Latest KFF Health News Stories
‘We Are About To Save A Lot Of Lives’: Senate Passes Bipartisan Gun Bill
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who helped forge the legislation, lauded its passage. The bill, which won the support of 15 Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, would establish some modest new gun restrictions and provide $15 billion for mental health programs around the country. Speaker Nancy Pelosi pledged that the House will vote on the bill Friday, where it is expected to pass. It would become the first gun safety bill to move through Congress since the mid-1990s.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Racism In Maternity Care Still Exists; Steps We Must Take Before The Next Pandemic
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health topics.
Different Takes: Sanctuary Laws Needed To Protect Abortion Care; Without Roe, IVF Is At Risk
Opinion writers examine abortion and the impact of overturning Roe.
London Sewage Analysis Finds Polio Virus In UK
Health authorities in the U.K. warned that several related polio viruses have been found in analysis of a London sewage treatment plant over several months earlier this year, implying local spread of the mostly eradicated disease. Separately, global life expectancy fell during the pandemic.
Research Roundup: Kawasaki Disease; Soft-Tissue Sarcoma; Antibiotic Overuse
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
CDC Advises Upgraded Flu Shots For Seniors
AP reports that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says senior citizens, with weaker immune systems, don’t respond well to traditional flu shots and thus they should get newer shots for better coverage. Extreme heat, Roundup herbicide lawsuit, and more are also in public health news.
Nursing Home Owner At Center Of Hurricane Debacle Arrested
Bob Glynn Dean Jr., who AP reports has already lost state licenses over his handling of an evacuation during hurricane Ida, has now been arrested on fraud and cruelty charges. AP also reports that a DOJ investigation showed Maine unnecessarily institutionalizes youths with disabilities.
Reversing Course After Complaints, CVS Health Will Again Offer Eliquis
Physicians and patients balked after the blood thinner was removed from the company’s formulary. For months, CVS’ formulary included only Xarelto, even though research hasn’t shown that the two medications are interchangeable, Modern Healthcare said.
Walmart Extends Employee Doula Coverage To Tackle Racial Imbalances
Walmart first offered doula services to employees in Georgia in 2021, but is now expanding coverage to Louisiana, Indiana, and Illinois. Separately, reports say that the Department of Veterans Affairs is moving to tackle stigma by giving clean needles to veterans who use illegal drugs.
Special Session To Overturn Old Abortion Law Ended By Wisconsin GOP
Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, had called the special session to try to overturn an 1849 law banning abortion, but Republicans forced the end of the meetings within seconds. Also: abortion news from Iowa, Illinois, from Native American abortion providers, and more.
Republican Lawmakers In Tennessee Want To Block Covid Shots For Infants
AP reports top Republican lawmakers in Tennessee are urging the governor to delay rollout of covid vaccines for infants, approved by medical authorities in the U.S., citing safety concerns. Meanwhile, as some parents scramble for appointments, USA Today explains why most pharmacies can’t give out the newly-approved shots for the under 5s.
Research: 1 In 5 With Virus Get Long Covid; Omicron Subvariants Are Nasty
Strains BA.4 and BA.5 appear to escape antibody responses among people who were infected with covid as well as those who were fully vaxxed and boosted. But experts say vaccines should still protect against serious disease. Meanwhile, long covid is more pervasive than perhaps thought.
Active Shooter Bill Fails In House; Senate Votes Today On Gun Safety Bill
Meanwhile, as Congress argues over the details of how to make America a safer place to live, Rhode Island quietly and quickly raised the minimum age to buy rifles, shotguns and semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21 and also banned high-capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.
House Approves Creation Of Health Innovation Agency
The bill to create the Advanced Research Projects Agency overwhelmingly passed the House in a 336-85 vote. But there is still a debate over organizational independence and whether ARPA-H should be a branch of NIH.
Senators Quash At-Work Breastfeeding Protection, Formula-Import Bills
The PUMP bill would have extended breastfeeding protections to at least 9 million people, The 19th reports, but was blocked by Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis. A separate measure which would have eased restrictions on importing baby formula also failed to pass by unanimous consent.
CDC Moves To Expand US Monkeypox Testing Capacity
The Biden administration will allow commercial labs to conduct monkeypox testing, as the case count exceeds 150 in the U.S. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization considers declaring the outbreak a “global health emergency.”
FDA To Bar Juul E-Cigarette Sales In US: Report
The Wall Street Journal reports that the Food and Drug Administration is preparing the marketing denial order following a review of vaping marketing to youths. Juul’s rivals Reynolds American and NJOY Holdings have been previously allowed to keep selling tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes in the U.S.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Perspectives: Vitamins Are Mostly Useless; FDA’s Accelerated Approval Has Its Drawbacks
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
