Latest KFF Health News Stories
Viewpoints: Strep Vaccine Sorely Needed; Measuring Heart Rate Variability At Home Now Easily Done
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health issues.
Federal Team Helping During Surge At New Mexico Children’s Hospital
AP reports that the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital has been “overwhelmed” with patients, during a surge in RSV, covid and flu. Also: the closure of a covid vaccination site at the Mall of America, concerns over a D.C. Council member’s health, the Ohio measles outbreak and more.
Partial Solution Reached In NYC Nurse Contract Talks; Strike Still Looms
The AP says that even though some nurses at one hospital reached a “tentative” agreement hours before their contract was due to expire, a possible strike by around 4,000 nurses is still a threat. Separately, GE will spin off its health unit, Gilead buys rights to a cancer therapy, and more.
Financing Quickly Gaining Ground In World Of Pricey Health Care
Stat reports that buy now-pay later platforms like Afterpay and Affirm are quickly exploring ways to offer loans to patients for health services. Other news on expected 2023 trends include Americans’ shifting political priorities, hospital changes, and insurance coverage.
Hemophilia B Treatment Has Late-Stage Study Success
Pfizer says its experimental gene therapy treatment for hemophilia B met its main goal in a study — with a single dose outperforming current care standards. Other research covers women’s higher levels of empathy, covid vaccines, hydration’s link to lower disease risk, and more.
Young Kids Eating Cannabis Edibles By Accident Rose Sharply Over 5 Years
A new study published Tuesday in the journal Pediatrics points to a 1,375% increase in calls to poison control centers from 2017 to 2021. In other public health news: an alfalfa sprout recall, ketamine and the health of Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills.
Industry Expects Changes With Sanders At Helm Of Senate Health Panel
Among the new term’s looming congressional changes that will shape health policy is Sen. Bernie Sanders’ leadership of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Drug pricing is also expected to be a key 2023 issue.
Covid Will Hit Harder This Winter Than It Did Last Summer
The threat of covid is far from over, as Stat reports the number of people hospitalized with covid in the U.S. is about to top the number seen in 2022’s summer spike, even as flu and RSV are reportedly declining. But the spotlight is now on new covid variant XBB.1.5, already spreading fast.
CDC Predicts Soaring Youth Diabetes Rates
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning about the rate of diabetes among young Americans, with predictions of 220,000 people under 20 having type 2 diabetes in 2060. Bloomberg notes that the U.S. has made “scant” progress in treating the disease.
Republicans Weigh Different Abortion Approach In Wake Of Midterms
Former President Donald Trump blamed the party’s extreme abortion policies on the worse-than-expected midterm results, while other Republicans consider new strategies for talking about abortion that would attract swing voters.
New Year Ushers In New Health Laws: Abortion, Drugs, Medical Costs
Medical bills, mental health reporting, abortion access, prescription drug costs, drug use, and more will be impacted by state health laws that went into effect on Jan. 1.
FDA Could Soon Grant Approval To Another Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug
If the FDA greenlights Eisai’s experimental dementia drug lecanemab under its accelerated approval pathway —as anticipated on Jan. 6 — experts look ahead to how much the treatment will cost.
First Edition: January 3, 2023
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers tackle these public health topics.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KHN finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Our final selections for the year include stories on Dr. Anthony Fauci, how to be healthier in 2023, menopause, organ thieves, and more.
Court Blocks Buffer Zone Around A Kentucky Abortion Clinic
The temporary bar on a Louisville city ordinance protecting an abortion clinic entrance came as the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati said the zone infringed protestor’s first amendment rights. Homeless deaths in Utah, magic mushrooms, red flag laws, and more are also in the news.
Mpox Outbreak Is Fading, Thanks To Changing Habits
Wired reports that the “bittersweet” defeat of mpox is partly due to vaccines and improved testing but mainly due to people taking their own protective actions. Meanwhile LAist says that anyone who wants an mpox vaccine in Los Angeles can now get one, no matter risk or history.
Heart Monitoring Patent Ruling Threatens US Apple Watch Sales
The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that Apple was violating another company’s patents for its cardiac monitoring tech. The legal to-and-fro reached the point the ITC banned imports of infringing Apple devices, then suspended the ban pending related patent lawsuits.
Human Trials Of BioNTech’s MRNA Malaria Vaccine Begin
Bloomberg reports that the breakthrough technology behind some covid vaccines is now in human trials to combat another illness: BioNTech’s MRNA malaria vaccine was given to the first patient Dec. 21. Separately, the FDA has approved a long-acting HIV drug from Gilead.
Other Illnesses Can Prompt Same Symptoms Of Long Covid, Study Finds
Patients who had a cold. flu, or viral pneumonia suffered some of the same problems that long covid patients have. However, the study found that certain symptoms, such as heart palpitations and shortness of breath, were unique to SARS-CoV-2, CIDRAP reported.
