Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Opioid Use Disorder Diagnoses Surged Nationwide Between 2021 And 2024
Axios: Opioid Use Disorder Cases Jumped Post-Pandemic
Diagnoses of opioid use disorder among the commercially insured jumped nearly 40% nationwide between 2021 and 2024, according to data from FAIR Health's Opioid Tracker shared first with Axios. (Reed, 9/30)
More pharmaceutical news —
MedPage Today: Gabapentin Use Skyrockets Despite Risks, CDC Analysis Shows
Gabapentin prescribing rose sharply in recent years, with the generic drug becoming the fifth most dispensed product in retail pharmacies in 2024, a CDC analysis showed. From 2010 to 2024, prescriptions jumped from 79.5 to 177.6 per 1,000 people, according to Gery Guy Jr., PhD, of the CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and co-authors. (George, 8/29)
Fox News: GLP-1 Drugs Linked To Lower Cancer Risk, Particularly In Women, New Study Finds
The potential benefits of GLP-1 medications continue to expand. New research has found that the weight loss and diabetes drugs — officially known as glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists — are associated with a reduced risk of some cancers, especially in women. (Stabile, 9/29)
CIDRAP: Inhaled Heparin Slashes Ventilation, Death In COVID Patients, Analysis Suggests
A meta-trial of randomized clinical studies conducted in 6 countries suggests that the use of inhaled heparin dramatically reduced the risk of intubation, death, and in-hospital death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. (Van Beusekom, 9/29)
In health care industry news —
Modern Healthcare: UHS To Pay $500M In Prime Healthcare Lawsuit
Universal Health Services faces more than $500 million in damages after a Nevada jury ruled the system had interfered with Prime Healthcare physicians’ contracts. The lawsuit, which was filed in Washoe County, Nevada, in 2021, stems from Prime’s allegations that UHS illegally solicited physicians and other employees from Saint Mary’s Medical Group, stole trade secrets, diverted patients and triggered a mass resignation to gain an economic advantage, according to a Monday press release from Prime. (Hudson, 9/29)
The CT Mirror: Yale To Pay Prospect Medical $45M To End Hospital Sale Dispute
Yale New Haven Health will pay Prospect Medical Holdings $45 million to settle dueling lawsuits in state court, ending a contentious saga over the proposed sale of Prospect’s three Connecticut hospitals — with Yale acquiring none of them. (Altimari, 9/29)
KFF Health News: Doctors With Troubled Pasts Are Performing Cosmetic Surgeries Tied To Crippling Pain And Injury
Not long after California surgeon Andrew S. Hsu landed a job with a cosmetic surgery chain in Georgia, several of his patients suffered disfiguring injuries, and even his new employer had doubts about his competence, court records allege. Hsu, a board-certified general surgeon, was one of six out-of-state doctors who joined the Atlanta Goals Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery center during the pandemic. (Schulte, 9/30)
KFF Health News: How To Pick The Right Cosmetic Surgeon
The debate over which doctors are best qualified to perform cosmetic surgery — and who gets the best results for patients — has raged for decades. Here’s why: A state-issued medical license grants a physician what a Federation of State Medical Boards policy statement called the “privilege of practicing the full breadth of medicine.” (Schulte, 9/30)
