Latest KFF Health News Stories
Scientists Find Bacterial Correlation With Aggressive Prostate Cancer
A new study has identified five types of bacteria in samples from men with the illness, and though the link is not proved to be causal, it raises hopes that treatments may be developed later. A separate study has found higher numbers of mutations in brain cells of Alzheimer’s disease sufferers.
Nearly Half Of Americans Breathing Unsafe Air, ALA Report Finds
The American Lung Association’s annual “State of the Air” report looked at Americans’ exposure to smog and soot, which can cause asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, lung cancer and other health problems — possibly even a positive covid test.
Across US, Covid Cases Are Up But Hospitalizations Are Down
And a new study that was done before the omicron variant hit suggests that natural immunity from a covid infection may offer longer-lasting protection than an mRNA vaccine. Even so, the study’s authors stressed that “vaccination is a considerably safer way to acquire that immunity.”
CDC Vaccine Advisers Weigh Who Should Get Boosters, And When
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices met Wednesday to discuss recommendations on future doses of covid vaccine. Some members leaned toward advising that people under 50 years old wait for the next generation of shots.
Justice Department Will Appeal Ruling That Voided Travel Mask Mandate
The decision was based on a determination by the CDC that masking on public transit “remains necessary to protect the public health.” Based on other pandemic-related rulings, court watchers say the Biden administration move could be an uphill climb.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers examine these various public health topics.
Different Takes: Better Covid Test On The Horizon; Reframing Opinions On Unvaccinated Patients
Opinion writers weigh in on these covid issues.
Perspectives: Colorado’s Attempt To Lower Rx Costs Has Opposite Effect
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues
Database Project Aims To Monitor Drug Supply Chain From Start To Finish
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Hepatitis Outbreak Has Affected At Least 9 Kids In Alabama
Media outlets report on a “mysterious” outbreak of liver damage in children which had originally been found in Great Britain and is now affecting kids in the U.S. Other news comes from California, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Alaska, and Texas.
Covid Delays Cause Epidemic Of Patients In US Hospitals
Fox News reports on the experiences of doctors across the U.S. as a wave of people are needing hospital assistance now after avoiding medical facilities during the pandemic, causing backlogs. Separately, in California, Sutter Health is locking out thousands of nurses who staged a strike.
Black People Mostly Left Out Of Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials
A Bloomberg report says that only 2% of patients included in Alzheimer’s drug trials reported in the past decade were Black, despite Black people being more likely to develop the disease. Also: layoffs in Boston’s biotech hub and students trying out robotic surgery in Utah.
Ohio Judge Temporarily Blocks Restrictive Abortion Law
The law would likely shut down surgical abortion clinics in southwestern Ohio, and the judge’s order gives them until mid-June to meet new requirements under the law. In Texas, former State Sen. Wendy Davis has filed a suit challenging the state’s strict abortion law that bans abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.
Brain Tumor Cluster in NJ Investigated
So far, the city of Woodbridge, New Jersey, is taking the lead in the investigation, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for testing at a school that graduated roughly 15,000 people over the last 30 years. About 100 people who attended the school reportedly have been diagnosed with brain tumors. In other news, a record number of Americans have died of drug overdoses, and a strange story of a man who inhaled a dentist’s drill bit during a procedure.
Shingles Developing After Some Mild Covid Cases
A research paper says that people over 50 who had mild cases of covid are more likely to develop shingles within six months. More on other studies involving covid.
See Your Entire Face ‘Real Soon’: Disney Dumps Mask Mandates
Meanwhile, a Stateline report notes parents are concerned that optional masking at school and elsewhere is problematic for high-risk or immunocompromised children.
A Variant Of A Variant Of A Variant Spreading In the US
Yet another covid variant, BA.2.12.1, accounts for about 20% of new cases in the United States. It is spreading fast.
Scientists Stress That Masks Still Work Against Covid
Though the federal transportation masking requirement was tossed out by a Florida judge, health experts note it’s still advisable to wear masks on aircraft and in other places depending on the risks — because masks do reduce your chances of inhaling virus-carrying particles.
Immunocompromised, Some Parents Of Small Kids Dismayed As Rules Lifted
While many people cheered the lifting of the masking requirement for public transportation, others are fearful that the lax rules now could lead to more cases of covid infections. Those who face higher risks say they are especially nervous.
