Ascension Ventures
Cala Health, a bioelectric medicine company, raised $50 million in a growth round, with participation from existing vendors including Johnson & Johnson Innovation, OSF Ventures and Ascension Ventures, among others. The round, which was co-led by Vertex Growth Fund and Nexus NeuroTech Ventures, will help the company accelerate efforts to bring its products to market. (12/9)

Stat: Tasca Therapeutics, An Oncology Startup, Launches With $52 Million
Tasca Therapeutics, the first startup created by new VC firm Cure Ventures, has raised $52 million to develop a new breed of cancer therapies. Tasca is developing small molecule treatments that target and bind to specific pockets on the pockmarked surface of proteins. The hope is that the medicines can lock onto cancer-associated proteins and kill the cancer cells. (DeAngelis, 12/10)

Reuters: Revance Agrees To Lower Take-Private Offer By Crown Labs
Crown Laboratories would buy the anti-wrinkle injection maker Revance Therapeutics at a roughly 50% lower price compared to an original agreement signed in August, the companies said on Monday, sending the latter's stock tumbling 20%. The lowered takeover price follows months of delay in the deal after Revance, which makes a rival to AbbVie's blockbuster product Botox, faced a dispute with its partner Teoxane. (12/9)

Modern Healthcare: CareMax Layoffs Could Hit 530 Workers If Bankruptcy Sales Proceed
Senior care provider CareMax may lay off 530 employees if deals to sell its management services organization and clinical care center businesses are completed. Miami-based CareMax filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month and announced it had entered an agreement with an affiliate of Revere Medical, a medical provider group, to sell its management services organization. Revere is backed by private equity company Kinderhook Industries, which purchased Steward Health Care's physician group in a $245 million deal in October. (DeSilva, 12/9)

CIDRAP: Nevada Reports Its First Avian Flu Detection In Dairy Cattle As Virus Hits Iowa Layer Farm
The Nevada Department of Agriculture on December 6 reported the state's first avian flu detection in dairy cattle, which involved a herd in Nye County, located northwest of Las Vegas. Since H5N1 was first detected in US dairy cows in March, the virus has now infected herds in 16 states. Though Nye County borders California, the area isn't adjacent to the Central Valley epicenter of California's ongoing outbreaks in dairy cattle. (Schnirring, 12/9)

CIDRAP: Arizona Confirms 2 Avian Flu Infections As California Probes Second Potential Case In A Child 
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) on December 6 reported the state's first human avian flu patients, both of whom were exposed to infected poultry at a commercial farm in Pinal County. If confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the cases would push the national total to 60 and the number of state reporting human cases to eight. (Schnirring, 12/9)

AP: Idaho's Strict Abortion Ban Faces Scrutiny In Federal Appeals Court Hearing
A federal appeals court is expected to hear arguments Tuesday afternoon over whether Idaho should be prohibited from enforcing a strict abortion ban during medical emergencies when a pregnant patient’s life or health is at risk. The state law makes it a felony to perform an abortion unless the procedure is necessary to prevent the death of the patient. (Boone, 12/10)

The Baltimore Sun: 1 Of 4 State Center Buildings In Baltimore Cleared From Legionella
The Maryland Department of General Services’ latest round of testing on the State Center office buildings has cleared one of the four of Legionella, which was found in the complex’s water systems in November. (Bazos, 12/9)