Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study: Legionnaires' Disease Spread From Donor Lungs To Recipients
CIDRAP: Legionellosis Linked To Organ Donation In Pennsylvania, Uptick In Cases In Poland
Today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), a new study notes that Legionella bacteria likely spread from donated organs to two lung transplant recipients, marking the first time transplanted organs have been the likely source of infection. ... In MMWR, authors report that in July 2022, the Pennsylvania Department of Health received two reports of laboratory-confirmed Legionnaires disease in patients who had recently received lung transplants from the same donor at a single Pennsylvania hospital. The donor drowned after being submerged in a river for at least 5 minutes. Legionella bacteria naturally live in fresh water. (Soucheray, 9/14)
AP: Pig Kidney Works A Record 2 Months In Donated Body, Raising Hope For Animal-Human Transplants
Dozens of doctors and nurses silently lined the hospital hallway in tribute: For a history-making two months, a pig’s kidney worked normally inside the brain-dead man on the gurney rolling past them. The dramatic experiment came to an end Wednesday as surgeons at NYU Langone Health removed the pig kidney and returned the donated body of Maurice “Mo” Miller to his family for cremation. It marked the longest a genetically modified pig kidney has ever functioned inside a human, albeit a deceased one. And by pushing the boundaries of research with the dead, the scientists learned critical lessons they’re preparing to share with the Food and Drug Administration -– in hopes of eventually testing pig kidneys in the living. (Neergaard and Lum, 9/14)
On the gun violence crisis —
Axios: U.S. School Shootings Reach Second Year Of Record-Highs
The number of school shootings with casualties in the U.S. hit a new record in the 2021-22 school year and more than doubled from the previous school year, according to recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics. (Miranda, 9/14)
More health and wellness news —
The Washington Post: Recall Ordered For Colorful ‘Water Beads’ After Infant’s Death
Owners of the Chuckle & Roar Ultimate Water Beads Activity Kit by Buffalo Games should immediately take them away from their kids, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday, citing the death of a 10-month-old after the child swallowed the colorful water-absorbent beads in July. The product, sold at Target stores and via its website from March 2022 through November 2022 for $15, has been recalled, and consumers are eligible for a refund. (Mark, 9/14)
USA Today: Costco's Kirkland Chicken Tortilla Soup Mislabeled Gluten-Free: USDA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is warning gluten-sensitive customers about Kirkland Signature chicken tortilla soup because it was falsely labeled gluten-free and they may have adverse reactions if they eat it. Calling the issue a misbranding, the Food Safety and Inspection Service ruled that customers with reactions to gluten need to be aware of this problem with the soup. (Martin, 9/14)
The Washington Post: Sleep Temperature Between 70 And 74 Degrees Optimal For Older Adults
Older adults sleep best when their bedroom temperatures are between 70 and 74 degrees and poorly when temperatures are in the 80s, although there can be significant variations among individuals, new research shows. (Cimons, 9/14)
NBC News: What Do Near-Death Experiences Feel Like During Cardiac Arrest?
What exactly is happening in the human brain when a person who has almost died is being resuscitated? A new study of cardiac arrest survivors suggests that almost 40% of people undergoing CPR have memories, dreamlike experiences or some type of perception even when they are unconscious. What’s more, brain waves show signs of activity suggesting awareness sometimes up to an hour as they are being brought back to life. (Tamkins, 9/14)
In health updates from Apple —
Bloomberg: Apple Taps New Leader For Team Developing Glucose Tracker
Apple Inc. has named a new leader for its secret group working on a noninvasive blood sugar monitor, putting a veteran iPhone and Mac chip executive in charge of one of the company’s most ambitious forays into health technology. Tim Millet, Apple’s vice president of platform architecture, has taken charge of the project after it was left without a dedicated head for several months, according to people with knowledge of the change, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. The team leading the work, called the Exploratory Design Group, or XDG, was previously led by scientist Bill Athas, who died at the end of last year. (Gurman, 9/14)
Reuters: Apple To Update IPhone 12 Software In France To Settle Radiation Row
Apple (AAPL.O) said on Friday it would issue a software update for iPhone 12 users in France to potentially end a row with French regulators that ordered the suspension of the phone's sale due to breaches of radiation exposure limits. (Pineau, 9/15)
