Latest KFF Health News Stories
India Still Faces Challenges In Efforts To Eradicate Polio
The PBS NewsHour examines polio eradication efforts in India, which has gone an entire year without reporting a polio case. “For India, the challenge is to remain vigilant and polio free for two more years to officially fall off the list of endemic countries,” according to the news service (De Sam Lazaro, 2/20). “The success in India has been achieved through a partnership between the Indian government, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary, UNICEF and with major contributions from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,” BBC News reports in an analysis of India’s success. “The global effort to eradicate polio is the biggest public health initiative in history. It has cost billions and has already stopped a huge amount of disability and many deaths,” but the disease remains endemic in three countries — Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, the news service notes (Walsh, 2/19).
A group of 22 public health and influenza experts reached a consensus on Friday at a WHO-convened meeting regarding the work of two research teams that created genetically altered strains of the H5N1 bird flu virus that are easily transmissible among ferrets, a laboratory model for humans, a WHO press release reports (2/17). “In December, the [U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity] asked two leading scientific journals, Nature and Science, to withhold details of the research for fear it could be used by bioterrorists,” Reuters writes, adding that on January 20, flu researchers also imposed a 60-day moratorium on continuing research using highly pathogenic strains (Nebehay/Kelland, 2/17). At the meeting, the group agreed to “extending the temporary moratorium on research with new laboratory-modified H5N1 viruses and recogni[zed] that research on naturally occurring H5N1 influenza virus must continue in order to protect public health,” the press release states, adding that they “also came to a consensus that delayed publication of the entire manuscripts would have more public health benefit than urgently partially publishing” (2/17).
PBS NewsHour Blog Discusses Curable, Preventable Neglected Tropical Diseases With CDC Experts
In this video report, PBS NewsHour’s “The Rundown” examines curable and preventable diseases such as measles and river blindness that countries are focusing more effort on fighting. Mark Eberhardt, a neglected tropical diseases expert at the CDC, and Stephen Cochi, a measles and polio expert from the CDC, “describe the diseases and why they still need attention.” “‘They are often ignored,’ [Eberhardt] told the NewsHour’s Hari Sreenivasan. ‘There was often thought to be very little that could be done for them which has led to neglect from the scientific community and even the local population,'” the news blog notes (Rogo, 2/20).
IRIN Examines Whether Poverty Reduction Schemes Can Help Lower TB Rate In Developing Countries
IRIN examines “whether a new generation of social protection schemes, aimed at reducing poverty and often using cash transfers to the poorest, can be harnessed to bring down the rate of [tuberculosis (TB)] in developing countries.” The news service writes, “TB is a disease often associated with poverty because latent infections are more easily activated by malnutrition and lowered immune systems, and more quickly passed on in badly ventilated, overcrowded living conditions.”
First Edition: February 21, 2012
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about how the Supreme Court’s consideration of the health law could prolong the fight over the sweeping measure.
Obama Campaign Pushes Back Against Santorum Attack On Prenatal Testing
In campaign appearances and on “Face the Nation,” Santorum criticized the health law’s requirement that insurers provide free prenatal testing.
Santorum, Other Republicans Continue To Assail Contraception Policy
Presidential candidate Rick Santorum and other Republicans are continuing their attack on the Obama administration’s birth control policies.
Congress Passes ‘Doc Fix,’ Payroll-Tax Bill By Wide Margins
President Obama is expected to sign the bill, which also extends unemployment benefits and is a rare sign of Congressional bipartisanship.
Doctors Group Seeks To Stem Excessive Testing
The American College of Physicians is issuing guidelines to help doctors better identify when patients should be screened for specific diseases and when they can be spared the cost and the potentially invasive procedures that follow.
Administration Touts Health Care Tax Credits For Small Businesses
White House officials on Thursday highlighted a budget proposal to spend $14 billion over a decade to expand a health care tax credit for small businesses, a move they say would benefit about 4 million workers this year.
Ala. Mental Hospitals To Close; La. Hospital Copes With Budget Cuts; D.C. Gets Mental Health System
In Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, Washington D.C. and Florida, mental health issues are in the news.
Viewpoints: The Constitution And Birth Control; War On Wyden
A selection of opinions and editorials on health care policy from around the U.S.
A selection of stories from Arizona, Colorado, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Washington D.C., Illinois, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Oregon, Kansas and Georgia.
Health Law Implementation: State Insurance Exchange Bills; HHS Rules On MLR Waiver Requests
States are grappling to implement aspects of the Affordable Care Act.
GOP Lawmakers Defend Proposed Overhaul Of Medicare
Sens. Richard Burr and Tom Coburn are proposing big changes to Medicare. Rep. Paul Ryan, in the meantime, is “excited” to defend his own plan.
Questions and Answers About ACOs
News organizations field questions and offer answers about accountable care organizations.
Catholic Bishops Call Birth Control Compromise ‘Simply Unworkable’
A wealthy backer of GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum apologizes for aspirin-as-birth-control comment, a day after female lawmakers stage walkout from a GOP-led committee hearing after no women were allowed to testify for the contraception mandate.
FDA To Reconsider Diet Drug That Failed To Get Approval In 2010
With the obesity crisis, many patients are eager for medication help, but the FDA is wary.
New Solicitor General Gets Ready For Supreme Court Health Law Showdown
Donald Verrilli will bring a new voice to the debate when he defends the law before the high court next month. In the meantime, an attorney challenging the law argues that if the mandate stands, the government could also force Americans to buy a car, and KHN presents the second part of an analysis of the legal arguments before the court.
WHO Confirms Recommendations Regarding HIV, Female Hormonal Contraceptives After Review Of Studies
“A stakeholder consultation convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva has reviewed recent epidemiological studies related to HIV transmission and acquisition by women using hormonal contraceptives,” a UNAIDS press statement reports (2/16). In a technical statement (.pdf), “[t]he Geneva-based United Nations health agency confirmed its existing recommendations [Thursday] after a study published last year found using contraceptive injections doubles the chance women will catch HIV and transmit it to a male partner,” Bloomberg Businessweek reports (Hallam, 2/16). The WHO “concluded that hormonal contraception — whether the pill or injection — was safe for women at risk of HIV to use if they wanted to prevent pregnancy,” the Guardian notes (Boseley, 2/16).
