Latest KFF Health News Stories
Perspectives: HPV Vaccine Is Safe For All; Did An Op-Ed Influence The Rise In Prescription Prices?
Read recent commentaries about pharmaceutical issues.
Viewpoints: It’s Time To Update Laws On Food Allergies; Abortion Exceptions In Texas Are Too Complex
Editorial writers tackle food allergies, abortion laws, addiction, and more.
Too Many Still Believe MMR Vaccine Causes Autism; Progress Being Made In New Antibiotic Creation
Read recent pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News’ Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Special Report: Pharmacies In Crisis
AP takes a deep dive into the shortage of pharmacies and how a tidal wave of closures has affected the health care of residents — especially Black people and Latinos — in underserved or rural regions.
Gene Therapy Gives 5 Children With Total Deafness The Ability To Hear
Newly published research covers the success of the first trial of a breakthrough gene therapy in which the treatment was applied to children in both ears. Meanwhile, a transplanted pig kidney is removed from a human patient, but not because of the kidney itself: A heart pump issue was the cause.
Judge Rules CMS Miscalculated Medicare Star Rating for SCAN Health
SCAN Health Plan had sued CMS, saying regulators didn’t properly calculate the insurer’s Medicare Advantage rating. The decision could have industrywide implications, Modern Healthcare says.
Different Virus, ‘Same Mistakes’: Birx Sounds Alarm About Bird Flu Response
Deborah Birx, the former federal coronavirus response coordinator, thinks the U.S. should be testing cows and people often for the H5N1 bird flu virus so that we don’t reach pandemic stage. Meanwhile, Michigan pumps the breaks on field trips to dairy farms. Mpox and covid are also in the news.
Appeals Court Revives Sutter Health $411 Million Antitrust Class Action
The California health provider is accused of anticompetitive behavior that increased insurance costs and now must face a new trial. Also in the news: possible reforms for the 340B drug discount program, insurers address the affordable housing crisis, and more.
For Some At-Risk Groups, The CDC Now Advises Post-Sex Antibiotics
A dose of doxycycline within 72 hours of having sex is now the post-exposure prophylaxis measure recommended by the CDC for people at a higher risk of contracting bacterial STIs. Separately, research shows teens with strong family ties are less likely to have sex at young ages.
US Maternal Deaths Still Higher Than Other High-Income Nations: Study
The good news: Maternal deaths in the U.S. have fallen back to pre-pandemic levels. The bad, according to a study, is that those numbers exceed rates in other high-income nations, and the figures get worse for Black mothers. Another finding of the report is that most of the deaths are happening within the first year after birth.
FDA Panel Advises Against MDMA As Treatment For PTSD
Although advisers noted the promise of psychedelic use for patients who suffer trauma, they agreed clinical trials so far haven’t yielded convincing results. California-based Lykos Therapeutics said it would continue to work with the FDA to ease doubts.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Research Suggests Thinking Twice Before Drinking Alcohol On A Plane
German scientists found that consuming alcohol during flights led to blood oxygen decreases and heart rate increases. Other health and wellness news is on projected rates of cardiovascular disease, salt’s effect on the microbiome, spirituality in health care, and more.
Viewpoints: White House Improved Rules For Research On Dangerous Pathogens; New Parents Need Help
Editorial writers discuss dangerous pathogens, mental health, Alzheimer’s, and tobacco bans.
Cleveland Clinic Sued After Woman’s Anesthesia Fails During Surgery
The patient awoke during throat surgery at Cleveland Clinic’s Medina Hospital when an IV tube delivering anesthetics came loose. Separately, Johnson & Johnson must pay $260 million as part of the latest talc lawsuit, an Oregon jury has decided.
Louisiana Advances Bill Allowing Castration For Certain Sex Crimes
If Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, signs the legislation, his state would be the first in the nation with such a punishment. Also in the news: 10 states will receive Medicaid funding for 24-hour, all-in-one mental health and substance use clinics.
Grassley Quizzes Ascension Illinois Over Private Equity Staff Outsourcing
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has expressed concerns over the nonprofit’s outsourcing of a group of hospital workers to a private equity-backed staffing firm. Grassley is part of an investigation into the expansion of private equity into the health care system.
Skilled Nursing Provider LaVie Care Centers Seeks Bankruptcy Protection
In other health industry news, Cigna’s Evernorth Care Group will lay off 261 employees in Arizona, and a Pennsylvania hospital chain is planning a debt swap to try to turn around its ailing fortunes.
Potential Jurors Share Family Struggles With Addiction At Hunter Biden Trial
“Person after person” told the judge about parents, children, or friends who struggled with substance abuse, The Washington Post reported. President Joe Biden’s son faces felony charges related to a gun he bought while allegedly under the influence of drugs, which is illegal to do.
FDA Mulling JN.1-Specific Covid Shot As New Variant, KP.2, Emerges In US
Advisers will vote soon on their recommendation for this fall’s shot. Plus: As the need for blood donations continues, the Red Cross is reminding everyone that yes, you can donate if you’ve received a covid vaccine.
