Latest KFF Health News Stories
Research Roundup: Parkinson’s; Antibiotics; Rectal Cancer; More
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Study Finds Surprising Link Between Eating Fish And Skin Cancer Risk
The study’s author, reported in The New York Times, takes pain to note the data don’t support calls to quit eating fish, but the study does raise questions about diet and melanoma risks. Also: Meta is accused of using algorithms to “hook” young users in eight new lawsuits.
Study: 1 In 20 Americans Under 30 Identifies As Transgender Or Nonbinary
New data from Pew Research Center shows while about 1.6% of the general U.S. population identifies as transgender or nonbinary, for those under 30, it rises to 5%. Separately, a survey found over 25% of LGBTQ+ college students has considered dropping out for mental health reasons.
Deadline Pushes Nursing Homes To Certify Temporary Nurse Aides
Some pandemic-era emergency waivers allowing nursing homes flexibility in hiring temporary aides have expired, leading to a rush to bring workers into compliance. Also: California rules union dues can be deducted from Medi-Cal payments; an Oregon Hospital COO is ousted; and more.
Experts Worry Monkeypox Will Linger Permanently In Non-African Animals
A report in Science highlights how the first U.S. patient with monkeypox, a 3-year-old girl, caught it in 2003 from a pet prairie dog bite and addresses concerns the outbreak will establish viral reservoirs in local animal populations outside Africa. The puzzling child hepatitis outbreak is again in the news.
White House Works On Successor To Universal School Meals Program
The Topeka Capital-Journal calls the national free school lunch program “one of the most popular and groundbreaking experiments in U.S. school lunch history,” noting that as it wraps up, advocates are calling for a permanent version. Politico notes the White House is planning a smaller-scale effort.
Health Experts Scratching Heads Over Covid Data In Boston-Area Sewage
The amount of covid in the wastewater has dropped precipitously in one part of Eastern Massachusetts but not in another, The Boston Globe reports. Meanwhile, covid continues its wrath from Iowa westward to Alaska.
US Begins Juggling And Rationing Scarce Covid Resources, Cash
Axios says the Biden administration is “rationing” resources to ensure enough are in place to battle any potential covid resurgence in the fall. Bloomberg highlights how health programs are being scaled back to “scavenge” money to buy next-gen covid shots amid ongoing Congress stonewalling. Also in the news: How the White House plans to distribute shots to the under-5s.
Moderna Says Omicron-Specific Booster Protects Better Than Original
Moderna’s redesigned “bivalent” booster shot provides stronger protection than a fourth shot of its original mRNA covid vaccine, the company said in a news release. It plans to submit the data to the Food and Drug Administration soon with hopes that it could be available by the end of summer.
Democrats Move To Enshrine Abortion, Contraception Rights In California Constitution
California Democrats unveiled a proposed constitutional amendment they want to get on the November ballot that would guarantee abortion protections if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. The measure goes further than other states seeking to bolster reproductive rights by also including contraception.
Arrest Raises Supreme Court Security Concerns Ahead Of Abortion Decision
The armed man arrested near Brett Kavanaugh’s home says he wanted to kill the Supreme Court justice. The incident comes as barricades and other security measures have been added around the court building in anticipation of a controversial ruling that will likely overturn Roe v. Wade.
11-Year-Old Survivor, Families Of Uvalde Victims Testify In Congress
News outlets report on the harrowing testimony of Miah Cerrillo, a survivor of the Uvalde mass shooting who made a 911 call for help using her dead teacher’s phone. The only pediatrician in the town also spoke before Congress, saying that to do nothing would be “neglectful” to his Hippocratic Oath.
House Passes Tougher Gun Controls Following Spate Of Mass Shootings
Among the measures, the bill would prohibit people under 21 from purchasing a semi-automatic rifle and outlaw the sale of ammunition magazines over 15 rounds. The legislation, approved in a 223-204 vote Wednesday, is likely doomed in the Senate despite the latest mass tragedies from gun violence.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health issues.
No Radiological Hazards As Chernobyl Detectors Restart
Reuters reports that for the first time in over 3 months the failed nuclear reactor’s detectors are online, and reporting normal levels. Elsewhere in Ukraine, worries rise over a possible cholera outbreak in Mariupol. Also: dengue in Singapore, China’s worries over covid in North Korea, and more global health news.
Perspectives: Tirzepatide Could Be A Boon For Weight Loss
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Tirzepatide Promising For Weight Loss; Eli Lilly Wins In Product Liability Case
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
‘Dangerous’ Heat Wave Roasting Southwest Raises Health Concerns
Heat waves are deadly, killing about 150 people a year. Health experts remind residents to hydrate, utilize cooling centers, and be careful about exposure to the heat. Other environmental health news stories report on asthma, polluted soil and water, and more.
Federal Bureau Of Prisons Settles Insulin Access Lawsuit
Reports say the Bureau will pay $300,000 to settle with a diabetic prisoner who alleges he wasn’t given access to enough insulin at a supermax facility. The U.S. Indian Health Service, recreational pot in Yellowstone County, DNA tracing in Florida rape cases, and more are also in state health news.
