Latest KFF Health News Stories
Shortage Of Chemo Drug Cisplatin Ends; Troubled Norovirus Vax Is Discontinued
Read recent pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News’ Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Read recent commentaries about pharmaceutical issues.
Editorial writers tackle AI’s role in aiding diagnoses, the overdose crisis and the anti-abortion movement.
Hidden Costs Of Extreme Heat Landed California With $7.7B Bill
A new report says a decade’s worth of indirect costs from heat waves, such as lost productivity and health care for heat-related injuries, totaled more than $7.7 billion in California. Separately, the Sacramento Bee reports on how California police are spending $50 million on wellness care.
Historic Second Pig Kidney Transplant Patient Has Now Died
At the end of May, the 54-year-old New Jersey woman had to have the organ removed after just 47 days because it was damaged by inadequate blood flow from a heart pump she’d received before the genetically modified pig kidney. Also in the news: a larynx transplant, acupuncture, and more.
Rural Hospital Networks Are Sprouting, This Time In North Dakota
The Rough Rider High-Value Network is made up of 23 critical access hospitals in the state and aims to improve treatment and coordinate care, Modern Healthcare reported. A similar collaboration recently launched in rural Minnesota.
Newest Pitch To Resistant Dairy Farmers: Anonymous Bird Flu Testing
Public health officials, hoping to get a bigger picture of the spread of the spread of the H5N1 virus, think anonymous testing might encourage fearful farmers, Axios reports. Covid, plague, measles, and Jamestown Canyon virus are also in the news.
Falsified Data: Hundreds Of Popular US Generic Drugs May Have Safety Issues
The FDA has learned that a research company in India falsified the data used in key studies to gain approval of their medications, which include the generic versions of Viagra and Lipitor, Bloomberg reported. The findings could have major implications about whether the drugs are safe to take and whether insurers will retroactively decide not to cover them.
Physician Burnout Rate Dips Below 1 In 2 For First Time Since Covid Hit
The American Medical Association annual survey has good news for the medical industry in the form of lower stats for physicians reporting at least one burnout symptom. The Los Angeles Times, meanwhile, covers LGBTQ+ “medical refugees” and health care workers fighting for trans rights.
Senate Version Of ‘Must-Pass’ Defense Bill Restricts Troops’ Trans Care
Provisions tacked onto the policy bill include limitations on the military paying for surgery for trans troops and also on how military members’ trans children can access gender care. Separately, the VA is in the news for dropping mandatory overtime for claims processors and a hack attack.
CMS Unveils Dementia Care Program; Researchers Find Sign Of Early Decline
Research from the New York Federal Reserve and Georgetown University shows that a person’s credit score, on average, starts to fall in the five years ahead of a dementia diagnosis, CBS News reported.
In Closer Look At PBMs, FTC Faults Them For Driving Up Drug Costs
The agency’s sharp criticism of these drug middlemen has not led to lawsuits or other actions, but it might provide Congress and states with incentive to amp up regulations.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Abortion Must Be Legalized Nationwide; A New Way To Discuss Gender Identity
Editorial writers tackle abortion, gender identity, non-profit hospitals, and more.
Scientists Find Unique Gut Microbiome Markers In Children With Autism
The discovery could form part of a tool for diagnosis, researchers say. Meanwhile, Apple’s smart Watch is increasingly being recommended by physicians to patients to help manage and monitor their health conditions. A frozen chicken recall due to listeria risk is also in the news.
An Inmate Died During Extreme Heat Inside California Women’s Prison
Advocates with the California Coalition for Women Prisoners blame extreme conditions inside the prison for the inmate’s death. Meanwhile, intense heat is suspected to have played a role in four deaths in Oregon over the weekend. Experts note that heat health risks linger even after temperatures drop.
Sackler Family Members May Face Lawsuit From Purdue Pharma Creditors
The Gordian Knot that is the legal case surrounding Purdue Pharma’s role in the opioid crisis got an extra twist Monday when creditors asked a bankruptcy court for permission to sue the company’s owners. Meanwhile, baby formula maker Abbott faces a trial over its preterm baby formula.
Officials Eye Poultry Markets As Origin Of H5N1 In San Francisco Wastewater
Additional bird flu virus particles also were detected in the wastewater in the California cities of Palo Alto and Richmond. Meanwhile, in Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis has declared a disaster for an egg-laying facility in Weld County after almost 1.8 million infected chickens had to be put down.
Credit Ratings Downgraded For Dozens Of Hospitals And Health Systems
Although fewer organizations saw a dip this year compared to 2023, the ratings shine a light on the financial stresses of a challenging economy. Also in the news: gun violence, niche software providers, AI standards for health care, and more.
After $1B Donation, Johns Hopkins Medical School Is Now Free For Most
Billionaire Mike Bloomberg, who earned a degree in engineering from Johns Hopkins in 1964, offered the gift in an attempt to ease the nation’s “serious” shortage of doctors. Free tuition begins this fall for any med student whose family earns less than $300,000 a year.
