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There are only five confirmed cases in the U.S. at the moment. HHS Secretary Alex Azar, along with other top health officials, urge Americans not to panic about a potential outbreak. Meanwhile, the government is taking steps to regulate air travel to and from China.
Chinese authorities agreed to work with experts from other countries after a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization. The number of cases in China has now surpassed the SARS outbreak total. As of Wednesday, there were 5,974 confirmed cases of the virus in mainland China, including 132 deaths.
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical development and pricing stories from the past week in KHN's Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Opinion writers tackle these and other health issues.
Media outlets report on health care news from Utah, Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Florida, California, Maryland, Wisconsin, Missouri, Washington, Texas, North Carolina, Minnesota, and Connecticut.
Pointing to the decline in traditional smoking numbers, some advocates say that intense regulations on vaping could actually backfire and cause more harm. In other public health news: 9/11 responders' health, well-child checkups, prostate cancer, suicide rates, baby powder, and more.
Experts caution that it is still too early to understand how big an economic impact the virus will have, but the stock market took a hit on Monday on news of how quickly the virus was spreading within China.
News stories from across the country look at where patients are being monitored over concerns of infections.
The two interoperability proposals, released by the ONC and the CMS early last year, are designed to make it easier for providers, insurers and patients to exchange health data, HHS Secretary Alex Azar says. But some groups have expressed privacy concerns about the changes. Meanwhile, experts say a national patient identifier may help some, but it won't act as a cure-all for all coordination woes.
Information technology company Practice Fusion admits to soliciting and receiving kickbacks of nearly $1 million from a "major opioid company." The Department of Justice says this is the first time criminal action has been taken against an electronic health records vendor over its role in the opioid crisis.
Most teens seeking care aren't getting permanent surgeries, but rather injections that pause the process of puberty. A new wave of bills from conservative states, including South Dakota and Kentucky, want to make it illegal for doctors to give such care, despite testimony that the injections help diminish depression and suicidal thoughts. "They’re not listening to any health care providers," said Dr. Alexis Chávez, a psychiatrist. "And they’re advancing something that’s very dangerous to make a statement.”
A judge is hearing testimony about how Guantanamo Bay inmates were treated, including disturbing accounts about medical professionals' behavior toward the prisoners. “The physicians were present in interrogations that were harmful and life-threatening, and that violates the first principle of medical ethics: First, do no harm,” said Stephen Xenakis, a psychiatrist and retired Army general.
“With the Ebola epidemic, it was urging quarantines, travel bans, overreacting in all the ways that would be counterproductive. I would hate to see that now," said Lawrence Gostin, a senior professor at Georgetown University, of President Donald Trump's past responses to outbreaks. Public officials say the coronavirus isn't spreading in the U.S. yet, and that threat for Americans remains low. Still, anxiety and panic over the illness is ramping up as the possible cases in the U.S. climbs past 100.
The death toll from the virus climbs past 100, with thousands of more cases reported. Chinese officials are trying to stem a tide of criticism over how they are handling the outbreak. U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci criticized Chinese leaders for not inviting U.S. and other international investigative agencies to join them in researching the new virus.
Unlike other health care issues, the rise in insulin prices isn't that complicated. The personal stories of patients rationing insulin with fatal results paints a clear picture of pharmaceutical companies profiting that candidates can leap upon. In other pharmaceutical news: Democrats target Republicans over high drug costs, presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg wants to go after patent protections, pharma bro Martin Shkreli faces new fraud accusations, and more.
The new rule would allow officials to deny permanent legal status to immigrants who are likely to need public assistance, like Medicaid or food stamps. In the past, only substantial and sustained monetary help or long-term institutionalization counted against applicants.
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers tackle these and other health issues.
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