Latest KFF Health News Stories
Opinion writers discuss these health topics and others.
60% Of Supermarket Baby Foods Packed With Sugar, Salt: Study
CNN reports on the new study, which found that 60% of 651 foods marketed for children fell short of the recommended World Health Organization nutritional guidelines. Also in health and wellness news: Pear Therapeutics, Yamacraw Village, author Rick Steves, and more.
Concerns Over Alzheimer’s Drug Risk For People With Down Syndrome
Among the worries: a possible brain bleed risk from lecanemab in certain people. Other news is on harnessing Zika virus as a therapy to destroy certain cancers; temperature tracking of mail-ordered drugs; and more.
California County To Buy Troubled Private Hospital To Preserve Care
The Regional Medical Center had been slated for major cutbacks, but Santa Clara County has stepped in and reached a tentative purchase agreement with its owner. Separately, California lawmakers are considering whether to block private equity health deals.
First Case Of Mpox Detected In Wayne County, Michigan, Since 2022
Officials state the public risk is low but suggest people who might be at risk get vaccinated. Meanwhile, a suspected case of mpox on a cargo ship turns out to be chicken pox.
Study Details Long Covid Symptoms In Kids — And They Differ From Adults
The symptoms include back or neck pain, trouble with focus, fear of crowded spaces, and refusal to go to school, researchers determined. Also, an updated covid vaccine might be available within days.
HHS Report Warns Of Risks For Kids From Too Much Fluoride In Water
The report found, “with moderate confidence,” that fluoride in drinking water at twice the recommended limit may be linked to lower IQ in kids. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy has received over 540,000 compensation claims related to contaminated water at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune.
Florida Abortion Ballot Will Include Peculiar Financial Language
The wording of the measure, which was approved by the state’s Supreme Court, calls into question whether Floridians will wind up paying for the procedure. Meanwhile, health care providers are finding themselves in difficult positions after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to weigh in on the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.
Walz Accepts VP Nomination As Dems Champion Health Care Freedom
“When we Democrats talk about freedom, we mean the freedom to make a better life for yourself and the people that you love,” Tim Walz said Wednesday at the Democratic National Convention. In a surprise appearance, Oprah Winfrey — who said she votes as an independent — declared that without reproductive choice, “There is no American dream.”
HIV-Positive Citizens May Join Military, Judge Rules, Citing ‘Irrational’ Policy
Meanwhile, the Health Resources and Services Administration is setting aside $1.4 billion to help low-income Americans pay for HIV/AIDS treatment.
First Edition: Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
As Cancer Afflicts Younger Generations, Employers Wary Of Expenses Ahead
In terms of health care costs, catastrophic claims and specialty medications are driving up increases, a survey has found. Meanwhile, in a study conducted during the covid pandemic, researchers found that playing video games does indeed have health benefits.
Mpox Cases Suspected In Travelers To Argentina And Thailand
Argentinian authorities have quarantined a cargo ship and Thai officials are monitoring dozens of people as both countries aim to stop the new fast-spreading variant of the disease. Meanwhile, Africa is almost ready to roll out mpox vaccinations.
New Jersey Forgives $100M In Medical Debt For Nearly 50,000 People
The initiative, announced Tuesday by Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, will be one of the largest efforts by a state to help people unable to pay medical bills. Also in the news: how Maine’s deadliest shooting could have been averted; another measles case in Georgia; and more.
Viewpoints: Aging Doesn’t Have To Mean Losing Cognitive Function; Cancer Shouldn’t Bankrupt People
Editorial writers discuss these public health issues.
FTC Lacks The Authority To Ban Noncompete Deals, Federal Judge Rules
Many health care organizations include noncompete agreements in job contracts, Modern Healthcare reminds us. Also in industry news: electronic health record company Epic; Steward Health; Baptist Health and Florida Blue; Molina Healthcare; and more.
J&J Treatment For Most Common Type Of Lung Cancer Wins FDA Approval
The treatment for non-small cell lung cancer is a non-chemotherapy combination of J&J’s cancer drug Rybrevant and existing drug lazertinib. Meanwhile, a judge ruled that lawsuits claiming Tylenol causes ADHD in children of mothers who took the drug in pregnancy can’t proceed.
Zepbound Appears To Dramatically Lower Risk Of Developing Diabetes
Eli Lilly says that its Phase 3 trial data show that people with prediabetes who took the company’s obesity drug had a 93% lower risk of progressing to diabetes as opposed to the people in the study who took the placebo.
Democratic Convention: Abortion, IVF At Top Of Speakers’ Minds On Day 2
Kate Cox, who made headlines after being forced to leave Texas to have an abortion, said during the Texas roll call that she is pregnant again. Plus, former President Barack Obama cracks a joke about the name of Obamacare.
Abortion Measures Make The Ballots In Arizona, Montana
Protections of abortion rights until fetal viability in the state constitutions of both states will be decided by voters this November after separate decisions by the Arizona Supreme Court and the Montana Secretary of State.
