Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Los Angeles Schools To Get Naloxone To Combat Overdoses
Los Angeles Times: After String Of Teen Overdoses, L.A. Schools Will Get OD Reversal Drug Naloxone
Los Angeles public schools will stock campuses with the overdose reversal drug naloxone in the aftermath of a student’s death at Bernstein High School, putting the nation’s second-largest school system on the leading edge of a strategy increasingly favored by public health experts. (Blume, 9/22)
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Nevada Launches Free Digital Discount Card For Prescription Drugs
Gov. Steve Sisolak announced Thursday the launch of a free prescription drug card for Nevada residents that can save them money on both generic and brand-name medications. The ArrayRX digital discount card saves on average 80 percent on the cost without insurance of generic drugs and up to 20 percent on brand-name medications, he said. (Hynes, 9/22)
AP: Judge Rules Against Oregon County’s Ban On Flavored Tobacco
A judge in Oregon’s Washington County has ruled against the county’s 2021 ban on flavored tobacco products, meaning adults over 21 can still buy them. Circuit Judge Andrew Erwin wrote in his opinion this week that the decision to disallow licensed retail sale of such products must come from the state, not county by county, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. (9/22)
AP: Louisiana No. 4 In Rate Of Dangerous West Nile Virus Cases
Preliminary federal data shows Louisiana has the nation’s fourth-highest rate of dangerous West Nile virus infections, so people should protect themselves from mosquitoes, the state Department of Health says. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says only South Dakota, Colorado and North Dakota have higher rates of West Nile virus infections affecting the brain or nervous system. (9/22)
KHN: In Jackson, The Water Is Back, But The Crisis Remains
In mid-September, Howard Sanders bumped down pothole-ridden streets in a white Cadillac weighed down with water bottles on his way to a home in Ward 3, a neglected neighborhood that he called “a war zone.” Sanders, director of marketing and outreach for Central Mississippi Health Services, was then greeted at the door by Johnnie Jones. Since Jones’ hip surgery about a month ago, the 74-year-old had used a walker to get around and hadn’t been able to get to any of the city’s water distribution sites. (Rayasam, 9/23)
