AP: In GOP-Held Florida, Biden Vows No Cuts To Social Security
With an eye toward the 2024 campaign, President Joe Biden took direct aim at Republicans who have floated cuts to Social Security and Medicare — telling an audience in Florida on Thursday that he would create a “nightmare” for anyone who dreamed of trying them. Venturing into a state defined by its growing retiree population and status as the unofficial headquarters of the modern-day Republican Party, the president sees a chance to use Social Security and Medicare to drive a wedge between GOP lawmakers and their base of older voters who rely on these government programs for income and health insurance. (Kim, Boak and Peoples, 2/10)

Tampa Bay Times: President Joe Biden Visits Tampa To Talk Health Care As 2024 Race Looms
Before Thursday’s event began, staff distributed pamphlets made to look like miniature versions of Scott’s plan, with the piece on sunsetting legislation circled in red. Biden read directly from the pamphlet at the lectern and mentioned Scott multiple times by name, adding that even though Medicare is likely to survive reauthorization, “it’s likely to get cut significantly” if it came up for a vote. “The very idea a senator from Florida wants to put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block every five years I find to be somewhat outrageous,” Biden said.(Mahoney, 2/9)

KHN: A Health-Heavy State Of The Union 
Health care was a recurring theme throughout President Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address on Capitol Hill this week. He took a victory lap on recent accomplishments like capping prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare. He urged Congress to do more, including making permanent the boosted insurance premium subsidies added to the Affordable Care Act during the pandemic. And he sparred with Republicans in the audience — who jeered and called him a liar — over GOP proposals that would cut Medicare and Social Security. (2/9)

The Hill: McConnell Says Sunsetting Social Security, Medicare Is A ‘Rick Scott Plan’ Only 
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-K.Y.) said in an interview on Thursday a proposed initiative to sunset Social Security and Medicare was not a “Republican plan,” but one proposed and supported only by fellow Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.). Scott, who was unsuccessful in his run against McConnell for the top seat in the National Republican Senatorial Committee, proposed a plan in 2022 to sunset all federal legislation after five years, forcing Congress to reauthorize them. (Oshin, 2/9)

CNN: Fact Check: Sen. Rick Scott Keeps Repeating A Debunked Claim About Biden And Medicare
Scott made the claim both in an interview with “CNN This Morning” co-anchor Kaitlan Collins on Thursday morning and in a television ad he released online on Wednesday. The ad came out the morning after Biden used part of his State of the Union address to warn Americans about Scott’s proposal to require “all” federal laws, which would include Medicare, to expire after five years if they are not renewed by Congress; Biden repeated this warning in a speech in Tampa on Thursday. (Dale, 2/9)

In related news about the 2024 presidential election —

The Washington Post: Biden Targets Top Florida Republicans DeSantis, Scott Over Health Care 
President Biden took aim at two of Florida’s most prominent Republicans — Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott — when he visited the state Thursday to pitch his economic agenda while vowing to protect the programs crucial to seniors and the poor — Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid. Biden knocked DeSantis for refusing to expand subsidized health care with the help of the federal government and continued to attack Scott for a plan that would require Congress to reauthorize Social Security and Medicare every five years. (Wagner and Alfaro, 2/9)

Bloomberg: Biden Assails DeSantis Over Health Benefits In Visit To Florida
President Joe Biden jabbed at potential 2024 rival Ron DeSantis and Republicans as he vowed to protect entitlement spending and lower health costs for Americans in a post-State of the Union visit to the Florida governor’s home turf. (Sink and Leonard, 2/9)

Axios: Democrats Would Love To Make 2024 An Election About Medicare And Social Security
President Biden has spent the week contrasting Republicans and Democrats' positions on health care and entitlements, leaning into a political fight the party would love to have all the way through the 2024 elections. How House Republicans handle the coming debt ceiling negotiations and spending-related decisions could have far-reaching implications, potentially handing Democrats what they view as a potent line of attack. (Owens, 2/10)

Stat: Medicare Details Forthcoming Penalties For Drug Price Hikes 
The Biden administration on Thursday offered the first glimpse into how it’s planning to enact a new law that will penalize drugmakers for hiking their prices faster than inflation. The initial guidance documents for both physician-administered and pharmacy drugs offer details about the formulas that officials plan to use to calculate the penalties, and the process for fines if drugmakers don’t comply. The guidance is open for public comment until March 11, the administration said. (Cohrs, 2/9)

NPR: Medicare Announces Plan To Recoup Billions From Drug Companies
Medicare's historic plan to slow prescription drug spending is taking shape. Thursday federal health officials released proposed guidance that outlines the first of a pair of major drug price reforms contained in the Inflation Reduction Act. Those reforms are projected to save Medicare roughly $170 billion over the next decade. President Joe Biden touted the effort underway earlier this week in his State of the Union address. "We're taking on powerful interests to bring your health care costs down so you can sleep better at night," he said. (Walker and Gorenstein, 2/9)

Healthcare Finance News: Drug Companies To Pay Rebates For Prices That Go Higher Than Inflation 
This is the nation's first prescription drug law for companies to pay rebates to Medicare when drug prices increase faster than the rate of inflation. The Inflation Reduction Act, which passed in August 2022, allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices for 10 high-cost drugs starting in 2026. (Morse, 2/9)

Also —

Stat: Generics Makers Fought Drug Price Reform, But May End Up Benefiting
Generic drugmakers lobbied hard against Democrats’ new law empowering Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices. Giving the government such power seemed like an admission that generic medicines don’t do enough to keep costs down. Now that the changes are law, however, industry experts and lobbyists acknowledge the package is more of a mixed bag for generics makers like Teva and Sandoz, not an existential threat. (Wilkerson, 2/10)

Stat: Senate Panel Passes Drug Patent Reforms, But Not Without Dissent
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday passed legislation to prevent drug companies from gaming the patent system to delay competition from cheaper generics, but members in both parties said they still have concerns about the reforms. (Wilkerson, 2/9)

The Hill: CDC Adds COVID Vaccine To Routine Immunization Schedule For Kids, Adults 
COVID-19 vaccines are now included among the routine shots recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for children, adolescents and adults. The 2023 list includes shots for the flu, measles mumps and rubella, polio, and other inoculations. (Weixel, 2/9)

Philadelphia Inquirer: The CDC Is Recommending That COVID-19 Vaccines Become Routine For Kids And Adults
Pediatricians and federal health experts have been recommending that children and teens get vaccinated against COVID-19 since the shots first became available. Now, the nation’s public health agency is recommending the shots become routine. On Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formally added COVID-19 vaccinations to its immunization schedules for children and adults. (Ruderman, 2/9)

More on the spread of covid —

Axios: Australian Researchers Find Protein In Lung That Blocks COVID Infection
Australian scientists announced Friday they've discovered a protein in the lung that sticks to the COVID-19 virus like Velcro and forms a natural protective barrier in a person's body to block infection. (Falconer, 2/10)

The Washington Post: Biden Says Americans' Lives Don't Revolve Around Covid. It Should Still Be Front And Center, Experts Say 
At Tuesday’s State of the Union address, President Biden’s tone had shifted. Though the virus is not gone, the president said, “covid no longer controls our lives.” The panorama looks much different from when the virus first arrived in the United States nearly three years ago. Most Americans are now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and for the most part, life has returned to normal. Still, an average of more than 500 Americans are dying every day from the virus, and despite how far the country has come in its fight, experts say this is not the time for the White House to lower its guard. (Salcedo, 2/9)

Fox News: Women More Likely To Suffer From ‘Long COVID,’ But Healthy Habits Can Lower The Risk
When 33-year-old Katie Timmerman tested positive for COVID-19 in January 2022, the busy vice president of a PR firm in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, figured she’d be sick for a few days. Her only symptoms were a bad headache and a sore throat, she said. But then the headaches grew worse and were sometimes debilitating — and they never left. (Rudy, 2/9)

KHN: Public Health Agencies Turn To Locals To Extend Reach Into Immigrant Communities 
When covid-19 vaccines became available, Colorado public health officials initially relied on mass vaccination events publicized through Facebook, email, and texts, and required Coloradans to book appointments online. But when that go-big strategy drove large disparities in who was getting vaccinated, public health departments in the Denver area decided to go small instead. They provided “microgrants,” small sums for one-time projects, to community organizations serving immigrants and minorities, and allowed those groups to determine how best to use the money. (Hawryluk, 2/10)

CNN: HHS Secretary Sends Letter To State Governors On What's To Come When Covid-19 Public Health Emergency Ends
On Thursday, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter and fact sheet to state governors detailing what exactly the end of the emergency declaration will mean for jurisdictions and their residents. (Howard, 2/9)

San Francisco Chronicle: U.S. Public Health Emergency Renewed For The Last Time
Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services, on Thursday renewed the COVID-19 public health emergency order in the U.S. for what is expected to be the last time. (Vaziri, 2/9)

Reuters: FEMA To End All COVID-19 Disaster Declarations On May 11 
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said on Thursday it will close all COVID-19 disaster declaration incident periods on May 11 when the U.S. government ends two major pandemic-related emergency declarations. All 50 states, five territories and three tribal nations are seeing a major disaster declaration for COVID-19, said FEMA Associate Administrator for Response and Recovery Anne Bink. (Aboulenein, 2/9)

USA Today: Medicaid, Free COVID Tests Will Change After Public Health Emergency
The Biden administration on Thursday formally notified states the COVID-19 public health emergency that provided generous federal payments to subsidize care and insurance coverage for millions will end May 11. About 15 million Americans who gained Medicaid health insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic are at risk of losing coverage later this year as generous federal subsidies end. (Alltucker, 2/9)

KHN: Era Of ‘Free’ Covid Vaccines, Test Kits, And Treatments Is Ending. Who Will Pay The Tab Now? 
Time is running out for free-to-consumer covid vaccines, at-home test kits, and even some treatments. The White House announced this month that the national public health emergency, first declared in early 2020 in response to the pandemic, is set to expire May 11. When it ends, so will many of the policies designed to combat the virus’s spread. (Appleby, 2/10)

Axios: 69% Of Health Providers Still Using Pandemic Waivers, Survey Finds
More than two-thirds of health care providers are still using pandemic waivers and flexibilities that are due to expire when the COVID public health emergency ends in May, according to an analysis by the group purchasing organization Premier. The health care system will undergo a major shift as hospitals, health systems and other providers lose special allowances on reporting requirements, patients' rights, virtual care and a host of other areas. (Bettelheim, 2/9)

KQED: How To Find A Free COVID Test Near You In 2023 (Because It's Getting Harder)
Finding it harder to get a COVID-19 test lately? You’re not alone. California's pandemic state of emergency is set to end on Feb. 28, and President Biden recently announced that the federal emergency status for the nation will end May 11. (Johnson, 2/9)

Worries grow about the food stamp 'hunger cliff' —

CBS News: Food Stamp "Hunger Cliff" Looms As 32 States Set To Slash Benefits
A "hunger cliff" is looming for millions of Americans, with 32 states set to slash food-stamp benefits beginning in March. The cuts will impact more than 30 million people who are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in those states, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Among the states where recipients are facing cuts are California and Texas, which have greatest number of people on SNAP, at 5.1 million and 3.6 million recipients, respectively. (Picchi, 2/10)

CalMatters: Hunger Spike Feared As Food Stamp Boosts End In April
Food banks across California are bracing for a feared spike in hunger amid inflated prices after a pandemic-era boost in food aid ends in April. March is the last month CalFresh recipients will get the additional benefits, as the federal government cuts off the “emergency allotments” that have kept food stamp allowances higher than usual for nearly three years now. (Kuang, 2/9)

USA Today: US Suicide Rate Increases To Pre-Pandemic Levels: CDC
Suicide rates increased and disparities widened in 2021, returning to pre-pandemic rates after two years of decline, a federal analysis found. Notably, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis found the rate of suicide among American Indian and Alaska Native people increased 26% from 2018, followed by Black and Hispanic people, who saw 19.2% and 6.8% increases respectively. (Hassanein, 2/9)

ABC News: Suicides Rose In 2021 After 2 Years Of Declines, CDC Report Finds
Results showed that 48,183 Americans died by suicide in 2021 with a rate of 14.1 suicides per 100,000 people. These are the highest numbers recorded since 2018 when 48,344 Americans died by suicide with a rate of 14.2 per 100,000, and comes after two consecutive years of decreases in 2019 and 2020. When researchers looked at 2021 suicide rates by race/ethnicity, they found American Indians/Alaska Natives had the highest rate at 28.1 per 100,000. In addition, this group had the highest percent change from 2018, with the rate increasing 26% from 22.3 per 100,000. (Kekatos, 2/9)

U.S. News & World Report: Suicide Rates Have Risen Among People Of Color
New research shows disproportionate increases in suicide rates have occurred among people of color over recent years, while the rate of such deaths among whites has notably fallen. (Johnson, 2/9)

If you are in need of help —

Dial 9-8-8 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.

In other public health news —

The Washington Post: Fabuloso Recalls 4.9 Million Bottles Of Cleaner Over Bacteria Risk
Colgate-Palmolive is recalling 4.9 million bottles of Fabuloso multipurpose cleaners over possible bacteria contamination. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which announced the recall Wednesday, said the cleaners may contain Pseudomonas, which is commonly found in soil and water. The bacteria can put people with compromised immune systems and other health conditions at risk of serious infection. People with healthy immune systems are generally not affected, according to the CPSC. (Gregg, 2/9)

CBS News: Consumer Reports Finds "Unpredictable" Mercury Spikes In Canned Tuna
A Consumer Reports investigation out Thursday morning found "unpredictable" spikes of mercury levels in five popular canned tuna brands — and suggests that pregnant people "avoid canned tuna altogether." "While canned tuna, especially light varieties, has relatively low average levels of mercury, individual cans can sometimes have much higher levels," Consumer Reports said. (Lynch Baldwin, 2/9)

NBC News: A Calorie-Restricted Diet May Slow Aging In Healthy Adults, Science Shows
Eating fewer calories appears to slow the pace of aging and increase longevity in healthy adults, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Nature Aging. The study, which was funded by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the first-ever randomized controlled trial that looked at the long-term impact of calorie restriction. (Lovelace Jr., 2/9)

Scripps: Norovirus Spreading Across The US, CDC Data Shows
Cases of norovirus are climbing in the U.S., according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the beginning of the year, state health departments reported 25 outbreaks. That's nearly double the amount of outbreaks reported at the beginning of 2022.While higher than in 2022, the CDC says the latest numbers are still consistent with trends over the last decade. The agency notes that the peak season for norovirus is from December to March. (2/9)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: 71 Norovirus Cases Linked To Outbreak At Las Vegas School
An outbreak of norovirus at an Las Vegas elementary school has grown to 71 confirmed and probable cases, the Southern Nevada Health District reported Thursday. The outbreak at Wayne Tanaka Elementary School in the southwest valley began around Jan. 27, according to the health district. (Clemons, 2/9)

NBC News: Norovirus Spreading In 2023: Symptoms And How The Virus Transmits
Norovirus is sometimes referred to as the stomach flu, but it is not related to the influenza virus. Rather, it is a highly contagious virus that typically causes gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. Mild fever and aches are possible, too. Just a few virus particles are enough to make someone sick, and they spread easily via hands, surfaces, food and water. An infected person can transmit the virus for days after they’re feeling better, potentially even up to two weeks, according to the CDC. (Varinsky, 2/9)

Reuters: UK Says Norovirus Cases Sharply Rise In England
Norovirus cases in England are 66% higher than the average at this time of year, official data showed on Thursday, with the biggest rise in confirmed infections seen in those aged 65 years and over. Outbreaks caused by the vomiting and diarrhea-causing norovirus have surged in hospitals, schools and care homes, with majority of cases in care home settings, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. (2/9)

On avian flu, ticks, and CWD —

CBS News: U.S. To Test Shots Against Bird Flu Outbreak, As Biden Administration Weighs Poultry Vaccinations
Federal scientists are gearing up to test the first vaccines in poultry against bird flu in years, as Biden administration officials say they have now begun weighing an unprecedented shift in the U.S. strategy to counter the growing outbreak. The move comes amid mounting concern over the threat posed by the ongoing spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza over the past few years, which has devastated flocks of wild and commercial birds around the continent. (Tin, 2/9)

Los Angeles Times: California's Wet Winter Could Mean More Ticks This Year Or Next
“The longer and more rain usually means ticks are out for longer,” said Dan Salkeld, an ecologist at Colorado State University and a scientific advisor for the Bay Area Lyme Foundation. “Having a good rainy wet season is going to be good for ticks.” (Toohey, 2/9)

CIDRAP: CWD-Sniffing Dogs Show Promise In Early Field Trial 
Using dogs to detect the presence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer droppings shows promise, according to new findings published this week in Prion. In a proof-of-concept study by University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) researchers, trained dogs—two Labrador retrievers and a Finnish spitz—correctly identified CWD in 8 of 11 CWD-positive samples and had an average false-positive rate of 13%. (Wappes, 2/9)

CIDRAP: Another Wisconsin County Reports First CWD In Wild Deer
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) yesterday reported the first chronic wasting disease (CWD) detection in a wild deer in Langlade County in the town of Wolf River, which is located in the north central part of the state. (Schnirring, 2/9)

Politico: Dem Governors Pledge To Protect Abortion As Neighbors Add Restrictions 
Democratic governors in two states that are regional centers for abortion access pledged on Thursday to defend access to the procedure, pushing the federal government to do more and warning against further restrictions. “We’re not an island, we’re an oasis,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in an interview with POLITICO on Thursday. “People come to Illinois to exercise what are their fundamental rights, and they’re being denied in other states, every state around us, and then another ring of states around them. So think about how if you want to exercise your rights, how far you have to travel if you don’t live in Illinois in order to exercise those rights.” (Hooper and McCarthy, 2/9)

The Washington Post: Maryland Democrats Seek More Abortion Protections
Maryland’s top Democrats said Thursday they want to make “a safe haven for abortion,” joining a wave of blue states escalating efforts to protect patients, providers and access to the procedure. “We are going to make sure that Maryland is a safe haven for abortion rights long after I am governor of this state,” Gov. Wes Moore (D) said at a joint news conference. He joined the years-long quest of House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) to have voters enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, fortifying protections in state law as federal ones erode. (Cox, 2/9)

More abortion news from South Carolina, Wyoming, West Virginia, and Florida —

AP: South Carolina Senate Passes New Abortion Ban After Ruling
The South Carolina Senate passed an abortion ban on Thursday in the Republican-led chamber’s latest quest to craft a law that passes constitutional muster, but differences with a stricter proposal from the House could derail the effort once again. Republicans have faced several setbacks in their efforts to further restrict abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal protections this summer, allowing the conservative state’s previous ban to take effect. (Pollard, 2/9)

Wyoming Public Radio: Stricter Abortion Bill Passes House And Now Goes To Senate
After much debate in the Wyoming House of Representatives, a bill that would enact even stricter abortion laws than another bill currently tied up in court passed on its third reading. An adopted amendment addressed some of the lawmakers' questions about the need for it. (Kudelska, 2/9)

AP: West Virginia House OKs Bill To Fund Anti-Abortion Centers
The GOP-dominated West Virginia House overwhelmingly passed a bill Thursday that would allow for taxpayer money to be funneled into anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers, months after lawmakers passed a near-total ban on the procedure in one of the nation’s poorest states. West Virginia’s is just the latest of a growing number of proposals from states across the U.S. to provide taxpayer support for the centers, which are typically religiously affiliated, free and counsel clients against having an abortion. They are generally are not licensed as medical facilities. (Willingham, 2/9)

The 19th: How Florida Judges Have Ruled On Minors’ Ability To Get An Abortion
The new report, an analysis of state court records by the advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW), finds that close to 1 in 10 Floridians who seek a judicial bypass each year are denied. The data suggests that approval depends on where one lives. In Hillsborough County, home to Tampa, close to half of all bypass petitions were denied in 2021. In Miami-Dade and Orange Counties — home to Miami and Orlando, respectively — none were. (Luthra, 2/9)

In related news about the Supreme Court —

The Washington Post: Supreme Court Justices Discussed, But Did Not Agree On Ethics Code 
The Supreme Court has failed to reach consensus on an ethics code of conduct specific to the nine justices despite internal discussion dating back at least four years, according to people familiar with the matter. (Barnes and Marimow, 2/9)

AP: North Carolina Medicaid Expansion Measure Back Before House
The North Carolina House will hear and likely vote on a Medicaid expansion measure next week, a key legislator said. The bill’s introduction this week, along with comments Thursday from Senate leader Phil Berger, reaffirms that a deal on expansion and perhaps other health care access reforms hasn’t yet been reached between the two chambers. But it also means that accepting expansion remains a priority for Republicans during this year’s chief General Assembly work session. (Robertson, 2/9)

Wyoming Public Radio: Despite Passing Committee, Medicaid Expansion Dies Without A Reading On House Floor
A bill seeking to expand Medicaid in Wyoming has died again, repeating what has become an annual event in recent years. This year's bill didn't even get a reading in the House of Representatives despite growing support in the state. (Victor, 2/9)

In other health news from across the U.S. —

Iowa Public Radio: Iowa House And Senate Vote To Cap Medical Malpractice Damages For Pain And Suffering
Most Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate voted to send a bill to the governor’s desk Wednesday that would limit how much money victims of medical malpractice could get for non-economic injuries like pain and suffering. The bill, a priority of Gov. Kim Reynolds, would cap non-economic damages awarded by juries at $2 million when a hospital is involved and $1 million for malpractice by an independent clinic. Starting in 2028, the caps would increase by 2.1% each year. (Sostaric, 2/9)

AP: State Board Reports Hundreds Of Pending Nevada MD Complaints 
A Reno television station said it has found that the time it takes the Nevada State Medical Board to resolve complaints against doctors can hamper medical malpractice cases in court. KRNV-TV reported Wednesday that in response to a public records request, the board said it has 455 pending cases, including three on hold since 2016 because police also are investigating. Medical Board Executive Director Ed Cousineau told KRNV-TV that staffing issues can make it difficult to complete investigations in a timely manner. (2/9)

KHN: Montana Considers Allowing Physician Assistants To Practice Independently
Megan Zawacki started working at St. Peter’s Health in Helena, Montana, in 2020 as a physician assistant trained in treating addiction. She had gone through specialized training that allowed her to prescribe Suboxone, a medication to fight opioid addiction, but she couldn’t do so for six months. That’s because Zawacki was hired to work with a doctor who specialized in addiction medicine, but that doctor did not join St. Peter’s until three months after Zawacki was hired, and it was another three months before he became her supervisor. Under Montana law, physician assistants must be supervised by a licensed physician, with a supervision agreement filed with the state Board of Medical Examiners. (Larson, 2/10)

St. Louis Public Radio: St. Louis Officials Hope Website Will Help Stop Spread Of HIV
St. Louis health officials launched a website this week that will improve access to HIV testing and treatment. Information about services offered by the Health Stop Testing and Referral Center, located in the municipal building at 1520 Market St., is now compiled for easy reference on the web at HealthStopSTL.com. (Goodwin, 2/10)

New Hampshire Public Radio: Federal Government Will Offer Grants To Sex Education Programs Defunded By NH Executive Council
The federal government is offering a funding lifeline to New Hampshire organizations looking to continue a sex education program defunded by the Executive Council last fall. But that money likely won’t be available until the end of August. New Hampshire organizations will be able to apply directly for federal grants to support sex education curriculum, rather than relying on approval from the Executive Council. (Gibson, 2/8)

San Francisco Chronicle: 'A Ticket To Nowhere': Thousands Are Brought To S.F. Hospitals Involuntarily. Then What Happens?
Dr. Scott Tcheng was shocked to hear the number: People suffering from mental illness in San Francisco were brought to city hospitals on temporary, involuntary holds more than 13,600 times over a recent 12-month period. The emergency room doctor who works at several hospitals sees people struggling with mental illness or drug-induced psychosis return repeatedly, sometimes brought against their will. Tcheng knew the number for involuntary holds would be high – but not that high. (Moench, 2/9)

From Pennsylvania —

The New York Times: Fetterman Remains Hospitalized As Doctors Rule Out A Second Stroke
Senator John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania Democrat who suffered a near-fatal stroke before winning his seat last year, spent a second night in the hospital on Thursday as doctors ruled out another stroke but monitored him for signs of seizure, his spokesman said. Mr. Fetterman, 53, was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday after feeling lightheaded while attending a Democratic Senate retreat in Washington. After an M.R.I. and other tests, doctors ruled out another stroke, the spokesman said. As of Thursday night, there had also been no signs of seizure. (Karni, 2/9)

The Washington Post: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Is Inspiring Copycat GOP Bills Across U.S.
Wyoming’s rugged terrain is almost a nation away, geographically and culturally, from the suburbs and swamps of Florida. But as Wyoming lawmakers meet for the legislative session, the influence of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is looming large over the state Capitol in Cheyenne. GOP lawmakers in the Equality State have introduced a proposal to ban references to sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade, replicating chunks of a controversial law that DeSantis implemented in Florida. (Craig, 2/9)

Stateline: Republicans Have Filed Dozens Of Bills To Disrupt Transgender Youth Health Care
Republican lawmakers in more than half the states are continuing a party-line push to restrict doctors and other medical providers from offering some gender-affirming health care to minors, even with parents’ consent. (Barrett, 2/9)

Indianapolis Star: House Committee OKs Bill Seen As Anti-Transgender Targeting DCS Care
An Indiana House committee on Thursday passed sweeping language to rein in the Department of Child Services that some warned could have unintended consequences apparently inspired solely by the department's decision to remove a single transgender child from their parents' care. (Dwyer, 2/10)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Whistleblower Report On St. Louis Transgender Clinic Triggers Calls For Federal, State Probes
Missouri’s senior senator and the state’s new attorney general both announced investigations Thursday after publication of allegations that a transgender clinic in St. Louis was providing substandard care to children and teens. The allegations, published online Thursday by The Free Press, were made by Jamie Reed, a 42-year-old native St. Louisan, who said she worked at the Washington University Transgender Center as a case manager between 2018 and 2022. (Munz, 2/9)

The 19th: More Than Half Of Queer Florida Parents Have Considered Fleeing, Study Finds
One in five parents went back in the closet in some capacity — including some who no longer hold their partner’s hand in public. More than half considered leaving Florida. Nearly nine out of 10 parents said they worried the bill would make their kids less safe. Those numbers are the stark findings from a study on the effects of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law just released by the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. (Rummler, Luterman and Sosin, 2/9)

Also —

The Boston Globe: Trans And Nonbinary Lawmakers Made History In 2022. They’re Already Having To Defend Their Very Existence
It was a cold, snowy day in Missoula, Mont., last year when Zooey Zephyr, a candidate for the state House of Representatives, was invited inside a voter’s house to shelter from the weather while canvassing. Not knowing that Zephyr herself was transgender, the woman proceeded to share that she had a trans grandson, and he was afraid to come home to Montana because of anti-trans bills in the legislature. (Fulton and Villa de Petrzelka, 2/9)

Stat: In Large Study, A Single Dose Slashed Sepsis Rate In Childbirth 
An inexpensive and easy-to-deliver intervention — a single dose of the antibiotic azithromycin — could sharply reduce the number of pregnant people in low- and middle-income countries who develop the life-threatening condition sepsis in childbirth, a study published Thursday reported. (Branswell, 2/9)

More on sepsis —

Fox News: Getting Sepsis In The Hospital Is A Red Flag For Future Heart Attacks, Study Finds
Patients who get sepsis while hospitalized are 43% more likely to return to the hospital for a stroke or any cardiac event, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The risk rises to 51% for heart failure alone. The study included more than 2.2 million patients who spent at least two nights in the hospital during a 10-year span — 800,000 of them were diagnosed with sepsis. (Rudy, 2/9)

In other pharmaceutical and biotech developments —

Reuters: U.S. Investigating Elon Musk's Neuralink Over Hazardous Pathogens 
The U.S. Department of Transportation said on Thursday it is investigating Elon Musk's brain-implant company Neuralink over the potentially illegal movement of hazardous pathogens. (Levy, 2/9)

Stat: Reynolds Pushes FDA To Pull Puff Bar, Elf Bar From Shelves
Cigarette giant Reynolds American is calling on the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on manufacturers of disposable e-cigarettes, like Puff Bar and Elf Bar, which are increasingly being used by young people. The company, which also makes Vuse e-cigarettes, submitted a formal “citizen petition” to the FDA earlier this week calling on the agency to adopt an enforcement policy specifically targeted at disposable competitors to its products. (Florko, 2/9)

Bloomberg: Olaplex Lawsuit In US Claims Hair Loss, Scalp Injuries
Olaplex Holdings Inc. is facing a lawsuit filed by about 30 consumers who allege the company’s products damaged their hair and scalp. The complaint filed Thursday accuses Olaplex of making false statements, including that its offerings restore damaged hair and provide the “ultimate breakage insurance.” The suit also claims that the company has knowingly used ingredients that cause irritation and sensitivity, contributing to a host of hair and scalp issues. (Sirtori-Cortina, 2/9)

Stat: Study Suggests DNA Sequencing Could Reduce Infant Deaths
Researchers who believe genomics can transform human health love to recount success stories. They’ll tell you about the 3-month-old boy whose heart was failing until researchers pinpointed what was ailing him. Or the baby girl who could have had a life-threatening reaction to anesthesia had researchers not sequenced her DNA ahead of time. But a new study focuses on a much more somber set of stories: those of infants who died with genetic diseases and who in some cases could have been treated, perhaps even saved. (Wosen, 2/9)

Also —

The Boston Globe: Somerville Startup’s Glasses Can Live-Caption Conversations For The Hard Of Hearing 
The high-tech glasses from Somerville startup Xander look like they might be for virtual reality or video gaming, but the chunky, black spectacles actually have a simpler and more important purpose. Designed for people who are hard of hearing or deaf, the Xander glasses generate text captions of a conversation in real time for the wearer. And the device works without a connection to a smartphone or the Internet. (Pressman, 2/9)

The Washington Post: Daunting Medical Issues For Earthquake Survivors Are Just Beginning
In coming weeks, as search efforts turn to the grim task of recovering bodies, countless survivors will need medications for high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma left behind in the rubble. Pregnant women will give birth in makeshift shelters and refugee camps. Cancer patients will go without treatment. Freezing temperatures mean survivors in thrown-together shelters face hypothermia or frostbite. Close quarters in shelters could also lead to the spread of the coronavirus and other respiratory viruses. (Ovalle, 2/9)

NPR: A Look At The Impact Of Delivering Aid To Turkey And Syria Through Dubai's Global Hub
In a dusty, industrial corner of Dubai, far from the city's gleaming skyscrapers and marbled buildings, boxes of child-sized body bags are stacked in a massive warehouse. They will be shipped to Syria and Turkey for earthquake victims. Like other aid agencies, the World Health Organization is struggling to reach people in need. But from its global logistics hub in Dubai, the U.N. agency tasked with international public health has already loaded two planes with critical medical supplies, enough to help some 70,000 people. One plane is destined for Turkey and the other for Syria. (Batrawy, 2/8)

Reuters: Two-Year Old Rescued From Rubble 79 Hours After Earthquake In Turkey
A two-year old boy was rescued on Thursday from the rubble of a building that collapsed in the southern city of Antakya, 79 hours after a massive earthquake struck the area this week, killing more than 19,000 people in Turkey and Syria. (2/9)

AP: Syria Orphans From Quake Taken In By Overwhelmed Relatives 
A Syrian baby girl whose mother gave birth to her while trapped under the rubble of their home during this week’s devastating earthquake now has a name: Aya, Arabic for “a sign from God.” With her parents and all her siblings killed, her great-uncle will take her in. Aya is one of untold numbers of orphans left by Monday’s 7.8-magnitude quake, which killed more than 20,000 people in northern Syria and southeastern Turkey. The pre-dawn quake brought down thousands of apartment buildings on residents as they were roused from sleep, so entire families often perished. (Sewell and Chehayeb, 2/9)

On the war in Ukraine —

Reuters: Quarter Of Ukrainians At Risk Of Severe Mental Health Conditions - Adviser 
A quarter of Ukraine's population is at risk of developing a severe mental health condition as the country grapples with the year-long Russian invasion, a senior health official said on Thursday. Michel Kazatchkine, a member of the Eastern and Central European and Central Asian Commission on Drug Policy, said the conflict in Ukraine had not only resulted in a shortage of medical supplies and personnel but had also caused a major threat to mental health. (2/9)

NPR: Ukrainian Soldiers Benefit From U.S. Prosthetics Expertise But Their War Is Different 
A prosthetics clinic that once served mostly American military veterans is now helping Ukrainian amputees get state of the art prostheses. (Lawrence, 2/7)

The New York Times: How Educators Secretly Remove Students With Disabilities From School 
Jessica LaVigne was nervous but hopeful on a recent afternoon that the team managing her son’s special education plan at Roseburg High School would tell her something she had dreamed of for more than a decade: He would be able to attend a full day of school for the first time since second grade. During her son’s elementary years, Ms. LaVigne was called almost daily to pick him up hours early because he was having “a bad day.” By middle school, he was only attending an hour a day. By high school, he was told he had to “earn” back two class periods taken off his schedule by proving he was academically and socially ready. (Green, 2/9)

Stat: Mm-Hm, Uh-Huh: How Mumbling Trips Up 'Digital Scribes' For Doctors
“Your vision is good?” asked the doctor. “Mm-hm,” replied the patient. “And your dentures fit fine?” “Yep,” the patient said. “No problems with them?” the doctor followed up. “Mm,” the patient said, indicating everything was OK. The back-and-forth would have made perfect sense to the two people talking in the clinic. But to the automatic speech recognition tool tasked with transcribing it and turning it into visit notes, the “mm-hms” and mumbles became a garbled mess. (Trang, 2/7)

The Wall Street Journal: Even A Brain-Eating Amoeba Can’t Hide From This Cutting-Edge DNA Tech 
When a middle-aged man who had suffered a seizure was admitted to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center in 2021, doctors seeking the cause for his condition quickly became stumped. After pathologists spent two weeks peering through microscopes and monitoring petri dishes, doctors knew something serious was harming the patient’s brain; they had no idea what it was or how to treat it. (Winslow, 2/8)

The New York Times: The Mean Life Of A ‘Midsize’ Model 
In Paris last month, at the Chanel couture show, there was something about one model that set her apart from the others on the runway. Strikingly beautiful, Jill Kortleve has almond-shaped eyes, dark bushy eyebrows and chiseled cheekbones. ... But what makes her an unusual star for the high fashion industry is not the fact that she is 29, making her older than many of her peers, or that she is 5-foot-8, making her shorter than many of them too. It is the fact that Ms. Kortleve is a U.S. size 8 to 10 — or “midsize,” as the middle ground between petite and plus size is increasingly known. “Straight” size, or under a U.S. size 2, remains, overwhelmingly, the fashion industry norm. (Paton, 2/4)

Los Angeles Times: Some Latinos Don’t Trust Western Mental Health. That’s Where Curanderos Come In
Grace Sesma works methodically to set up her home office, lighting candles and cutting thorns from seven stemmed red roses for the day’s first session as her client chatters nearby. The man, 47, is talking fast — about the nice view of the area from Sesma’s backyard, his connection to the San Diego area, and how he got the supplies at the last minute that Sesma told him they would need: roses, an egg and tobacco. (Garcia, 2/8)

The Washington Post: The Power Of Social Touch: How A Loving Caress Really Can Ease Anxiety 
Physical isolation during the coronavirus pandemic led many to develop “skin hunger” and resulted in an uptick in mental health problems. One 2021 study surveying almost 1,500 participants reported that deprivation of intimate touch from close family and partners was associated with worse feelings of anxiety and loneliness. Lack of friendly or professional touch from friends, acquaintances or work colleagues did not have the same impact on mental health. (Sima, 2/9)

The New York Times: How To Talk To Your Partner About Sex 
Vanessa Marin has dedicated her career to discussing the most private details of other people’s sex lives. But, for a long time, she found it hard to talk about her own. In a new book, “Sex Talks: The Five Conversations That Will Transform Your Love Life,” the sex therapist, 38, admits that she faked orgasms for 10 years because she couldn’t bring herself to tell partners what she liked. Things improved when she met her husband, Xander Marin, now 37, but once the initial excitement wore off, the pair found themselves in front of an expensive couples counselor, struggling to articulate why their sex life sometimes felt disappointing. Today, the Marins have parlayed their radical honesty and relatability into a business centered around sexual education, with a popular podcast, a suite of online courses and more than 300,000 followers on Instagram. (Pearson, 2/7)

Politico: Biden’s Top Covid Adviser Wishes He Had Tangled With Tucker Carlson
When a terrifying new virus shut down the country in March 2020, Joe Biden turned to David Kessler for advice. A former FDA chief who served under two presidents of different parties, Kessler was someone who instinctively understood both science and politics. He began tutoring Biden regularly on the pandemic during the presidential campaign, offering blunt warnings about the growing threat to the country — and to Biden himself — as they faced a once-in-a-century crisis. (Cancryn, 2/6)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Damar Hamlin Shows The Importance Of CPR. Due To Disparities, His Outcome Isn't The Norm
CPR saves lives. Yet nationally, only 46% of people whose heart stops somewhere outside a hospital receive CPR. And Black people, who are twice as likely as white people to experience a sudden cardiac arrest, are less likely than white people to receive CPR from a bystander. (Ogechi Nwodim, 2/10)

The New York Times: How Do You Serve A Friend In Despair?
The experts say if you know someone who is depressed, it’s OK to ask explicitly about suicide. The experts emphasize that you’re not going to be putting the thought into the person’s head. Very often it’s already on her or his mind. (David Brooks, 2/9)

Stat: Pregnancy Complications Heighten Heart Risks. Time To Pay Attention
While heart disease deaths are at a historic high, so too are disorders arising from high blood pressure (hypertension) during pregnancy, a problem that predated the pandemic. Between 2007 and 2019, high blood pressure in pregnancy, including preeclampsia — a disorder of elevated blood pressure and protein in the urine that can cause serious complications for pregnant people and their babies — doubled in the United States. (Nisha Parikh and Alison Cowan, 2/10)

The Washington Post: When Will It Be Time For A Second Bivalent Booster? 
My column this week focused on the ongoing discussion at the Food and Drug Administration about switching the United States to a yearly covid-19 booster schedule. (Leana S. Wen, 2/9)

Bloomberg: US Covid Death Rate Among Older People Is Unacceptable 
Covid is still killing about 500 Americans every day — picking off the oldest, frailest members of our society. About 9 in 10 Covid deaths are now among people over 65. (Faye Flam, 2/9)

San Francisco Chronicle: America Is Back To Normal After COVID — Except For This
As last week’s announcement by the Biden administration — that it intends to end the national and public health emergency declarations for addressing COVID-19 — makes clear: when it comes to the pandemic, we are no longer in a state of emergency. Nearly every part of society has returned to normal, with a few exceptions. (Dr. Jeanne Noble, Dr. Shira Doron and Dr. Leslie Bienen, 2/9)

The Tennessean: How To Diversify Talent Pipeline And Promote Health Equity
The health care industry has navigated unprecedented challenges since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, bringing heightened awareness to health inequities that exist in our country. (Sherri Neal, 2/9)

Los Angeles Times: Can The Healthcare Worker Shortage Be Fixed?
Last week, the Biden administration announced that it will end the COVID-associated national and public health emergencies on May 11. That means stopping payments for COVID-19 tests and vaccines for some Americans depending on their insurance status, other people losing benefits such as Medicaid and some hospitals receiving less funding — placing higher burdens on our already depleted healthcare workforce. (Saad B. Omer, 2/9)