Latest KFF Health News Stories
Pro-Choice Supporters File Suit Against Texas; Abortion On Ticket In Virginia
Ahead of Thursday’s Supreme Court deadline for submitting briefs in the federal challenge to Texas’ abortion law, pro-abortion rights supporters from scholars to medical groups and former prosecutors have filed suit. The AP wonders if abortion can motivate local Democratic support in Virginia.
Johnson & Johnson Tries Bankruptcy Trick In Baby Talc Cancer Case
Axios reports that J&J has acted as expected and split part of the company responsible for handling claims over whether its baby powder products harmed people into a separate company, which is now filing for bankruptcy. The Theranos trial, global medical device sales and more are also reported.
Health Conference Exemplified New Covid Norms — Tests, Masks And All
Axios and Bloomberg report on the HLTH conference, one of the first big health care professional meet-ups since the pandemic began. University of Oklahoma nursing education, a Texas nurse accused of murdering four men, age bias against seniors in health care and more are also in the news.
Scientists Upend Dogma On TB, Say It’s Also Spread By Aerosols
A team of South African researchers has found that simple breathing may be a bigger contributor to spreading tuberculosis than the traditionally accepted method of spreading by coughs — making it similar to covid in some regards. Mental health, salmonella and more are also in the news.
3 States May Lose Their Controls Of Worker Safety Over Covid Rule Refusals
The Biden administration threatened to revoke authority for Arizona, South Carolina and Utah to handle their own workplace safety enforcement over refusals to adopt rules protecting health care workers from covid. Vax mandates, worker firings and more are reported in other news.
CDC Says Pfizer Vaccine 93% Effective Against Serious Illness For Ages 12-18
Meanwhile, the vaccination rate is slipping in Wisconsin, Florida and other parts of the nation — but not at the Cincinnati Zoo, where 80 animals recently got the shot.
Biden Axing Trump Policy That Makes It Harder To Punish HHS Rule Breakers
The policy bans the Department of Health and Human Services from penalizing individuals and organizations for noncompliance with agency guidance and requires the agency only carry out civil enforcement actions using standards that are publicly stated, Modern Healthcare reports.
Study Rules Out Possible Anti-Covid Benefits From Interferon, Colchicine
A study reported in CIDRAP notes clinical trials found no link between a combination of interferon beta-1a, remdesivir and colchicine, and reduced deaths or risk of hospital treatments from covid infections. Separately, a potential antiviral anti-covid pill from Atea Pharmaceuticals also failed.
If You’re Pregnant, Your Baby’s Gender Influences Your Response To Covid
Surprising new research shows that carrying a male fetus can lead to much lower levels of covid antibodies detected in the blood than if the fetus is female. Other media outlets report on different covid issues related to pregnancy, plus MIS-C in children.
Hawaii Ready To Welcome Travelers Again; Idaho Case Counts Flatten
Hawaii’s governor signals that the region has seen covid case counts and hospitalizations fall. But Idaho’s case counts remain so high the state is still worse than when it started using crisis standards of care management — but case rates are leveling off.
In Major Shift, Hearing Aids May Soon Be Sold Without A Prescription
For decades, the FDA has regulated hearing aids as medical devices, which adds to the cost and effort of getting fitted for one. The FDA’s draft rule, which still faces a 90-day comment period before it’s finalized, would allow hearing aids to be sold over the counter.
‘It’s A Big, Big Deal’: In Milestone, Pig Kidney Successfully Tested In Human
The organ was transplanted into a brain-dead woman at N.Y.U. Langone Health. It was successfully attached and found to work normally, although the longevity of the organ is still in question. The surgery could offer hope to the more than 90,000 people who are on waiting lists for a kidney.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: What Else Can MRNA Vaccine Technology Do?; Examining The Personal Impact Of SB 8
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health concerns.
Different Takes: FDA Needs To Stop Complicating Boosters; Vaccine Donation Is Taking Too Long
Opinion pages examine these covid and vaccine topics.
WHO Pushes For Poorer Nations’ Access To Merck’s, Other Covid Drugs
A World Health Organization program is trying to make covid tests and treatments easier to access for poorer nations, aiming at getting antiviral drug course prices down to as low as $10. Separately, Pope Francis has urged “a gesture of humanity” from drugmakers to release IP on covid drugs.
Racism Declared A Public Health Crisis By New York City Board Of Health
The resolution declaring racism a public health crisis also calls on New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to review the city’s health code to root out structural racism. Meanwhile, Texas passes an anti-trans student ban concerning public school sports.
FDA Approves First Biosimilar Alternative To Arthritis Drug Humira
Stat reports that although the Food and Drug Administration has approved the interchangeable biosimilar drug, questions remain over whether it will really impact health systems. In other news, the FDA rejected the Omeros drug narsoplimab, aimed at aiding bone marrow transplant complications.
UnitedHealthcare Launches Telehealth Care-Centric Insurance Plan
UnitedHealthcare is the country’s largest insurer, and the goal is to make telemedicine more affordable and accessible — but a survey reported by NPR notes “most” people still prefer in-person medical services, even if telehealth works out “OK.” Medicaid, Amazon and more are also in the news.
Goodbye, $3.2M Salary: Washington’s Top-Paid Employee Fired Over Vax Rule
Washington State football coach Nick Rolovich was dismissed Monday for not following the statewide mandate. “We’ve had conversations that date back months,” Athletic Director Pat Chun said. “He was resolute in his stance. He’s entitled to make a choice; that choice did not put him in compliance.”
