Latest KFF Health News Stories
Viewpoints: More Than Ozempic Is Needed To Fight Obesity; How Can Doctors Justify Immoral Actions?
Editorial writers tackle weight-loss drugs, morality in medicine, H5N1, and more.
FDA Advisers Set To Consider Use Of Psychedelic-Assisted PTSD Therapy
In June, independent advisers will discuss the possibility of recommending MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. Separately, reports note how some recreational psychedelic drug users are left with long-lasting, unwanted highs.
Alarm Raised As Mpox Cases Surge In New York City
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene warned over rising mpox infection rates among unvaccinated people. Meanwhile, during recent health crises, including mpox, the national stockpile saw infrastructural issues.
Federal Candidates Have Carte Blanche To Raise Funds For Ballot Measures
A ruling by the FEC immediately affects campaigns in Missouri, where an amendment to enshrine abortion is on the ballot. Meanwhile, lawsuits are moving forward in New York over abortion pill “reversal” and in Alabama over its authority to prosecute those who help women travel for abortions.
The Risk Of Inheriting Alzheimer’s May Be Higher Than Was Thought
A new study into a gene long linked to risks for Alzheimer’s shows the disease may be more commonly inherited. Meanwhile, researchers found human brains were larger for people born in the late 20th century than earlier — and this may protect us against dementia.
Medicare Hospital Trust Fund Now Projected To Go Broke In 2036
A new financial report indicates that Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund has gained an additional five years over the previous estimate for when it will run out of money, but the overall outlook for the security net program remains grim.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Congress Just Voted Against Cancer Funding; Psychiatrists Reexamining Transgender Care
Editorial writers discuss cancer funding, transgender care, frontotemporal dementia, and more.
A Year Into Iowa Medicaid ‘Unwinding,’ More Lost Coverage Than Expected
Reports say at least 283,000 Iowans have been disenrolled so far, including nearly 90,000 kids — far above the state’s projections. Also in the news: STDs in Colorado and Florida; violence and abuse in North Carolina psych hospitals; and more.
Metabolic Disorder Is Slowly Being Renamed To Remove Stigma Of Shame
Medical societies’ hope is that changing “fatty liver disease” to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease will prompt patients to seek care earlier. Meanwhile, assisted-living facilities are straining emergency services with calls to help patients who have fallen and can’t get up.
Steward Health Files For Bankruptcy: Mass. Scrambles To Deal With Impact
Steward Health Care’s community hospitals were once feted for their benefits to Boston’s health system, The Boston Globe says. Now the state has had to activate an emergency operations plan to work with Steward-owned hospitals.
Details Emerge Of Mild Symptoms In Only Documented Human Bird Flu Case
The dairy worker in Texas who caught bird flu from an infected cow was lucky enough to avoid most flu-like symptoms, including respiratory ones. Reports say he had only a bad case of pink eye. Health officials are now urging dairy workers to use protective gear.
Missourians Clear First Hurdle For Putting Abortion Rights Up To A Vote
Abortion-rights advocates delivered 380,000 signatures, twice as many as necessary. Other news is on doulas and their role in shrinking the reproductive health care gap.
White House Rushing Health Rules To Make Them Harder To Reverse
The Biden administration is facing a deadline of June or July to finalize any rules it wants protected from quick congressional reversal or from being easily modified by a potential Trump administration. The majority of major health regulations were issued in April, but federal officials are working to push through others.
Kids Who Lost Parents To Drugs Or Gun Violence Face ‘Double Burden’
Data from 2020 show the number of parents who died from these two causes is double what it was in 1999. A separate study found that not only is the child death rate rising, but there are growing disparities across ethnic and racial groups.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on orangutans, iodized salt, IVF, baby talk, and more.
Research Finds Less Frequent Colon Cancer Screening OK For Some
Researchers found that a negative colonoscopy could be followed by another screening every 15 years, instead of 10. Separately, studies linking cellphone use with nearsightedness trigger worries over “epidemic” of sight problems and its impact.
Viewpoints: Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Is Latest Target In War On Women; Where Are The Doctors?
Editorial writers examine pregnancy protections, physician shortages, IVF rules, and more.
Title IX Trans Rules Should Be Disregarded, Arkansas Governor Says
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Republican, is joining a list of governors ordering their state to ignore new federal civil rights rules. And in Tennessee, an appeals court is weighing whether the state ban on amending gender on birth certificates is unconstitutional.
