Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Roundup: Effects of Marijuana Use; Orphan Drug Competition
JAMA Internal Medicine: Association Of Medical And Adult-Use Marijuana Laws With Opioid Prescribing For Medicaid Enrollees
Are medical and adult-use marijuana laws passed after 2010 associated with lower rates of opioid prescribing for Medicaid enrollees? ...State implementation of medical marijuana laws was associated with a 5.88% lower rate of opioid prescribing. (Wen and Hockenberry, 5/1)
Urban Institute: Medicaid Work Requirements In Arkansas
This report assesses the size and composition of Medicaid enrollees in Arkansas who could be affected by the program’s new work and community engagement requirements. ...Given the exemptions Arkansas plans to implement, we find that in 2018, 86 percent of nonelderly, nondisabled adult Medicaid enrollees would likely be exempt from work requirements, a share that includes adults ages 19 to 29. (Gangopadhyaya, Kenney, Burton et. al., 5/24)
Health Affairs: Evaluating The Impact Of The Orphan Drug Act’s Seven-Year Market Exclusivity Period
The Orphan Drug Act’s market exclusivity incentive has played an increasingly smaller role in protecting rare disease drugs from competition, while rare disease drugs have substantially increased as a fraction of all new drug approvals. (Sarpatwari, Beall, Aburrob et. al., 5/7)
JAMA: Effect Of Vitamin D Supplementation On Recurrent Wheezing In Black Infants Who Were Born Preterm: The D-Wheeze Randomized Clinical Trial
Black infants born preterm face high rates of recurrent wheezing throughout infancy. Vitamin D supplementation has the potential to positively or negatively affect wheezing through modulation of the pulmonary and immune systems. ...Among black infants born preterm, sustained supplementation with vitamin D, compared with diet-limited supplementation, resulted in a reduced risk of recurrent wheezing by 12 months’ adjusted age. (Hibbs, Ross, Kerns et. al., 5/22)
Pediatrics: Electronic Cigarettes And Future Marijuana Use: A Longitudinal Study
E-cigarette use predicts subsequent marijuana use among youth, with a stronger associations among young adolescents. Reducing youth access to e-cigarettes may decrease downstream marijuana use. (Dai, Catley, Richter et. al., 5/1)
