First Edition: Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024

KFF Health News: Mothering Over Meds: Docs Say Common Treatment For Opioid-Exposed Babies Isn't Necessary
On learning last year she was pregnant with her second child, Cailyn Morreale was overcome with fear and trepidation. ... In that moment, her joy about being pregnant was eclipsed by fear she would have to stop taking buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid withdrawal that had helped counter her addiction. Morreale’s fear was compounded by the rigidity of the most common approach to treating babies born after being exposed in the womb to opioids or some medications used to treat opioid addiction. (Sisk, 10/22)

AP: DeSantis Using State Money, Time And His Power To Fight Abortion Rights Measure
After a month of updating Floridians on hurricanes, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is now focusing his official office on fighting an abortion rights amendment, holding a campaign-like rally at state expense two weeks before the election. DeSantis’ event Monday, which was capped with a prayer from the archbishop of Miami and the lieutenant governor asking people to not vote like atheists, came after the Department of Health’s top lawyer resigned over a letter he said the governor’s office forced him to send to television stations in an effort to stop a pro-Amendment 4 ad. (Farrington, 10/21)

The Atlantic: Abortion Pills Have Changed The Post-Roe Calculus
For all the upheaval that followed the overturn of Roe v. Wade, it did not dramatically change the most basic fact about abortions in America: the number. Since 2022, abortions in the United States have held steady—even increased slightly, based on the best of limited data. One major reason? The rise of abortion pills, which are now used in the majority of abortions in America. Every month, thousands of women in states where abortion is banned have been able to discreetly order the pills by mail and take them at home. Even with abortion bans in place, the availability of these pills makes these rules less absolute than the anti-abortion movement would like. (Zhang, 10/18)

Reuters: Black Women Face A Maternal Health Crisis. Advocates Want To Make That A US Election Issue
Francisca Shaw said she knew something was deeply wrong as she was rushed into an emergency cesarean for the delivery of her third child, a daughter, at Seattle's University of Washington Medical Center in 2015. "I remember I told my doctor when I was getting cut: 'I can't breathe," Shaw recalled saying. "She said: 'Oh yeah, you can.'" Shaw's uterus ruptured during the c-section, causing heavy bleeding. She required a hysterectomy and went into cardiac arrest, according to medical records reviewed by Reuters. She was hospitalized for three weeks after the birth, the records show. (Flowers and Raychaudhuri, 10/19)

Roll Call: For Harris, Mental Health Access A Key Policy Priority
Vice President Kamala Harris has signaled that, if elected president, she’ll work to increase mental health care access — but she acknowledges that addressing what has become an increasingly complex issue could be a heavy lift. The issue, she said in a podcast last month, “is probably one of the biggest public policy failures in our country.” (Heller, 10/21)

Politico: They’re In Health Care And They’re For Harris
Some 500 women health care leaders are rallying support for Vice President Kamala Harris in the final weeks before the election. “We have seen what happened in the first administration under Trump, so we have very clear evidence of — the direction away from science, away from access to care — and we’re deeply concerned,” said Missy Krasner, who led health care projects at Google and Amazon and served as a special adviser to the national coordinator for health information technology in the George W. Bush administration. (Ollstein and Messerly, 10/21)

The Hill: Biden, Sanders To Highlight Savings From Medicare Price Caps
President Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will travel to New Hampshire on Tuesday to speak on health care savings achieved through the Biden administration’s policies such as the estimated savings that resulted from the Medicare price caps enacted by the Inflation Reduction Act. According to a senior administration official, Biden and Sanders will go to Concord, N.H. to discuss the details of a new HHS report that shows almost 1.5 million Medicare beneficiaries saved roughly $1 billion thanks to the price caps on prescription drugs during the first half of 2024. (Choi, 10/22)

Modern Healthcare: Medicare Physician Pay Proposal Attracts Criticism 
Doctors are fed up with the system the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services uses to promote quality and set reimbursement rates. But they fear the agency's new vision even more. Physician pay is once again front and center for policymakers. CMS is due to issue the final rule for Medicare payments in 2025 this month. When Congress returns after Election Day, lawmakers will strive to mitigate whatever cut the agency implements, as they did for 2024. Under the proposed rule CMS published in July, Medicare physician reimbursements would be 2.9% lower next year. (Early, 10/21)

Newsweek: Green Onions Church Brothers Recall By FDA Over Salmonella
Green onions are being recalled after a product sample was found to be contaminated with salmonella, bacteria that can cause serious or fatal infection among some people. Church Brothers are voluntarily recalling 1,271 cases of green onions sold under the brands Church Brothers, Imperial Fresh and Trader Joe's over fears they may be contaminated with salmonella. The bacteria were discovered in a product sample by the Canadia Food Inspection Agency, and then reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), who announced the recall on Friday, October 18. (10/21)

CIDRAP: Washington Reports 4 Suspected H5 Avian Flu Infections In Poultry Workers
The Washington State Department of Health (WSDH) yesterday reported its first suspected avian flu infections in people, which involve four agricultural workers who tested positive after working with infected poultry at an egg-laying farm in Franklin County. Elsewhere, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on October18 reported 2 more confirmed H5 infections in people who were exposed to sick dairy cattle, raising the state's total to 13. (Schnirring, 10/21)

Los Angeles Times: As Bird Flu Outbreaks Rise, Piles Of Dead Cattle Seen In Central Valley
There’s a sickness hovering over Tulare County‘s dairy industry. On a recent 98-degree afternoon, dead cows and calves were piled up along the roadside. Thick swarms of black flies hummed and knocked against the windows of an idling car, while crows and vultures waited nearby — eyeballing the taut and bloated carcasses roasting in the October heat. Since the H5N1 bird flu virus was first reported in California in early August, 124 dairy herds and 13 people — all dairy workers — have been infected. (Rust, 10/20)

CIDRAP: Avian Flu Biomarker Was Circulating In Texas Wastewater Weeks Before Outbreaks In Cattle
Wastewater surveillance with an H5N1 avian flu probe retrospectively deployed to investigate unseasonably high influenza A in Texas in early 2024 was able to detect the virus 2 weeks before cases were reported and a month before the virus was confirmed, which may have been able to speed the public health response, according to study results presented at IDWeek. Researchers on the WastewaterSCAN team at Stanford University retrospectively developed and deployed a probe for a biomarker of avian influenza to plants across the United States. WastewaterSCAN monitors the levels of 11 viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in 190 municipal wastewater systems three times a week to inform local, regional, and national public health responses. (Van Beusekom, 10/21)

Newsweek: COVID Map Update: US States With 'High' Wastewater Viral Activity Revealed 
Coronavirus levels in wastewater remain "high" in certain states, despite low levels of the virus nationwide. Newsweek has revealed this variability in a map based on data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As of October 12, the overall viral activity level in wastewater across the country has been classified as "low" by the CDC, although "high" levels still persist in eight states. "Moderate" levels have been reported in 13 states, and "low" levels are now detected in 18 states, with 10 reporting "minimal" detection levels, the lowest classification in the CDC's system. (10/21)

CIDRAP: Study Shows Wastewater Detections Accurate For Norovirus
Norovirus can be accurately tracked in wastewater samples, which can help identify outbreaks and trends, according to a new study based on California wastewater surveillance published in Emerging Infectious Diseases. Norovirus is one of the leading causes of gastroenteritis in the United States, but surveillance is challenging because many cases are unreported, the authors said. As wastewater surveillance has proved useful and accurate for viral detections, including COVID-19, the researchers assessed its usefulness for norovirus. (Soucheray, 10/21)

The New York Times: Mental Illness Raises the Risk of Severe Covid. The Question Is: Why?
It’s been clear since the early days of the pandemic: People with mental illness are more likely to have severe outcomes from Covid. Compared to the general population, they’re at higher risk of being hospitalized, developing long Covid or dying from an infection. That fact puts mental illness on the same list as better-known Covid risk factors like cardiovascular issues, chronic kidney disease and asthma. (Blum, 10/21)

The Washington Post: Women Wait Longer Than Men For Pain Relief In ERs, Study Finds
Women seeking treatment for pain can wait 30 minutes longer in emergency departments than men, according to a recent study published in PNAS. The study was conducted by researchers in the United States and Israel and assessed emergency department datasets from both countries. According to the study, which analyzed nearly 22,000 emergency department discharge notes of patients with a pain complaint, there are major disparities between the treatment of male and female patients. (Docter-Loeb, 10/21)

The Wall Street Journal: J&J’s Ketamine-Derived Drug Is Taking Off
Every three weeks, Dr. Moksha Patel settles into a comfortable recliner at a Colorado hospital clinic, sprays a mind-altering medicine up his nose and loses control of his senses for a little while. It is a legal medical treatment. The 34-year-old doctor from Denver is taking Spravato, a medicine derived from club-drug ketamine that is approved for treating his depression. (Loftus, 10/21)

Reuters: Novo Nordisk's Oral Diabetes Drug Cuts Heart-Related Risks By 14% In Study
Novo Nordisk said on Monday an oral version of its drug semaglutide, helped significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients in a late-stage study. The drug, Rybelsus, helped reduce the risk of these events, including cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack and stroke, by 14% compared to placebo, meeting the main goal of the trial. (10/21)

USA Today: New Guidance For Stroke Prevention Includes Ozempic, Other Weight Loss Drugs
Experts this week identified new risks and issued updated recommendations for preventing strokes, a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S. It's the first time in a decade that health experts at the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association have issued significant updates to their guidelines. Among the findings, the report published Monday highlights the impact of Ozempic, other GLP-1 drugs and hormones used in gender-affirming care and lays out sex- and gender-specific risks of stroke. (Rodriguez, 10/21)

Stat: Dietary Guidelines On Ultra-Processed Foods Require More Data: Panel
If you were hoping to see where ultra-processed foods might fit in the next Dietary Guidelines for Americans, hold that thought. Scientific experts tasked with advising federal officials drafting the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans said the data were far too limited to draw conclusions. Meeting Monday, the first of two days of presentations, they discussed research findings to inform a report to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture. The results will be published in December. (Cooney, 10/21)

Stat: Pfizer, Eli Lilly Pressed By Senators On Telehealth Prescription Deals
Senators led by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on Monday demanded answers from Pfizer and Eli Lilly about their relationship with the telehealth prescribers they point patients to from their websites, seeking to determine whether the pharma giants are violating the federal anti-kickback statute. (Palmer, 10/22)

Bloomberg: Baxter Aims To Take More New Dialysis Patients After Storm Halt
Baxter International Inc. will begin accepting more new home dialysis patients after hurricane damage to a plant forced it to limit enrollment to children and emergency cases. The company, a major provider of fluids used for home dialysis, is aiming to “restore the number of new patient starts to pre-Hurricane Helene levels by the end of the year,” according to a statement Monday. (Suvarna, 10/21)

Reuters: Lilly Sues Online Vendors, Medical Spa Over Copycat Weight-Loss Drugs
Eli Lilly said on Monday it sued three medical spas and online vendors for selling products claiming to contain tirzepatide, the main ingredient in its popular weight-loss medicine Zepbound, including in the form of dissolvable tablets. The new lawsuits, which name Pivotal Peptides, MangoRx and Genesis Lifestyle Medicine of Nevada, are the first related to copycat tirzepatide filed since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took the drug off its list of medicines in short supply earlier this month. (Wingrove, 10/21)

Bloomberg: Cigna-Humana Merger Plan May Hinge On Election, Analysts Say
Prospects for a potential merger between health insurers Cigna Group and Humana Inc. hinge on the upcoming US presidential election, analysts said. While the Biden administration has moved to block some large health-care deals, talks would be “only tangibly moving forward if Trump wins” in November, Stephens analyst Scott Fidel wrote in a research note. (Tozzi, 10/21)

Modern Healthcare: Hims & Hers Names Dr. Jessica Shepherd As CMO Of Hers
Hims & Hers Health named Dr. Jessica Shepherd as the first chief medical officer of its Hers brand. Shepherd, an obstetrician and gynecologist, will oversee the telehealth company's clinical efforts in women's sexual health, dermatology, weight loss and mental health. She will focus specifically on Hers, while Hims & Hers Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patrick Carroll continues in his role for the company as a whole, a spokesperson said. (DeSilva, 10/21)

Stat: Behind CVS CEO’s Ouster, A Question: Do A Pharmacy And A Health Insurer Make Sense Together?
Does it make sense for a chain of drug stores to own a major health insurance company? That has been the existential question for CVS Health for six years, since its $70 billion acquisition of the massive insurer Aetna. The biggest pharmacy chain in the U.S. had already been moving beyond retail since its 2007 deal for pharmacy benefit manager Caremark. (Herper, 10/21)

Reuters: Can The New CVS CEO Handle The Aetna Challenge?
As CVS Health's CEO David Joyner steps into the top job after Karen Lynch's quick departure on Friday, Wall Street analysts and some investors are questioning whether he has the right experience to turn around the Aetna health insurance business as it struggles with high medical costs. (Niasse, 10/21)

Modern Healthcare: FAH's Chip Kahn Talks Insurers, 'Aggressive' Unions And 2025
Chip Kahn, president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, said he isn't buying insurers' complaints about higher costs as they have a responsibility to fairly compensate providers. Hospitals are fighting battles on multiple fronts — haggling over payer contracts, negotiating with unions about higher wage expectations and pushing back on what they view as too much regulatory oversight. The presidential election is also mere weeks away, and the results could affect policies governing hospitals' day-to-day operations. (Hudson, 10/21)

WUSF: Health Advocates Urge Florida To Apply For Medicaid Relief Amid Hurricane Recovery
Hurricanes Milton and Helene have caused a lot of disruptions in Florida. Thousands of residents continue to struggle with housing, employment and medical needs, which is why a coalition of health and labor advocates want state leaders to make it easier to access Medicaid coverage. (Colombini, 10/21)

USA Today: Hurricanes In Florida: State Sees Surge In Flesh-Eating Bacteria Cases
Florida has seen a surge of flesh-eating bacteria cases in recent weeks after parts of the state were inundated with heavy rain and flooding due to back-to-back hurricanes, according to state health department data. There have been 76 cases of Vibrio vulnificus in 2024, according to the latest data from the Florida Department of Health, surpassing the 74 cases in 2022 when Hurricane Ian and other devastating storms hit the state. Of this year's cases, the data also shows that there have been 13 deaths statewide linked to Vibrio vulnificus infections. (Freeman, Bridges and Nguyen, 10/22)

Politico: New York City Health Commissioner Departs
New York City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan stepped down Friday after two and a half years leading one of the world’s largest public health agencies. ... Vasan has repeatedly dodged questions about the impact of the multiple investigations swirling around Mayor Eric Adams on his decision to step down. But he told POLITICO in an interview Friday that he is “not blind to the environment” and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has been doing “everything we can” to prevent that environment from damaging morale. (Kaufman, 10/21)

Modern Healthcare: Amazon One Medical, Cleveland Clinic Partner On Primary Care
Technology giant Amazon is partnering with a high-profile provider to expand its primary care offerings. Amazon One Medical will collaborate with Cleveland Clinic to open a primary care office in 2025, with plans for additional locations over the next few years, the organizations said Monday. (Turner, 10/21)

Stat: Race Adjustments Removed From Four Clinical Algorithms
A coalition of 12 Philadelphia-area health systems announced Monday that its members have abandoned the use of race adjustments in four clinical tools commonly used to guide care, a move that health leaders say will improve treatment and prevent delays in diagnosis for Black, Hispanic, and Asian patients. (McFarling and Palmer, 10/21)

The New York Times: Bruce Ames, 95, Dies; Biochemist Discovered Test For Toxic Chemicals
Bruce Nathan Ames, a biochemist who discovered a revolutionary method of detecting potential carcinogens, paving the way for the banning of many commonly used chemicals, died on Oct. 5 in Berkeley, Calif. He was 95. His wife, Giovanna Ferro-Luzzi Ames, said his death, in a hospital, was from complications after a fall. The so-called Ames Test, developed in the 1970s, is still used by drug manufacturers and pesticide companies to check the safety of their products. (Rosenbluth, 10/21)

The New York Times: Andrew V. Schally, 97, Dies; Scientist Shared Nobel Glory With Rival
Andrew V. Schally, an endocrinologist who was awarded a Nobel for discovering the hormones used by the brain to control growth, reproduction and other bodily functions, sharing the prize with his bitter rival, the neuroscientist Roger Guillemin, died on Thursday at his home in Miami Beach. He was 97. His son, Gordon, confirmed the death. (Gellene, 10/21)