- KFF Health News Original Stories 4
- Malpractice Lawsuits Over Denied Abortion Care May Be on the Horizon
- Advocates Call for 911 Changes. Police Have Mixed Feelings.
- What’s It Really Like to Be HHS Secretary? Three Who’ve Done It Spill the Beans
- 'What the Health?' Podcast: Live from Aspen: Three HSS Secretaries on What the Job Is Like
- After Roe V. Wade 5
- A Year Without Roe: Cascade Of Bans, Legal Fights Shape Abortion Access
- White House To Rally With Abortion Rights Groups To Mark Dobbs Anniversary
- House Conservatives Want Abortion Bill Vote As GOP Searches For Unified Footing
- Abortion Providers And Clinics Struggle With Moral, Ethical Choices
- Denied Care, Distant Travel: Women Tell Their Stories Of A Post-Roe US
From KFF Health News - Latest Stories:
KFF Health News Original Stories
Malpractice Lawsuits Over Denied Abortion Care May Be on the Horizon
Physicians and attorneys say it’s a question of when — not if — a pregnant person dies from lack of care in a state with an abortion ban, potentially setting the stage for a malpractice lawsuit that could pressure providers to reconsider delaying or denying care. (Harris Meyer, )
Advocates Call for 911 Changes. Police Have Mixed Feelings.
Though most California counties are experimenting with dispatching health professionals rather than law enforcement to respond to people experiencing mental health crises, powerful police unions fear defunding. (Molly Castle Work, )
What’s It Really Like to Be HHS Secretary? Three Who’ve Done It Spill the Beans
Three secretaries of Health and Human Services, who served under Presidents Joe Biden, Donald Trump, and Barack Obama, gathered this week for a rare, candid conversation hosted by the Aspen Ideas Festival and KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” about the experience of being the nation’s top health official. (Julie Rovner and Emmarie Huetteman, )
In this special episode of KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” — taped before a live audience at Aspen Ideas: Health, part of the Aspen Ideas Festival, in Aspen, Colorado — host and chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner leads a rare conversation with the current and two former U.S. secretaries of Health and Human Services. Secretary Xavier Becerra and former secretaries Kathleen Sebelius and Alex Azar talk candidly about what it takes to run a department with more than 80,000 employees and a budget larger than those of many countries. ( )
Summaries Of The News:
A Year Without Roe: Cascade Of Bans, Legal Fights Shape Abortion Access
In the year since the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization "dropped a nuclear bomb into public health," as one expert said, the U.S. has become a patchwork of state laws banning or expanding access to abortion. That trend will continue, as will court battles that have extended to abortion medications and fallout at the ballot boxes.
USA Today:
'Incalculable' Impact: Three Ways The Supreme Court Abortion Decision Changed The USA
When the Supreme Court handed down its watershed abortion decision last year to overturn Roe v. Wade, the five conservative justices in the majority were not blind to the upheaval the ruling might spark across the nation. But back then, no one knew exactly what the response might look like. “We do not pretend to know how our political system or society will respond to today’s decision,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority. ... Only rarely has a Supreme Court decision had such a profound impact so quickly on the lives of so many people. “The impact has been incalculable,” said Sara Rosenbaum, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University. “It's like somebody dropped a nuclear bomb into public health.”(Fritze, 6/22)
Politico:
10 Things We’ve Learned About Abortion In The Year Since Roe Fell
Several developments defied predictions: Conservative lawmakers at the state and federal levels have struggled to agree on the parameters of abortion bans, while progressive groups have clashed over how far to go in expanding access. Doctors in states with bans have reported hesitancy around providing even legal care because of vague new policies and the fear of prosecution. Voters in Kansas, Kentucky and Montana rejected attempts to curtail access, and Democrats held the Senate in part because of their promise to protect abortion rights. With the legal and political landscape still roiling, here are 10 surprises from the past year. (Ollstein and Messerly, 6/22)
The 19th:
Even In States Where It Is Legal, Abortion Isn’t As Accessible As It Seems
The landscape of legal abortion has shifted sharply in the first year since Roe v. Wade was overturned, with some states banning the procedure almost entirely and others passing new, stricter limits. ... But in many states without near-total bans, abortion is far less available than the laws may suggest. The 19th examined how accessible abortion really is across the country, looking at how far into pregnancy clinics provide care and how the available methods of abortion can vary by state. The data used was provided by INeedAnA.com, an advocacy group that works to provide the most up-to-date information about abortion options in and around the United States. (Luthra and Mithani, 6/22)
AP:
Where Abortion Laws Stand In Every State A Year After The Supreme Court Overturned Roe
A state-by-state breakdown of where things stand. (6/23)
The Wall Street Journal:
What A Year In Post-Roe America Reveals About Abortion
In the first nine months post-Dobbs, there were some 26,000 fewer abortions in the U.S. within the formal medical system, a decrease of about 3%, according to data from WeCount, an abortion-data project sponsored by the Society of Family Planning, which supports abortion rights. That data doesn’t account for an increase in people ordering abortion pills from overseas, a legal gray area. (Kusisto, 6/23)
How things have changed in Mississippi, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, and Florida —
ABC News:
One Year Post-Roe, Crisis Pregnancy Centers Expand Footprint In Mississippi
For the past year, Michelle Colon, a reproductive health advocate in Jackson, Mississippi, has not been able to bring herself to drive past the Pink House. The state's lone abortion clinic operated by Jackson Women’s Health Organization had been forced to close its doors last July, just days after losing its legal battle before the Supreme Court and the state’s abortion ban took effect. Now, the building is painted white, the site of an upscale consignment shop – as much a symbol of victory for anti-abortion groups as the Pink House was once a symbol of defiance. (Flaherty and Kindelan, 6/23)
The Texas Tribune:
A Year After Roe V. Wade’s Overturn, Texas Sees Post-Abortion Reality
When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, many in Texas, the largest state in the nation to ban nearly all abortions, began to cycle through the stages of grief. There was denial and anger, as thousands poured into the streets, promising to never stop fighting to turn back the clock and restore abortion access. There was bargaining, in the form of a last-ditch lawsuit to keep clinics open a few weeks longer, and depression, when it failed to change the new legal norm. Now, a year after the Dobbs v. Jackson decision, an uneasy acceptance has settled over Texas, as even the most ardent abortion advocates acknowledge these new laws aren’t changing anytime soon. (Klibanoff, 6/23)
KSDK.com:
Tale Of Two States: A Year After Roe V. Wade Overturned In Missouri And Illinois
This weekend marks one year since the United States Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade. Following the decision, Missouri was the first state to ban abortions, while abortion services in Illinois are still legal and available. Coming in droves, clients make their way to Planned Parenthood in Fairview Heights, Illinois. (Coronel, 6/22)
Politico:
Abortion In Florida Remains In Limbo Until Conservative State High Court Ruling
It’s been a year since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, but Florida’s abortion bans remain in limbo while the state’s highest court weighs what to do. The conservative-leaning Florida Supreme Court, completely overhauled by Gov. Ron DeSantis in the past four years, is poised to decide whether abortions are banned anywhere from six weeks to 24 weeks of pregnancy in the country’s third most populous state, which remains a destination for people seeking the procedure in the South. (Fineout, 6/22)
Also —
CNN:
Abortion Is Ancient History: Long Before Roe, Women Terminated Pregnancies
Abortion today, at least in the United States, is a political, legal and moral powder keg. But for long stretches of history, terminating an unwanted pregnancy, especially in the early stages, was a relatively uncontroversial fact of life, historians say. Egyptian papyrus, Greek plays, Roman coins, the medieval biographies of saints, medical and midwifery manuals, and Victorian newspaper and pamphlets reveal that abortion was more common in premodern times than people might think. This long view of abortion matters, according to Mary Fissell, a professor of the history of medicine at Johns Hopkins University. That’s because assumptions about how abortion was viewed in the past color present-day arguments about abortion rights. (Hunt, 6/23)
Read the full Supreme Court ruling: Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization
White House To Rally With Abortion Rights Groups To Mark Dobbs Anniversary
The Biden administration is holding a series of events over the next two days to spotlight the Supreme Court's politically controversial decision that overturned abortion rights in the U.S. Groups like Planned Parenthood, EMILY's List and NARAL-Pro Choice America will join Friday's White House rally and endorse President Joe Biden for re-election.
AP:
One Year After The Anti-Abortion Ruling, The White House Keeps A Spotlight On The Issue
Unbowed on Saturday’s anniversary, it’s the White House, not Republicans, calling the most attention to the issue with a cascade of events designed to tap into simmering rage from the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “I don’t think people are tired,” Jennifer Klein, the White House point person on gender policy, said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think people might be mad. I think there’s a lot of fear out there. But I feel like that turns into power.” (Megerian, 6/22)
The Hill:
Major Reproductive Rights Groups To Back Biden For Reelection
Three major reproductive rights groups are expected to back President Biden’s reelection bid during a Friday rally to mark one year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America and EMILY’s List are each slated to endorse Biden and Vice President Harris during the Friday event in Washington, D.C., which Biden and Harris are both scheduled to attend. While it is not a surprise for abortion-rights groups to support Biden and Harris, the early endorsements underscore how the issue is likely to be central to the president’s campaign heading into 2024. (Samuels, 6/22)
Politico:
Biden Can Barely Say The Word, But ‘Abortion’ Is Set To Define His 2024 Pitch
President Joe Biden has never hidden the fact that his Catholic roots can make it difficult to be a politician in favor of abortion rights. In fact, he still rarely uses the word “abortion” at all. But as the 2024 election comes into focus, Biden is poised to run the most overtly abortion rights platform of any general election candidate in political history as he and his team navigate the first presidential cycle in the post-Roe era. (Otterbein and Ward, 6/22)
In other updates from the Democrats —
Axios:
Scoop: Senate Dems Tie Abortion To Broader Health Care In New Dobbs Push
Medical associations say state abortion restrictions adopted in the wake of the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision have restricted access not only to reproductive care, but "unrelated" health care treatments as well, according to a report from six Senate Democrats. ... Democrats this week have focused on painting Republicans as anti-abortion extremists to appeal to independents and swing voters as the 2024 elections get closer.
The Senate report is led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.). (Gonazalez and Solender, 6/23)
The 19th:
Democrats In House, Senate Focus On Abortion
Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Congress is seeing a flurry of action on reproductive health as Democrats highlight ongoing concerns over the impact of abortion restrictions and raise the specter of a GOP takeover in 2024. Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley and other House Democrats on Thursday plan to introduce new abortion legislation designed to address disparities in reproductive health care access. The bill would guarantee a federal right to abortion and miscarriage care and protect patients and health care providers from criminalization, among other provisions. (Barclay, 6/22)
NBC News:
How A Personal Experience With Abortion Is Guiding The Senate Democrats' Campaign Chair
It’s still hard for Sen. Gary Peters to talk about. More than 40 years ago, his then-wife's water broke four months into a very much-wanted pregnancy. Doctors told them “there’s no way” the baby could survive, he recalled in an interview with NBC News; he and Heidi were told they should let a miscarriage happen naturally. After three days of what Peters described as “anguish,” the miscarriage didn’t come — and Heidi’s health deteriorated. But their doctor couldn’t perform an abortion. ... The trauma of that moment is still palpable for Peters, now a two-term senator from Michigan and tasked, for the second time, with leading the campaign to help Democrats keep control of the Senate in the 2024 elections. (Vitali and Brown-Kaiser, 6/23)
House Conservatives Want Abortion Bill Vote As GOP Searches For Unified Footing
Republican lawmakers at the state and federal level have struggled in the past year to strike a balance on abortion, which has so far proved to be a defining campaign issue. In the House, conservative caucus members want a vote on the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, but moderate members worry about the election impact.
Axios:
Exclusive: House Conservatives Challenge Their Leaders On Abortion
The Republican Study Committee is pushing House GOP leadership for a vote on the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act (H.R. 7), Axios has learned. Moderates and some members of GOP leadership are worried the bill could hurt members in swing districts. Frontliners have said they feel bringing H.R. 7 to the floor could hurt their ability to keep their seats, with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) recently telling ABC News she believes the party will "lose huge" if they don't find a "middle ground" on abortion. (Brufke, 6/23)
AP:
Evangelical Leader Hopes Conference Is 'Testosterone Booster Shot' For Anti-Abortion 2024 Candidates
A year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, some of the Republican Party’s most powerful evangelical Christian voices are gathering to celebrate a ruling that sent shockwaves through American politics and stripped away a constitutional protection that stood for almost a half century. At the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s annual conference in Washington, GOP presidential candidates will be urged to keep pushing for stronger abortion restrictions, even as Democrats insist the issue will buoy them ahead of the 2024 election. Former President Donald Trump, whose three nominees to the high court allowed for the reversal of nationwide abortion rights, will give the keynote address Saturday night, the anniversary of the court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. (Weissert and Price, 6/23)
Los Angeles Times:
‘Just The Beginning.’ An Uncertain Future For Abortion A Year After Roe’s Overturn
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a nonprofit group that works to end abortion in the U.S. by electing anti-abortion politicians, said that almost half the states passing “pretty ambitious pro-life legislation” was a “pretty good scorecard for one year.” But Dannenfelser is not done. After playing a key role in 2016 persuading Donald Trump to commit to appointing Supreme Court justices who oppose abortion, she is working to push Republican presidential candidates to support, at the minimum, a 15-week national abortion ban. “The fall of Roe marked the beginning of the race, it’s not the end of anything,” Dannenfelser added. “This is the most motivating moment for the pro-life movement since 1973.” (Jarvie, 6/22)
MPR News:
Abortion Opponents Say They’ll Work To Roll Back Minnesota Law Changes
Minnesota lawmakers removed abortion restrictions this year and guaranteed access to abortion in state law. Groups opposed to abortion say those changes have energized their members and that they’ll mobilize Minnesotans to roll them back. Lynesha Caron is trying to figure out how to balance the books with a quarter of her annual budget gone. Caron is executive director at Pregnancy Choices in Apple Valley, one of dozens of “crisis pregnancy centers” around the state that works with Minnesotans facing unplanned pregnancies. They don’t provide abortions, nor do they refer clients for abortion services. Instead, they offer pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counseling and parenting classes. (Ferguson, 6/22)
The Guardian:
These 1,572 US Politicians Have Helped Ban Abortion Since Roe Fell. They’re Mostly Men
The Guardian has created a visual directory of state legislators who embraced the opportunity to restrict abortion access. These are the faces of lawmakers and governors whose votes helped pass bans on abortion at conception or after six weeks, before most women know they are pregnant. (Sasani and Witherspoon, 6/22)
On Republican presidential candidates —
Politico:
Mike Pence Leans In On Abortion Politics
Saturday marks one year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, revoking the constitutional right to abortion. And ever since, Republicans have been twisting themselves in knots over how to handle the fallout. Former President Donald Trump avoids talking about the matter almost entirely. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a six-week abortion ban in the middle of the night in April, and has barely spoken about it since. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) originally waffled on whether he’d support a nationwide abortion ban. And former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has been vague about how she’d handle the issue as president. Then there’s former Vice President Mike Pence. More than any other Republican candidate, the former vice president has staked his pitch to voters on his unabashed “pro-life” stance. (Bade, 6/23)
CNN:
Trump Struggles To Navigate Defining 2024 Campaign Issue: Abortion
Donald Trump’s appointment of three conservative justices to the Supreme Court during his time in the White House made him the architect of the post-Dobbs world, a decision that thrilled a huge faction of the Republican Party and many of the evangelical Christian voters Trump has viewed as central to both his 2016 presidential win and his 2024 campaign. Yet even as he wants to take credit for the decision that changed the political and legal landscape of abortion, the former president has privately blamed abortion hard-liners for the party’s lackluster 2022 midterm results and attempted to largely steer clear of the issue on the campaign trail, offering only a series of muddled responses when pressed on whether he would sign a federal abortion bill into law – something many within the conservative movement see as the next frontier in this fight. (Treene and Holmes, 6/22)
Des Moines Register:
Iowa Anti-Abortion Leaders Say GOP Candidates Must Embrace Federal Ban
A panel of anti-abortion advocates sent a message to Republican presidential hopefuls campaigning in Iowa: Embrace a national abortion ban or risk losing in the caucuses. During a town hall at Experience Church in Des Moines, a group that included Iowa's Bob Vander Plaats of The Family Leader and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called on the growing primary field to face the issue of abortion head-on. (Bacharier, 6/22)
Abortion Providers And Clinics Struggle With Moral, Ethical Choices
Some physicians say the past year has been the toughest of their careers. Dozens of clinics have halted or changed their services in the past year, and many clinics in states where abortion is still legal say they are barely hanging on amid bottlenecks and wait times.
North Carolina Health News:
After The Fall Of Roe, Physicians Confronted Their Toughest Year Working In Reproductive Health Care
Even for those who have been practicing for years, like OB-GYN Amy Bryant, it’s unquestionable that the past year has been the most challenging and exhausting time to be in the reproductive health care field. ... “When I think back to the early days after the Dobbs decision after Roe v. Wade was overturned, I just really think about the chaos and the uncertainty and the difficulties that we confronted, like, almost instantaneously with this new law of the land,” Bryant said. “It was truly just kind of scary.” (Crumpler, 6/23)
AP:
Why Some Doctors Stay In US States With Restrictive Abortion Laws And Others Leave
Dr. Kylie Cooper chokes up thinking about the patients she left behind in Idaho. One who often comes to mind is Kayla Smith. Smith said she chose to end a desperately wanted pregnancy last year after discovering her fetus had potentially deadly heart defects and other problems. But Idaho banned nearly all abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, so Smith had to go to Washington state. Cooper felt “deeply saddened” she couldn’t care for her the way she normally would have. And this is one of the reasons Cooper, a maternal-fetal specialist, moved in April to Minnesota, which has broad abortion rights. (Ungar, 6/23)
ABC News:
Termination Boards: How Physicians Are Providing Abortions Within Exceptions Allowed By Bans
Physicians in several states told ABC News that facilities are using termination boards or medical ethics boards to navigate whether they can provide patients with medically necessary abortions in line with exceptions allowed in their states. Dr. Nicole Teal, a maternal fetal medicine specialist, told ABC News that abortions past 20 weeks of pregnancy in the hospital where she works in North Carolina require two physicians to sign off in cases where the mother's life is at risk. In most cases, both physicians are specialists. In July, North Carolina will start enforcing a ban that prohibits abortions past 12 weeks of pregnancy, with an up to 20-week exception for rape or incest and 24 weeks for fatal fetal anomalies. (El-Bawab, 6/23)
KFF Health News:
Malpractice Lawsuits Over Denied Abortion Care May Be On The Horizon
A year after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, many physicians and hospitals in the states that have restricted abortion reportedly are refusing to end the pregnancies of women facing health-threatening complications out of fear they might face criminal prosecution or loss of their medical license. Some experts predict those providers could soon face a new legal threat: medical malpractice lawsuits alleging they harmed patients by failing to provide timely, necessary abortion care. (Meyer, 6/23)
How clinics are faring —
The New York Times:
Dozens Of Clinics Have Closed Or Halted Abortions Since The Supreme Court’s Decision To Overturn Roe V. Wade
In the year since Roe fell, 20 states enacted laws banning or restricting abortion, forcing a rapid shift in the country’s patchwork of abortion access. Clinic owners scrambled to adjust, canceling appointments and helping patients travel elsewhere. Some clinics relocated, while others stayed open to provide the services they still could. Many simply closed, leaving behind empty buildings. In Milwaukee, this former clinic is for sale for $1 million. The real estate agent says he’s had a hard time finding buyers. (McCann and Walker, 6/23)
The Star Tribune:
Minnesota Abortion Providers See A Post-Roe Influx Of Patients From Other States
That's created a bottleneck as patients stream into Minnesota for a limited number of appointments, increasing wait times for the procedure. (Bierschbach, 6/22)
The Texas Tribune:
A Year After Roe V. Wade’s Overturn, Texas Sees Post-Abortion Reality
Dr. Alan Braid first started performing abortions in Texas shortly after Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973. Over the last 50 years, he built two clinics, raised a family and merged the two after his daughter, Andrea Gallegos, came in to help run Alamo Women’s Reproductive Services in San Antonio and Tulsa. Together, this multigenerational Texas family business weathered protesters and lawsuits and ever-increasing restrictions from the Legislature. But on June 24, 2022, that all came to an end. Immediately, the clinic stopped performing abortions. A few weeks later, they closed their doors for good. And one year later, Braid has moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Gallegos is preparing to move her family to Carbondale, Illinois, each to run one of the two new Alamo clinics. (Klibanoff, 6/23)
The Boston Globe:
One Year After Roe V. Wade Was Overturned, N.H. Abortion Providers Say They Feel The Effects
Saturday marks one year since the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion, striking down Roe v. Wade. Abortion providers in New Hampshire say they’ve been feeling the effect of the decision, from more people coming from out of state for abortion care to more protests outside of the Equality Health Center in Concord. And, on the eve of the anniversary, the state’s two Democratic US Senators say they’re going to keep pushing to ensure people have access to reproductive health care. (Gokee, 6/22)
Politico:
Inside An Abortion Clinic That Fled A Red State
When you drive up to the Red River Women’s Clinic, you’ll see John Gaffrey on the street corner, perched in between two signs depicting aborted fetuses, his arms draping over the large pieces of cardboard like a scarecrow. Then there’s Bonnie Spies, who sways back and forth holding her rosary, murmuring prayers. Nick is so quiet, you wouldn’t know a loud yell could come out of him. Until you hear his booming voice carry over the lot as a patient walks through the clinic’s front door. “We’re here to help!” yells Nick, who’s reluctant to give his last name. (Ward, 6/23)
Denied Care, Distant Travel: Women Tell Their Stories Of A Post-Roe US
Many women of reproductive age in the U.S. have been impacted over the last year as new state laws and court decision quickly shifted how pregnant women are treated. Some tell news outlets about their personal stories of fear and uncertainty, difficulty in getting care, and dangerous outcomes.
The Boston Globe:
Abortion Restrictions Leave Some Massachusetts Women Hesitant To Travel
Fearing they won’t get good care if they miscarry or require some form of emergency care, some think twice about visiting red states. (Freyer, 6/21)
The Nation:
“The Message They’ve Received Is That You Don’t Deserve To Be Cared For”: Life On The Abortion Borderland
Patients seeking abortions are flooding across state lines—while anti-abortion activists try to shut clinics down. (Littlefield, 6/23)
CNN:
One Year After Dobbs Decision, Families Describe Terror, Trauma And Putting ‘Pain To Purpose’
“No one can tell me that my experience is wrong,” said Jill Hartle, a hair salon owner who had to travel out of her home state of South Carolina to terminate a pregnancy after learning that her fetus had a severe heart defect. “They can’t tell me my feelings are wrong. They can’t tell me the trauma is not valid. Nobody can take that away from me. I feel so confident in what I’m speaking to, because I’ve experienced it.” (Cohen, 6/22)
NPR:
8 Very Personal Stories About New Abortion Laws
Last fall, NPR asked people to tell us how abortion laws in their states had affected their own lives. The response was striking — more than 350 people responded, and we featured several of their stories in a series entitled Days & Weeks. Their stories are not simple. The impacts of the new laws are surprising and varied. Here are excerpts from personal accounts sent to NPR from around the country describing how abortion laws changed their lives in the past year. (6/23)
Dallas Morning News:
Dallas Mom Tells First Lady Of ‘Demeaning’ Ordeal With Doomed Fetus, Texas Abortion Ban
Two Texas women whose doctors refused to perform legal and medically urgent abortions met Tuesday with first lady Jill Biden, recounting their ordeals as the White House pressures Congress to codify rights the Supreme Court erased nearly a year ago. “Even prayed-for, planned pregnancies can end in abortion,” said one of the women, Austin Dennard, a Dallas physician with two kids and a third due in August. “The state of Texas should not be making these decisions for me or for anybody else.” (Gillman, 6/20)
Daily Herald:
'My Heart Stopped': Nashville Woman Talks About Her Pregnancy And Abortion Journey To Aurora
Kara did not intend to become pregnant. The 22-year-old recent college graduate had a challenging full-time job and was living in Nashville with her boyfriend. But Kara, who did not want to use her last name, started feeling nauseated on Super Bowl Sunday 2019 and took a pregnancy test. And then another. Both were positive. (Pyke, 6/23)
Abortion Pills To Remain Legal For Now In Wyoming As Judge Blocks Ban
The state's first-in-the-nation law banning abortion pills now won't go into effect July 1 as a lawsuit against the ban proceeds. Other abortion-related news is from Maine — where a bill allowing medically-necessary late abortions was advanced — Ohio, Texas, and elsewhere.
AP:
Judge Blocks Wyoming’s 1st-In-The-Nation Abortion Pill Ban While Court Decides Lawsuit
Abortion pills will remain legal in Wyoming for now, after a judge ruled Thursday that the state’s first-in-the-nation law to ban them won’t take effect July 1 as planned while a lawsuit proceeds. Attorneys for Wyoming failed to show that the ban wouldn’t harm the plaintiffs before their lawsuit is resolved, Teton County Judge Melissa Owens ruled after hearing arguments from both sides. Meanwhile, those plaintiffs “have clearly showed probable success on the merits,” Owens said. (Gruver, 6/22)
Abortion updates from Maine, Ohio, Texas, Florida, and Massachusetts —
Bangor Daily News:
Maine Democrats Take Hours Wrangling Votes To Advance Janet Mills’ Abortion Bill
After stopping debate for nearly five hours and later holding a vote open to wrangle members, Democrats in the Maine House of Representatives passed Gov. Janet Mills’ signature abortion bill by a slim margin late Thursday. At the center of it was Rep. Ben Collings, D-Portland, an ardent progressive who put forward a late-breaking amendment to the bill that scrambled the chamber for hours. During the vote, he was deep in conversation with a top Democrat before effectively breaking a tie on the original version that would allow doctors to perform abortions after Maine’s viability cutoff. (Shepherd, 6/22)
Ohio Capital Journal:
Gathering Signatures To Put Abortion Amendment On November Ballot Is 'Going Very Well'
Less than two weeks until the deadline, Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights is saying abortion right advocates will get the signatures needed to put a measure on the November ballot that would enshrine abortion rights in the Ohio Constitution. Abortion advocates attempting to get the amendment on the ballot need to collect 413,000 signatures by July 5. (Henry, 6/23)
Houston Chronicle:
New Texas Law Adds Protections For Some Emergency Abortions
Doctors will have more legal protections to perform emergency abortions under a bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, following numerous reports over the last year of medical care being delayed over confusion with the state’s abortion ban. (Gill, 6/22)
Florida Center For Government Accountability:
Top Taxpayer-Funded Anti-Abortion Center In Florida Abruptly Shuts Down Amid IRS Trouble
Last year the state program paid out about $4.5 million to the centers, which number about 60 across Florida, and that amount is set to balloon to $25 million with the recent passage of the six-week abortion ban. The state specifically forbids the centers to use religious content and coercion, yet a large number of them are overtly religious in nature, and some are run directly by churches and “ministries” like MPRC, which according to tax documents received from the state some $442,000 in 2020 and $528,000 in 2021, making it the single largest recipient of the program’s funds across the state. (Norman, 6/22)
AP:
Florida Court Won't Reinstate Prosecutor Removed By DeSantis For Refusal To Prosecute Abortion Cases
The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday refused to reinstate a Florida prosecutor who was removed by Gov. Ron DeSantis after making comments opposing prosecutions for abortions or gender-affirming health care. The state’s highest court ruled that Andrew Warren had waited too long to file a petition. Warren said that he was disappointed with the decision. “This is an issue that is crucial for democracy in Florida,” Warren said in a statement. “Rather than addressing the substance of the governor’s illegal action, the Court cited a technicality and avoided a ruling on the merits of the case.” (6/22)
The Boston Globe:
Clearway Clinic Lawsuit: Massachusetts Woman Forced To Have Emergency Abortion After Incorrect Diagnosis
A Worcester woman is suing crisis pregnancy center Clearway Clinic for allegedly tricking her into thinking she was getting proper medical care when workers failed to tell her she had an ectopic pregnancy, forcing her to have an emergency abortion weeks later. (Scott, 6/22)
From North Carolina —
AP:
North Carolina GOP Legislators Making Changes To New Abortion Law Days Before Enforcement
North Carolina Republican legislators rolled out on Thursday adjustments to the state’s new abortion restrictions that are set to take effect in days, addressing some provisions that litigation seeking to block the law’s enforcement calls confusing and inconsistent. GOP senators said the changes offered on the Senate floor were small, designed to affirm the intent of the measure enacted last month over Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto that in part would ban starting July 1 nearly all abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy. (Robertson, 6/23)
The Charlotte Observer:
NC Abortion Clinics, Pregnancy Centers Ready For 12-Week Ban
A year ago, when the world Calla Hales had known her entire life shifted, she estimates she didn’t sleep for three or four nights straight. But not at first. The executive director of A Preferred Women’s Health Center in Charlotte had braced herself for the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate the constitutional right to an abortion. She knew it was coming, thanks to a copy of the court’s draft opinion leaked to media. (Valade and Bajpai, 6/22)
Raleigh News & Observer:
How New NC Abortion Law Has ‘Taken Away’ Complex Abortion Care At A Chapel Hill Clinic
For years, Planned Parenthood’s Chapel Hill clinic had taken each new challenge it faced in stride. But it was difficult for Dr. Matthew Zerden, an OB-GYN and family planning specialist at the clinic, to see how they would weather the most recent set of abortion restrictions. For the last eight years, he had helped transform the Chapel Hill site into a respected clinic with the expertise and amenities to care for patients who needed complex, second-trimester abortions. (Rosenbluth, 6/22)
More In US Say They'll Vote Only For Politicians With Same Abortion Stance
A Gallup survey, reported in The Guardian, says over a quarter of registered U.S. voters will vote only for candidates who share their beliefs on abortion, up from last year's figure. USA Today, meanwhile, highlights how independent women are increasingly at odds with the GOP position on abortion.
The Guardian:
Increase In Americans Planning To Vote For Candidate Who Shares Abortion View
More than a quarter of registered US voters say they will only vote for candidates who share their beliefs on abortion, according to a poll released on Wednesday, a total (28%) one point higher than last year. The survey, from Gallup, was released before the first anniversary of Dobbs v Jackson, by which conservatives on the supreme court removed the right to abortion that had been safeguarded since Roe v Wade in 1973. A majority of Americans think abortion should be legal at least in some form. Since Dobbs, abortion rights has been seen as a vital motivating factor in a succession of Democratic successes. (Salam, 6/21)
USA Today:
Independent Women At Odds With GOP On Abortion, LGBTQ Rights
Republicans have a problem brewing with women. A USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll finds that independent women are increasingly at odds with the GOP on cultural issues such as banning abortion and opposing LGBTQ rights. That creates a risky situation for the Republican Party among one of the nation's most crucial groups of swing voters. (Page, 6/23)
FiveThirtyEight:
Dobbs Turned Abortion Into A Huge Liability For Republicans
When the Supreme Court overturned the federal right to abortion, between 50 and 60 percent of Americans wanted the right to stay in place. But while abortion was legal throughout the country up to a certain point in pregnancy, Americans had the luxury of not having strong or cohesive views on the topic, or thinking much about abortion at all. Their views were messy and sometimes contradictory, and there was little evidence suggesting that the issue was a political priority for anyone except Christian conservatives. In the fall of 2021, with the Dobbs case looming on the horizon, many Americans thought that Roe wasn’t in real danger. Now, a FiveThirtyEight analysis finds that after one of the most disruptive Supreme Court decisions in generations, many Americans — including women, young people, and Democrats — are reporting more liberal views on abortion than major pollsters have seen in years. Even conservatives, although the changes are slight, are increasingly supportive of abortion rights. (Thomson-DeVeaux, 6/22)
The New York Times:
How A Year Without Roe Shifted American Views On Abortion
In the year since, polling shows that what had been considered stable ground has begun to shift: For the first time, a majority of Americans say abortion is “morally acceptable.” A majority now believes abortion laws are too strict. They are significantly more likely to identify, in the language of polls, as “pro-choice” over “pro-life,” for the first time in two decades. And more voters than ever say they will vote only for a candidate who shares their views on abortion, with a twist: While Republicans and those identifying as “pro-life” have historically been most likely to see abortion as a litmus test, now they are less motivated by it, while Democrats and those identifying as “pro-choice” are far more so. (Zernike, 6/23)
NBC News:
Poll: 61% Of Voters Disapprove Of Supreme Court Decision Overturning Roe
On the anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, 6 in 10 voters remain opposed to the court’s removing federal protection of the right to abortion, according to results from a new national NBC News poll. Nearly 80% of female voters ages 18-49, two-thirds of suburban women, 60% of independents and even a third of Republican voters say they disapprove. (Murray, 6/22)
CDC Data: Disposable E-Cigarettes Drive Booming Sales And Youth Vaping
After a 47% spike during the pandemic years, sales numbers declined in the second half of 2022. The drop is attributed in part to state and local bans on flavored products, though disposable e-cigarettes purchases continue to thrive. And use by teenagers is still climbing.
The New York Times:
E-Cigarette Sales Tapered Off Last Year After Big Surge
Sales of e-cigarettes rose by nearly 47 percent from January 2020, just before the pandemic hit the United States, to December 2022, according to an analysis released on Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The increase over that period occurred while teenagers and young adults reported in surveys that they had recently tried e-cigarettes at much higher rates than older adults did. (Jewett, 6/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
Sweet And Fruity E-Cigarettes Thrive Despite Teen-Vaping Crackdown
Sweet and fruity e-cigarette flavors that are popular with teenagers have proliferated in the U.S. market in the three years since a federal crackdown on those flavors, according to a federal government analysis of e-cigarette sales data released Thursday. The reason: While the big brands like Juul and Vuse were reined in, a flurry of upstarts selling disposable e-cigarettes have succeeded in sidestepping enforcement. (Maloney, 6/22)
AP:
FDA Warns Stores To Stop Selling Elf Bar, The Top Disposable E-Cigarette In The US
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said it has sent warning letters to dozens of retailers selling fruit- and candy-flavored disposable e-cigarettes, including the current best-selling brand, Elf Bar. It’s the latest attempt by regulators to crack down on illegal disposable vapes that have poured into U.S. stores in recent years. Last month, the FDA issued orders allowing customs officials to seize shipments of Elf Bar, Esco Bar and two other brands at U.S. ports. None of the products have received FDA authorization and they come in flavors like cotton candy, which regulators say can appeal to teenagers. (Perrone, 6/22)
Also —
The Guardian:
Celebrities Are Smoking Again: ‘Things Are Grungier, Edgier, Sleazier’
Not long ago, stars showed off their green juice and yoga mats. Now they’re showing off an old-fashioned vice. (Demopoulos, 6/20)
Study: Rising Diabetes Will Affect 1.3 Billion People By 2050
A new study blames global aging and rising body weight for increasing diabetes cases, which will impact billions more people around the world by 2050. Separately, data show that Hispanic and Asian Americans mainly drove population growth after the pandemic.
Bloomberg:
Over 1.3 Billion Globally Will Have Diabetes By 2050, Study Finds
Global aging and rising body weight will more than double the number of people with diabetes by 2050, researchers predicted, putting millions more people at risk of a variety of dangerous disorders. (Griffin, 6/22)
In news about health and race —
The Washington Post:
Hispanics, Asians Drove Post-Pandemic U.S. Population Growth, Data Shows
The U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday released Vintage 2022 Population Estimates, which include updated population estimates by age, race and Hispanic origin. An analysis by William Frey, a senior demographer at the Brookings Institution, showed the White population declining by 668,418 people, compared with a record decline of 809,784 people the previous year. The Hispanic population grew by 1.04 million, compared with 786,622 the year before. Asians and Pacific Islanders increased by 475,679, compared with 240,191 the previous year, and Black people increased by 211,193 compared with 121,787 the year before. (Bahrampour, 6/22)
The Hill:
Texas Is Now A Majority Minority State
Hispanics are the largest demographic group in Texas, outnumbering non-Hispanic white people for the first time since the mid-19th century, according to U.S. Census data. In 2022, the state’s Hispanic population reached 12 million, surpassing the non-Hispanic white population and turning Texas into a majority minority state. Some 40.2 percent of Texans are Hispanic, and 39.8 percent are non-Hispanic white. (Bernal, 6/22)
The Washington Post:
Medical Care At U.S. Border Facilities Is Unsafe For Migrants, DHS Memo Says
A Department of Homeland Security medical team investigating the recent death of an 8-year-old girl in South Texas told U.S. border officials that their system of care for migrants is unsafe and needs a major overhaul, according to an internal memo obtained by The Washington Post. The June 8 memo from DHS acting chief medical officer Herbert O. Wolfe said the Border Patrol station where Anadith Reyes Álvarez and her family were held “lacked sufficient medical engagement and accountability to ensure safe, effective, humane and well-documented medical care.” (Miroff, 6/22)
In other health and wellness news —
Axios:
Frozen Fruit Recall: Products Sold At Walmart, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's
Frozen fruit products sold at major retailers including Walmart, Target, Whole Foods Market, Aldi and Trader Joe’s stores are being recalled for potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. It’s the second major recall hitting frozen fruit this month. Frozen strawberries sold at Walmart, Costco and HEB stores were recalled after being linked to a Hepatitis A outbreak. (Tyko, 6/22)
AP:
Pope Short Of Breath, Says He's Still Feeling Effects Of Anesthesia 2 Weeks After Surgery
Pope Francis said Thursday he was short of breath and still feeling the effects of anesthesia from abdominal surgery two weeks ago. Francis made the comments to explain why he chose not to deliver a prepared speech to visiting charity workers for Eastern rite churches. Instead, the speech was handed out. “I’m still under the effect of anesthesia,” Vatican News quoted Francis as saying. “My breathing isn’t good.” (6/22)
3M's Bill To Settle PFAS Water Contamination Lawsuits: $10.3 Billion
The company announced Thursday it will pay at least this sum to settle lawsuits over contamination of U.S. drinking water systems with potentially harmful "forever chemicals," AP reports. Also in the news, "cancer alley" in Louisiana, Minneapolis' poor air quality, and more.
AP:
3M Reaches $10.3 Billion Settlement Over Contamination Of Water Systems With 'Forever Chemicals'
Chemical manufacturer 3M Co. will pay at least $10.3 billion to settle lawsuits over contamination of many U.S. public drinking water systems with potentially harmful compounds used in firefighting foam and a host of consumer products, the company said Thursday. The deal would compensate water providers for pollution with per- and polyfluorinated substances, known collectively as PFAS — a broad class of chemicals used in nonstick, water- and grease-resistant products such as clothing and cookware. (Flesher, 6/23)
In other environmental health news —
The Washington Post:
In ‘Cancer Alley,’ A Key Biden Climate Push Draws Fire From Environmentalists
Petrochemical plants and refineries dominate the landscape in this part of Louisiana, each year spewing millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the air. If Washington and the oil industry have their way, some of those climate-warming gases could soon be captured and stored underground. But the Biden administration faces big resistance from a key ally: environmentalists. Many, led by environmental justice advocates, object to carbon capture projects, especially in a region where petrochemical plants often sit next to Black churches and schools, and high cancer rates have led to the nickname “Cancer Alley.” (Puko, 6/22)
CBS News:
Minneapolis' Worst Air Quality Day Was Equivalent To Smoking Half Pack Of Cigarettes
A user of the open-source software development website Github created a calculator that converts a given AQI value into cigarettes. On a normal day, the AQI level is between 0-50. On the high end of that range, breathing in that air in a 24-hour period is about equivalent to smoking 0.72 of an entire cigarette. How about on that unprecedented day of hazardous air in Minneapolis? The AQI value of 243 means folks who spent most of their time outside on June 14 were breathing in particulate-rich air that was roughly equivalent to smoking 8.8 cigarettes. (Chapman, James and staff, 6/20)
The Washington Post:
East Palestine Fire Chief To NTSB Hearing: 13 Minutes To Make Key Decision
The East Palestine fire chief told investigators probing a Norfolk Southern derailment that the railroad gave him 13 minutes to decide whether to vent and burn carloads of hazardous vinyl chloride — a timeline he said left him feeling “blindsided.” (Lazo, Duncan, Dance and Aratani, 6/22)
Bloomberg:
El Nino’s Fierce Heat Carries New Risk Of Resurgent Deadly Viruses
The return of El Niño after nearly four years is raising the specter of extreme weather, economic pain, and agricultural disruption across the globe. Now add another unpleasant effect to the mix: a resurgence of tropical diseases. (De Wei, 6/23)
Moderna Already Seeking FDA Authorization For New Covid Shots
The drugmaker's newest covid shots target the variant that currently dominates new covid infections in the U.S. — XBB.1.5. The FDA recently indicated that new shots for the fall should be aimed at these variants. Also in the news, how long covid can affect mental health.
The Hill:
Moderna Requests FDA Authorization For Updated COVID Shot
Moderna announced Thursday it has submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for authorization of its updated COVID-19 vaccine for this year’s inoculation campaign, meant to target the current dominant strain in the U.S. This latest version of the coronavirus vaccine, the second update to the original that was first authorized at the end of 2020, will have proteins designed to confer protection against the XBB.1.5 subvariant. Unlike the bivalent vaccine that was made available last year, this shot does not include protection against the ancestral Wuhan strain. (Choi, 6/22)
On long covid —
San Francisco Chronicle:
Long COVID: 9 Mental Health Red Flags Highlighted In A New Advisory
Long COVID can affect the mind as much as it does the body, according to a new warning from federal officials. While many persistent symptoms of the illness caused by the novel coronavirus take a physical toll on patients, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services on Wednesday issued an advisory to assist health care professionals in recognizing the mental health symptoms and conditions most commonly associated with long COVID. (Vaziri, 6/22)
In other pandemic news —
CIDRAP:
Survey: 1 In 10 Health Workers Had Suicidal Thoughts Early In COVID-19
As many as 1 in 10 UK healthcare workers (HCWs) had suicidal thoughts during the first year of the pandemic, according to a study yesterday in PLOS One. The findings contribute to a growing body of knowledge concerning the mental health strains experienced by health professionals over the past 3 years. (Soucheray, 6/22)
The Hill:
Health Care Professionals Talk Continued Impact Of COVID On Highlighted System Shortcomings
At The Hill’s 2023 Future of Healthcare Summit, moderated by Editor in Chief Bob Cusack and National Political Reporter Julia Manchester, misinformation about COVID-19 and health literacy in general was the first of several common concerns among the speakers. (Kelly and Roseborough, 6/22)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Not So Fast: Missouri Abruptly Cancels Auction Of Excess Masks, Gowns And Face Shields
Three years after Missouri officials scrambled to stock hospitals and state health care facilities with masks, gowns and other protective gear in the face of the growing COVID-19 pandemic, state agencies are now trying to unload those items. But a planned auction of the Department of Mental Health’s inventory of personal protective equipment was abruptly canceled Thursday afternoon after the agency learned it couldn’t resell items purchased with federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act money. (Erickson, 6/22)
Modern Healthcare:
Hospital-At-Home Providers Seek Partnerships
The hospital-at-home model, in which a patient receives acute-care treatment scheduled at home, has been around for decades, but the COVID-19 pandemic set off a swift wave of investment and growing utilization as inpatient beds became scarce. Healthcare research firm Chilmark released a report earlier this month projecting hospital-at-home to grow into a $300 billion industry by 2028, with much of that growth propelled by third-party companies offering turnkey services. (Hudson, 6/22)
On the flu —
CIDRAP:
FDA Fast-Tracks Experimental Drug For Preventing Flu
Cidara Therapeutics, of San Diego, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted fast-track designation for CD388, the company's novel drug for preventing influenza A and B in adults at high risk for severe influenza, including those for whom vaccines are either ineffective or not indicated. ... Cidara is developing CD388, a drug-Fc conjugate candidate, in collaboration with Janssen Pharmaceuticals. (Wappes, 6/22)
On mpox —
CIDRAP:
New Data: Vaccinated Mpox Patients Have Less Severe Illness
A study today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report looked at a recent cluster of 40 mpox cases in Chicago and suggests that vaccine protection may wane over time, but vaccinated patients do well recovering at home, and vaccination protects against severe mpox. ... Patients who received only one dose of Jynneos or no vaccines had a higher prevalence of lesions affecting the genital (43% versus 6%) or ocular (29% versus none) mucosa, the authors said. (Soucheray, 6/22)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Atlanta Providers Feel Better Prepared For Possibility Of New Mpox Cases
Local providers are feeling more confident about containing mpox cases this summer, following an alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautioning the possibility of new cases this summer. (Thomas, 6/23)
FDA Approves First Gene Therapy For Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
In what NPR calls an "eagerly anticipated decision," the FDA approved Thursday a treatment called Elevidys from Sarepta Therapeutics to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy by targeting the genetic defect behind it. The treatment costs $3.2 million. Also in the news: the high cost of drugs.
NPR:
In A First, FDA Approves Sarepta Gene Therapy For Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
In an eagerly anticipated decision, the Food and Drug Administration Thursday approved the first gene therapy for muscular dystrophy. "Today's approval addresses an urgent unmet medical need and is an important advancement in the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a devastating condition with limited treatment options, that leads to a progressive deterioration of an individual's health over time," said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a statement. (Stein, 6/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
The Price Of First Gene Therapy For Muscular Dystrophy: $3.2 Million
Young children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy can now get the first gene therapy for the crippling muscle condition. The one-time treatment will cost $3.2 million. The drug, known as Elevidys and made by Sarepta Therapeutics, becomes the first treatment that seeks to treat the disease by repairing the genetic defect at its root. The Food and Drug Administration approved the therapy on Thursday, following a fast-track review. (Whyte, 6/22)
On the high cost of drugs —
Stat:
Medicare Drops New Coverage Details For Alzheimer’s Drug Leqembi
The health care system is on the precipice of broad access to a treatment for Alzheimer’s for the first time — and it’s scrambling to figure out how to handle it. Right now, most people with mild cognitive impairment who would qualify for Eisai and Biogen’s drug Leqembi are in the Medicare program, which has restricted which patients can receive the medication to those who are enrolled in clinical trials. But the floodgates could open if the Food and Drug Administration grants the drug full, traditional approval in the coming weeks. (Cohrs, 6/22)
Stat:
The Strategy Behind Pharma's Lawsuits Over Drug Pricing Reform
The pharmaceutical industry has been filing a lawsuit here, there, and pretty much everywhere. Drugmakers lost a two-decade long lobbying fight in Congress last summer when Democrats gave Medicare more power to choose what it pays for prescription drugs. Now, they’re taking their battle to the courts. (Cohrs, 6/22)
Philadelphia Inquirer:
Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. Lowers Price Of Lifesaving Drugs For Wilson Disease
For decades, the drug that keeps Drew Katz alive sold for less than $1 a pill. Then its manufacturer started to raise the list price — slowly at first, then sharply, increasing it in 2015 to more than $200 a dose. Even when generic versions came along to treat the condition, called Wilson disease, the price stayed high. (Avril, 6/23)
In other pharmaceutical news —
Stat:
FDA Rejects Intercept’s NASH Drug, Prompting A Pivot
The Food and Drug Administration rejected Intercept Pharmaceuticals’ investigational treatment for NASH on Thursday, derailing what would have been the first approved medicine for a prevalent liver disease. (Garde, 6/22)
Stat:
U.S. Seeks A New Trial Over Royalties On Gilead HIV Prevention Pills
The U.S. government asked a federal judge to overturn a recent case in which a jury decided that Gilead Sciences did not infringe on patents held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a pair of groundbreaking HIV pills. (Silverman, 6/22)
DHS To Step Up Efforts To Intercept Fentanyl Trafficking
The Washington Post covers efforts by the Biden administration to impact the influx of illegal opioids into the U.S. Meanwhile, Axios reports that preventable deaths, including by suicide and drug overdose, increased during the pandemic. Also: AP examines Xylazine's role in the opioid crisis.
The Washington Post:
Biden Administration Extends Campaign Targeting Fentanyl Trafficking
Department of Homeland Security officials said Thursday they will expand a campaign targeting fentanyl by sending more teams of agents and investigators to interdict drug shipments and break up smuggling networks. Record amounts of the deadly opioid have been seized along the U.S. southern border this year, and President Biden is facing scathing criticism from Republican lawmakers and candidates who say the administration isn’t doing enough to stop the drugs. (Miroff, 6/22)
Axios:
Preventable, Premature Deaths Increased During Pandemic
An increase in suicides, drug overdoses and alcohol-induced deaths combined with an increase of people dying from treatable conditions led to historically high rates of premature deaths nationwide from 2019 to 2021, according to a new Commonwealth Fund Scorecard on State Health System Performance. Both health care access and life expectancy declined in the U.S. during that time despite record-low uninsured rates. (Dreher, 6/22)
AP:
Animal Sedative Adds New Suffering To Opioid Drug Crisis, But Is It Driving Up Deaths?
A powerful animal sedative in the illicit drug supply is complicating the U.S. response to the opioid crisis, scrambling longstanding methods for reversing overdoses and treating addiction. Xylazine can cause severe skin wounds, but whether it is leading to more deaths — as suggested by officials in Washington — is not yet clear, according to health and law enforcement professionals on the front lines of efforts in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. In fact, early data suggests the drug may inadvertently be diluting the effects of fentanyl, the synthetic opioid behind most overdose deaths. (Perrone, 6/23)
The Boston Globe:
More Than 2,300 People In Mass. Died Of An Overdose In 2022, The Highest Number Ever
More than 2,300 people in Massachusetts died of opioid-related overdoses in 2022, the highest number ever recorded, as the scourge of addiction and a contaminated drug supply continue to take lives throughout the state. (Freyer and Cutler, 6/22)
Fox News:
Addiction Complicates Pain Management, But New Guidelines Offer Help For 'Complex Patients'
Opioids are often prescribed for pain management after surgery — but for the 19 million people in the U.S. with a history of substance abuse, that option may not be safe or desired. Until now, there hasn’t been a cohesive set of guidelines for managing surgical pain in patients with a history of addiction and/or opioid tolerance. (Rudy, 6/22)
Also —
Axios:
Washington State's Supply Of Opioid Treatment Meds Is Well Above Average, Study Finds
Access to medications for opioid use disorder can be much harder to find in some states than others, a recent survey found. But Washington has a better supply than most. The opioid epidemic has had an enormous human toll, with nearly 80,000 reported opioid-involved drug overdose deaths in the U.S. last year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But federal data shows only slightly more than one in 10 people with opioid use disorder receive medication for it. (Clarridge, 6/22)
Insurance Reimbursements To Novel Medical Device Makers May Get Easier
Stat reports on the potential of a program from CMS called Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies, which would apply to medical products deemed “breakthrough devices” by the FDA. Also in the news: an effort to change the way Medicare pays physicians.
Stat:
CMS Proposes New Way To Reimburse Novel Medical Devices
Medical device makers may soon have an easier path to securing health insurance reimbursement for their products, following the notice Thursday of a long-awaited rule by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Lawrence, 6/22)
Stat:
Congress Explores Changes To The Way Medicare Pays Doctors
Congress is taking early steps towards changing the way Medicare pays physicians. At a hearing Thursday, lawmakers in both parties talked about overhauling a 2015 law that aimed to shift physicians toward so-called value based payment models, rather than the traditional fee-for-service system. (Trang, 6/22)
Modern Healthcare:
Site-Neutral Payments And Congress’ Latest Policies Explained
Congress is reviewing legislation to expand site-neutral payment policies, setting up a battle between hospital lobbying groups and policymakers if lawmakers remove the payment premium for some services provided at hospital outpatient departments. (Kacik, 6/22)
In other health care industry news —
San Francisco Chronicle:
Study Suggests Emergency Room Demand Is Outpacing Hospital Capacity
A new UCSF study has found that the number of emergency departments in California fell between 2011 and 2021 while the number of ER visits grew, suggesting that hospitals’ capacity to provide emergency care cannot keep up with demand. (Ho, 6/22)
KFF Health News:
What’s It Really Like To Be HHS Secretary? Three Who’ve Done It Spill The Beans
As the nation’s top health official and leader of one of the federal government’s largest departments, the secretary of Health and Human Services makes life-or-death decisions every day that affect millions of Americans. But not all important work is serious. One former HHS secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, recalled a highlight of her tenure: recording a public service message with “Sesame Street.” “The Elmo commercial was to teach kids how to sneeze,” she said. “We were trying to spread good health habits.” (Rovner and Huetteman, 6/22)
KFF Health News:
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Live From Aspen: Three HHS Secretaries On What The Job Is Really Like
In this special episode of KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” host and chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner leads a rare conversation with the current and two former secretaries of Health and Human Services. Taped before a live audience at Aspen Ideas: Health, part of the Aspen Ideas Festival, in Aspen, Colorado, Secretary Xavier Becerra and two of his predecessors, Kathleen Sebelius and Alex Azar, talk candidly about what it takes to run a department with more than 80,000 employees and a budget larger than those of many countries. (6/22)
KFF Health News:
Advocates Call For 911 Changes. Police Have Mixed Feelings.
A mountain of evidence shows police often fail to respond properly to people experiencing a mental health crisis. It can lead to avoidable deaths and criminalization of mental illness, especially among people of color. A poll commissioned by Public Health Advocates, a Davis-based health policy nonprofit, showed that more than two-thirds of California voters want behavioral health professionals to be part of the emergency response in non-life-threatening situations. Among seven types of situations potentially warranting emergency response, voters think law enforcement agencies are least equipped to respond to calls about mental health crises and people who are unhoused, according to the May 24 poll. (Castle Work, 6/23)
Ranking Shows Massachusetts Has Best Overall Health System In US
The new data is from an annual ranking released Thursday by The Commonwealth Fund. Meanwhile, Iowa Public Radio reports that though the federal government offered states the option to expand Medicaid postpartum coverage to a year, some are turning it down.
The Boston Globe:
Mass. Ranks No. 1 In New Report As The State With The Best Overall Health Care System
Massachusetts has the best overall health care system in the country, according to an annual ranking released Thursday by The Commonwealth Fund, a New York City-based foundation that conducts independent research on health care issues. (Soebroto, 6/22)
Iowa Public Radio:
The Feds Are Offering States The Option To Extend Postpartum Care. Some Are Turning It Down
Starting in 2021, under the American Rescue Plan Act, the federal government offered states the option to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage to a year. The move comes with permanent matching federal funds. More than 40 states have adopted the policy so far, including nearly all Midwestern states like Kansas and Missouri. ... But a handful of Republican-led states like Iowa, Idaho and Arkansas, recently ended their legislative sessions for the second time since the extension option has been available without approving the extension. (Krebs, 6/22)
The Texas Tribune:
Texas Alters SNAP Formula That Considers The Value Of Applicants’ Vehicles
Although SNAP is a federal program that allows families access to food stamps, each state can set different requirements for eligibility. Texas looks at a household’s income but also factors in the value of a household’s cars, known as the vehicle asset test. (Bach, 6/23)
Anchorage Daily News:
Alaska Sees Steady Rise In Babies Diagnosed With Syphilis
A rise in syphilis cases in Alaska in recent years has led to a record number of cases of the often deadly disease being passed from mothers to babies during pregnancy, according to a new state health report. “We saw an upward trend,” said Riley Fitting, an epidemiology fellow with the Alaska Department of Health and the lead author on the new report, which tracks congenital syphilis cases in Alaska between 2018 and 2022. (Berman, 6/22)
Politico:
New Jersey Sues Three School Districts Over Transgender Notification Policy
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration has sued three school districts for adopting policies to tell parents if their children show signs of changing their gender identity. The lawsuits, filed Wednesday by Attorney General Matt Platkin against the Manalapan-Englishtown, Marlboro and Middletown school districts and boards, allege the policies violate New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination and put transgender students at risk. (Friedman, 6/22)
Health News Florida:
More Floridians Are Caring For Loved Ones With Dementia. Advocates Say They Need Help
Ellen and Linda Guevel were feeding their two small dogs Missy and Ava one recent evening inside their Clearwater apartment. Ellen chopped up chicken while her wife Linda, donning a shirt that read, “Don’t tell me what to do, you’re not my dog,” put some kibble in bowls. Most responsibilities in the couple’s lives have fallen on Ellen ever since Linda was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2016, but helping out around the house has become an important part of her daily routine. (Colombini, 6/22)
NPR:
Denver Psychedelics Conference Attracts Thousands
Crowds are gathering in downtown Denver this week to learn about the future of psychedelics like magic mushrooms and MDMA. The five-day Psychedelic Science 2023 event, attracting medical professionals, politicians, celebrities and practitioners, covers a wide variety of subjects from the business of psychedelics to therapeutic uses for these substances. (Paterson, 6/23)
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week's selections include stories on the morgue scandal, the health benefits of fresh air, cancer, psychedelics, and more.
The Boston Globe:
Harvard Morgue Scandal: The History Of Selling Body Parts
The arrests last week of several people, including the former manager of the morgue at Harvard Medical School, in a multi-state conspiracy to steal and profit off of human body parts prompted shock and horror. Sadly, however, the business of selling human remains, and obtaining them illegally, has a long history in Massachusetts and beyond. (Wolfe, 6/21)
The New York Times:
The New War On Bad Air
In January 1912, in the depths of a New York City winter, an unusual new apartment complex opened on the Upper East Side. The East River Homes were designed to help poor families fend off tuberculosis, a fearsome, airborne disease, by turning dark, airless tenements inside out. Passageways led from the street to capacious internal courtyards, where outdoor staircases wound their way up to each apartment. Floor-to-ceiling windows opened onto balconies where ailing residents could sleep. The rooftops drew tenants outside with covered porches and reclining seats, on which tuberculosis patients convalesced. (Anthes, 6/17)
The Washington Post:
Dog Cancer Research Is Helping Drug Development For Humans And Canines
Dogs and their owners are said to look alike, but that resemblance is more than skin deep. They also have genetic similarities that extend to cancerous tumors and make dogs prime candidates for clinical trials that are pushing forward development of cancer drugs for both canines and humans, especially in the past decade, scientists say. (Jones, 6/20)
The Washington Post:
Microdosing Psychedelics Has Benefits, Users Say. Science Isn’t Convinced.
Research on microdosing is still “in its infancy and poorly developed,” said Harriet de Wit, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Chicago. “There are very few controlled studies that have been able to study the phenomenon.” Researchers say the drugs are relatively safe in small doses; however, microdosing carries some risk. (Hu, 6/22)
The Washington Post:
How Millennial Celebrities Are Helping Change Mental Health Stigma
As demand for mental health help has vaulted higher, celebrities ranging from musicians to TV stars to athletes have used their platforms and public profiles to discuss their own mental health challenges. It is both reflective of the broader societal shift that has destigmatized the discussion of emotional and mental health, and a trend that has made an impact in encouraging people to speak up about or address issues in their own lives. (Adelson, 6/21)
The Washington Post:
Nurse Learned That Baby She Delivered Is Now Her Daughter-In-Law
Kelsey Poll and her fiancé, Tyler West, were looking through her baby pictures at her family’s home in Layton, Utah, this year when West suddenly stopped and looked surprised. He pointed to a photo of a woman tending to her as a newborn and said: “Hey, I think that’s my mom. It looks like she was your nurse!” (Free, 6/16)
WIRED:
The Pain And Promise Of Europe’s Abortion Laws
The continent’s abortion laws are a patchwork of progress and setbacks. And for many, accessing the right care at the right time is still a lottery. (Browne, 6/22)
Editorial writers take a look at the effects of overturning Roe, Cost Plus Drug Co., nursing schools and more.
Bloomberg:
A Year Without Roe Has Taken A Toll On OB-GYNs
It’s been a year since the US Supreme Court decided Dobbs v. Jackson, overturning Roe v. Wade and allowing states to ban abortion. The damaging effect on healthcare is becoming ever clearer: Abortion can’t simply be excised from medical treatment without reducing the quality of other forms of care. (Lisa Jarvis, 6/22)
Columbus Dispatch:
How Has Abortion Changed In Ohio Since Roe V Wade Was Overturned
Every day, I work alongside health care providers to relieve the many logistical and practical burdens patients from across America face when trying to access basic health care – including helping people access and get an abortion. (Leah Mallinos, 6/23)
The New York Times:
Is There Any Twinge Of Regret Among The Anti-Abortion Justices?
The crisis in reproductive health care that Dobbs propelled is acute and growing. There have been, in other words, alarming consequences. (Linda Greenhouse, 6/23)
Los Angeles Times:
How The End Of Roe Turned Into A Threat To U.S. Democracy
Polls find that a majority of Americans oppose the Dobbs decision and that, not surprisingly, opposition to abortion bans has increased, in particular in places that already have them on the books. (Mary Ziegler and Reva Siegel, 6/23)
Also —
Dallas Morning News:
Policies Against DEI Will Hurt Enrollment At Nursing Schools
Opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion policies in our state’s educational institutions threatens the quality of the education of nursing students in our state. It also affects the care they will one day provide. (Sharon Myers Falk, 6/23)
Stat:
FDA Approval Of Sarepta Duchenne Genetic Therapy Gives Me Hope
When I was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy 20 years ago, there was no hope. The guidance the diagnosing doctor gave my parents was simple: Love your child as much as you can now because he won’t be here very long. That was the inspiration that my mom needed to start CureDuchenne. Her intention — our whole family’s intention — was to cure this disease so no other parents would have to go through the same traumatic prognosis. (Hawken Miller, 6/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
One Family’s Cost To Take Care Of Mom: More Than $1 Million
The median net worth of people 75 and older is $254,800, according to the Federal Reserve, which is about the same amount that it would take to cover an estimated cost of nearly 14 months of 24/7 in-home care. Caregiving is becoming more expensive as people are living longer—those 85 to 99 are among the fastest-growing age segments—and have more complicated medical needs. (Clare Ansberry, 6/21)