Latest KFF Health News Stories
Cleveland Clinic Promoted Aduhelm On Social Media, Then Backtracked
Axios reports though Cleveland Clinic was the first of several major medical centers to say it won’t administer the controversial Alzheimer’s drug, it had previously been promoting it on social media. Stat covers the complex matter of approval standards at the FDA as Aduhelm’s approval continues to rankle.
Senators Eye Drug Price Reform To Pay For Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill
Earlier plans to cover the costs of the bill to restore the nation’s roads, bridges and other structures and transportation have hit a road block with some Republican groups, and senators trying to save the deal are now looking at an effort to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices for beneficiaries, which would save the federal government money.
With Covid Cases Rising, Public Health Experts Plead For Vaccinations
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb make impassioned efforts to get large swaths of the country that have resisted vaccines to take the shots.
Covid Infections Rising Again In Every State
The number of new infections is rising in all 50 states, data out Sunday revealed. USA Today also reports the moving seven-day average increased every day over the past week. News outlets across the country cover the outbreaks and rising hospitalization numbers.
Surgeon General Says Local Mask Mandates A Good Idea As Delta Surges
Separately, former Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said easing the CDC’s mask guidelines was “premature.” Meanwhile, Los Angeles County’s sheriff says he won’t enforce the new mask mandate there.
Trump Claims People Distrust Biden’s Vaccine Rollout; Poll Shows Otherwise
The former president issued a statement Sunday saying that President Joe Biden is “way behind schedule” and “not doing well at all.” However, a new CBS News/YouGov poll found that 66% of Americans believe Biden is doing a “very good” or “somewhat good” job at managing the pandemic.
In Win For CDC, Court Says Cruise Ship Guidelines Are Rules, Not Suggestions
A federal appeals court has reversed a lower court decision that had been in favor of the state of Florida’s position on covid controls for cruise ships.
Vaccine Misinformation Spreading Like ‘Wildfire,’ Surgeon General Says
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said there’s a “proliferation” of misleading information online and called for companies to solve it. On Friday, President Biden alleged Facebook was “killing” people. But Facebook refuted those remarks Saturday, saying the “facts tell a very different story to the one promoted by the administration in recent days.”
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages focus on these public health issues and others.
Athletes, Hotels, Tokyo Hit With Covid Outbreaks A Week Before Olympics
News outlets report on covid cases among Olympic athletes, organizers, hotel staff and the general population of Tokyo–with the city hitting a six-month case rate high. The International Olympic Committee president, however, assures there’s “zero” risk of covid spread from the games.
Parsing Policy: CDC’S Mask Guidance Is A Mess; France Is Kicking Our Butts
Opinion writers discuss the covid-19 pandemic.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KHN finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on parenting, negligent doctors, Black women’s health, the FDA, Moderna’s next vaccines and more.
US-Canada Border May Open In August — But For Fully-Vaxxed Only
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said fully vaccinated travelers from all nations may be welcomed from early September. Meanwhile, vaccine refusals drive a surge in Russia; Southeast Asia buckles under the delta variant; the U.K. has “scary” numbers of hospitalizations; and more.
With 12 Western States Burning, US Is On Highest Wildfire Alert
Reuters reports on one fire in Oregon, the biggest among blazes across the West, that has already displaced 2,000 residents. The New York Times reports on a study saying work injuries related to heat are vastly undercounted. Massachusetts, Minnesota and Iowa are also in the news.
Childhood Trauma Linked To Later Violence, Vulnerability To Morphine
Two reports cover a link between suffering childhood trauma and having violent tendencies later in life, as well as experiencing more pleasurable morphine highs — which can factor into addiction tendencies. Healing eardrum punctures, mouse eggs, Gillian Anderson’s braless-ness and more are also in the news.
Record Overdose Deaths Likely Partly Driven By Pandemic Stress
New CDC data show a 29.4% increase in drug overdose deaths in 2020 versus 2019. Experts blame pandemic-driven loss of support systems, medical care inaccessibility and opioid availability. Meanwhile, a Northern Californian woman was arrested with enough fentanyl to kill 65,000 people.
Florida Leads Nation In ACA Signups; HHS Launches New Enrollment Push
The ad campaign, called the “Summer Sprint to Coverage,” will feature testimonial spots in English and Spanish on local cable, radio and online platforms during peak audience times including while the Olympics air, Axios reports.
Dialysis Provider DaVita Indicted In Collusion Case, Denies Charges
DaVita and its former CEO are accused of conspiring with competitors not to hire each other’s key employees. DaVita called the charges “unjust and unwarranted.” A spokesman for former CEO Kent Thiry said the allegations are “false and rely on a radical legal theory about senior executive recruitment without precedent in U.S. history.”
Drugmakers Hit With Record $370 Million Fine For Price Gouging In UK
The U.K.’s antitrust regulator levied the fine after an investigation found an “egregious” scheme to boost drug prices and delay release of lower-cost versions. In particular, generic hydrocortisone tablets suffered a 10,000% price hike. Separately, controversial drug Aduhelm is back in the news.
