Perspectives: In Taking On Big Pharma, Biden Needs To Channel FDR’s Grit
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Through the end of last week, Arizona had reported 123 cases of West Nile Virus, which is spread by mosquitos, and four deaths. Meanwhile, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports on alerts about mosquito-, fly- and vermin-borne illness risks as the local trash pickup crisis continues.
The country will become the second in Africa to offer boosters. Thailand, meanwhile, said its studies of combination inoculations showed best results for a second-shot dose of Pfizer's vaccine after a Sinovac or AstraZeneca first shot. China, Japan, Germany and Russia are also in the news.
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN's Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Health News Florida covers efforts by local hospital administrators to deal with nursing shortages. Separately, reports say the gap between health insurer CEO pay and that of regular employees has narrowed. Dignity Health, Walgreens Boots, Johns Hopkins Bayview and more are also in the news.
The Wall Street Journal reports on studies using Apple's devices, including sensors in Apple Watch, that examine neurological or mood disorders and could lead to new tools to help sufferers. Separately, slow sales of Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm push maker Biogen to look at cost-cutting.
CNN reports on a new study that found higher levels of white matter hyperintensities, indicative of blood flow disruption, in brain scans of women who'd been sexually assaulted earlier in life. Separately, studies show the U.S. birth rate may have bounced back from pandemic-induced lows.
The House unanimously passed a bill to aid sufferers of the mysterious Havana Syndrome, sending it next to the president's desk. But news outlets report that some diplomats and staff affected by the brain-injuring syndrome are facing skepticism when they describe the effects.
The Wall Street Journal reports on an investigation from Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services that also determined that half of that money went to 20 insurers. Other Medicare and Medicaid developments are also in today's news.
As Democrats scramble to salvage President Joe Biden's domestic agenda, outlined in dual spending packages, House leaders plan a showdown vote on a drug pricing measure that has held up progress. Meanwhile, lawmakers are staring over the edge of a fiscal cliff with a debt ceiling stalemate and threat of a partial governement shutdown.
A bill called the "Women's Health Protection Act," which advanced in the House Tuesday, aims to respond to restrictive laws enacted in the states. But even if it were to pass, the legislation is unlikely to progress in the Senate. Meanwhile, another Texas law now bans abortion-inducing drugs after seven weeks.
The most likely scenario, NPR reported, is that kids get the vaccine and overall deaths in the U.S. will fall to fewer than 100 a day by March. For now, though, deaths are averaging more than 1,900 a day.
The investigation comes amid a legal back-and-forth on preventing public schools from mandating face coverings for students. Other mask news is from Kentucky, Michigan, Georgia, Iowa, California and Pennsylvania.
Nanobodies are similar to antibodies, but are smaller, simpler and produced naturally in llamas and camels when they suffer infections. A llama called Fifi is the source of a promising new covid therapy. Meanwhile, a drug already approved to treat gout may also be useful against covid.
If there's a risk to quality of care in the case of a health worker's absence, the state's Department of Health has decided they can still work even if unvaccinated — a change to its vaccine mandate policy. In North Carolina, Novant Health says it suspended "hundreds" of staff for flouting vaccine rules.
On Friday, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel argued against broad rollouts for covid boosters. Meanwhile, reports say the race gap in vaccination in the U.S. may be bigger than previously thought. Efforts to persuade the unvaxxed, the spread of covid misinfo and more are also reported.
The White House is convening a virtual vaccine summit today with global leaders and health officials. President Joe Biden is expected to announce that the U.S. will buy 500 million additional Pfizer doses to donate to other countries, according to sources, and will urge well-off nations to share more. One notable absence at the event will be Russian President Vladimir Putin.
President Joe Biden spoke before the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday, pledging a diplomatic focus in his foreign policy and asking world leaders to join together to tackle crisis facing all nations: "We must work together as never before."
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