New York Judge Upholds Abortion Shield Laws, Dismisses Texas Lawsuit
The lawsuit was an attempt by Texas' attorney general to compel a New York court to enforce a penalty by a Texas judge on a physician, Dr. Margaret Carpenter, barring her from sending abortion medication out of state. More news comes from California, North Carolina, Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan, West Virginia, and New Jersey.
The New York Times:
New York Judge Dismisses Texas Challenge To The State’s Abortion Shield Law
A judge in New York State on Friday dismissed a lawsuit in the first legal challenge by a conservative state against shield laws intended to protect health care providers who send abortion pills to patients in states with abortion bans. The lawsuit was filed in July by the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, to compel a New York court to enforce an order by a Texas judge in a case filed last year against a New York doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills to a patient in Texas. The order levied a $113,000 penalty on the physician, Dr. Margaret Carpenter, and barred her from continuing to send abortion medication to Texas. (Belluck, 10/31)
More health news from across the U.S. —
The Fresno Bee:
Man Detained At CA’s Largest ICE Facility Alleges ‘Horrible Negligence’ After Injury
A man detained inside California’s largest ICE detention center said staff confiscated his glasses and denied him immediate medical care after he fell from his bunk bed and sustained a head injury. (Peña, 11/2)
Education NC:
Telehealth Initiative Launches In Four Rural School Districts
The North Carolina Community Schools Coalition (the Coalition) gathered representatives from four northeastern NC districts on Oct. 15 to kick off a new telehealth service for students and staff. (Parker, 11/1)
NBC News:
Kentucky Woman Expecting Meds In Mail Gets Box Of Human Hands, Fingers Instead
A Kentucky woman, expecting medicine and other medical supplies in the mail, instead received a box of human body parts, authorities said Friday. A package that was meant for “surgical training” went to the wrong address in Hopkinsville on Wednesday — in southwest Kentucky, about 75 miles outside of Nashville, Tennessee, officials said. “Yes, true story. She was expecting medical supplies and found arms and fingers in the box," Christian County Coroner Scott Daniel said in a statement to NBC News. (Mullen and Li, 10/31)
KBIA:
Tickborne Red Meat Allergy Is On The Rise In Missouri
Conversations about a “red meat allergy” have regularly popped up on social media or in news articles in Missouri throughout the last few years. As it turns out, this is a real concern in Missouri that comes from the bite of a lone star tick, one of the most common species of ticks found in the state. (Smith, 11/3)
The Washington Post:
Three Children With Autism, And Thousands Spent On Alternative ‘Cures’
Wrangling three children with autism consumed Dana Paduchowski’s days in a chaotic swirl, her weeks dissolving into a blur of routines and meltdowns. When the house finally quieted at night, the mother would stay awake for hours scouring the internet for a magic treatment that didn’t exist. Instead of finding answers, Paduchowski said, she constantly stumbled into expensive “rabbit holes of broken promises.” (Thadani, 11/2)
KFF Health News:
From Narcan To Gun Silencers, Opioid Settlement Cash Pays Law Enforcement Tabs
In the heart of Appalachia, law enforcement is often seen as being on the front line of the addiction crisis. Bre Dolan, a 35-year-old resident of Hardy County, West Virginia, understands why. Throughout her childhood, when her dad had addiction and mental health crises, police officers were often the first ones to respond. Dolan calls them “good men and women” who “care about seeing their community recover.” (Pattani, 11/3)
KFF Health News:
Sock Hops And Concerts: How Some Places Spent Opioid Settlement Cash
Officials in Irvington, New Jersey, had an idea. To raise awareness about the dangers of opioid use and addiction, the township could host concerts with popular R&B artists like Q Parker and Musiq Soulchild. It spent more than $600,000 in 2023 and 2024 to pay for the shows, even footing the bill for VIP trailers for the performers. It bought cotton candy and popcorn machines. In many cases, this type of community event would be unremarkable. But Irvington’s concerts stood out for their funding source: settlement money from companies accused of fueling the opioid overdose crisis. (Pattani, 11/3)
