The Wall Street Journal: For Some Cancers, Less Treatment Is A Better Bet
Doctors are coalescing around the ironic idea that for some cancer treatment, less can be better. Some patients with cervical and pancreatic cancer can do as well with less invasive surgery, according to research presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago over the weekend. Other studies at the annual meeting showed some patients with rectal cancer or Hodgkin lymphoma can safely get less radiation. (Abbott, 6/5)

The New York Times: Rectal Cancer Patients May Not Need Radiation, Study Finds
Rectal cancer researchers have pulled off a daunting feat, demonstrating in a large clinical trial that patients do just as well without radiation therapy as with it. The results, revealed Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and in a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine, could give more than 10,000 patients every year in the United States the option to forgo a cancer treatment that can have serious side effects. (Kolata, 6/4)

On cancer testing —

The New York Times: Hundreds Were Mistakenly Told They Might Have Cancer, Test Company Says 
A company that developed a blood test that detects dozens of types of cancer has acknowledged that about 400 of its customers were mistakenly told last month that they might have the disease. The company, Grail, said in an emailed statement on Sunday that a vendor it works with had sent hundreds of letters with incorrect test results because of a “software configuration issue” that has since been resolved. (Holpuch, 6/4)

BBC News: Multi-Cancer Blood Test Shows Real Promise In NHS Study 
A blood test for more than 50 types of cancer has shown real promise in a major NHS trial, researchers say. The test correctly revealed two out of every three cancers among 5,000 people who had visited their GP with suspected symptoms, in England or Wales. In 85% of those positive cases, it also pinpointed the original site of cancer. ... The test remains very much a "work in progress", the researchers, from Oxford University, say, but could increase the number of cancers identified. (Roberts, 6/2)

Also —

Stat: Cross-Border ‘Twinning’ Improved Childhood Leukemia Survival
A few miles can mean a life or death difference to children with cancer, if those miles cross a national border. “Twinning programs” helped to reduce survival disparities in childhood acute leukemia between high-income and lower-income countries, according to a study presented here at the American Society of Clinical Oncology on Saturday. (Chen, 6/3)

Stat: Targeted Drug Greatly Slows Growth Of A Brain Cancer
An experimental drug dramatically slowed the growth of glioma, a type of brain cancer, if the tumor carried a specific type of genetic alteration, researchers said Sunday, potentially sparing patients exposure to radiation and chemotherapy. (Herper, 6/4)

Stat: ‘Extraordinary’ Data Reported For AstraZeneca Lung Cancer Drug
Giving the AstraZeneca drug Tagrisso to patients with non-small cell lung cancer who have had their tumors removed reduced the risk of death by 51%, researchers said Sunday. Put another way, that would mean that about one in 10 patients who received the drug would live another five years. (Chen and Herper, 6/4)

Stat: ImmunoGen Drug Prolongs Survival In Advanced Ovarian Cancer
An antibody that delivers chemotherapy directly to tumor cells extended the lives of women with a form of advanced ovarian cancer in a large study, researchers reported Sunday. The drug, called Elahere, is made by the biotech company ImmunoGen. It was granted conditional approval in the U.S. last November based on preliminary evidence showing it shrank tumors. (Feuerstein, 6/4)

In other news about cancer drugs and vaccines —

Axios: Post-Public Health Emergency Fallout Hits Patients
Cancer doctors and dozens of lawmakers in Congress are questioning whether the federal health department overreached when it blocked medical practices from mailing specialty drugs like oral cancer and blood clotting treatments directly to patients at the end of the COVID public health emergency. (Reed, 6/5)

Politico: How Covid Made It Nearly Impossible To Pass New Vaccine Rules 
The HPV vaccine has been around for almost two decades and could spare thousands of people from developing cervical and oral cancer — so mandating it for schoolchildren once seemed an easy call for Democrats in deep-blue California. But a bill to do just that has been watered down beyond recognition in one of the most liberal states in the U.S., a victim of a homegrown anti-vaccine movement that has become more organized and more successful since the pandemic. (Bluth, 6/4)

Fox News: Most US Adults Are Declining COVID Boosters As CDC Warns Of Health Risks: 'Relatively Little Protection' 
Adults who aren’t current on their COVID-19 vaccine booster doses may have "relatively little remaining protection" against hospitalization compared to those who haven’t been vaccinated at all, suggests a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study spanned multiple states and examined more than 85,000 hospitalizations of people with "COVID-like illness." (Rudy, 6/4)

CIDRAP: US COVID Activity Stays Low, But NYC Sees Rise In Wastewater Positives
Most US COVID measures showed continuing declining trends, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), though high levels of the virus in New York City wastewater hint at a local increase. (Schnirring, 6/2)

In other pandemic news —

CIDRAP: More Than 70% Of US Household COVID Spread Started With A Child, Study Suggests
A study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open suggests that 70.4% of nearly 850,000 US household COVID-19 transmissions originated with a child. ... The authors concluded that children had an important role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and that in-person school also resulted in substantial spread. (Van Beusekom, 6/2)

CIDRAP: 96% Of US Blood Donors Had SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies In 2022, CDC Reports
By third quarter 2022, an estimated 96.4% of US blood donors had antibodies against COVID-19 from a previous infection or vaccination, including 22.6% from infection alone and 26.1% from vaccination alone, with 47.7% having both (hybrid immunity), according to a study published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. (Van Beusekom, 6/2)

The Hill: Instagram Reinstates Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Account 
Instagram reinstated the personal account of anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who declared his bid to run in the 2024 Democratic primary earlier this year. Kennedy’s personal account was permanently removed from Instagram in 2021 after he repeatedly posted misinformation about COVID-19 on the social media platform. The company said in a statement at the time that it removed the account for sharing “debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccines.” (Sforza, 6/4)

Bloomberg: Cities Cite Mental Health, Loneliness And Depression As Top Policy Concerns
An “unprecedented” mental health crisis is overwhelming US cities, which lack adequate resources to address growing challenges, according to a new report released today by the US Conference of Mayors. In recent years, the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health issues, particularly involving substance abuse, said a survey of mayors of 117 cities in 39 states. (Yee, 6/3)

NPR: Doctors Rally To Defend Abortion Provider Caitlin Bernard 
Hundreds of Indiana doctors are coming to the defense of Caitlin Bernard, the obstetrician/gynecologist who was recently punished by a state licensing board for talking publicly about providing an abortion for a 10-year-old rape victim. In public statements, doctors across a range of specialties are speaking out against the board's decision, and warning that it could have dangerous implications for public health. (McCammon, 6/3)

More abortion news from across the U.S. —

The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Department Of Health Seeks Approval From The Board Of Public Works For Stockpile Purchase Of Abortion Pill
The Maryland Department of Health will turn to the state for money to stockpile one of the most-prescribed medication abortion pills as the case to revoke its approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues its way through the courts. In April, Democratic Gov. Wes Moore announced that, through a memorandum of understanding with the University of Maryland Medical System, the state would stockpile the medication abortion drug mifepristone, which is at risk of losing the FDA approval it’s had as an abortion method since 2000. (Gaskill, 6/2)

The Guardian: Amazon And Google Fund Anti-Abortion Lawmakers Through Complex Shell Game
As North Carolina’s 12-week abortion ban is due to come into effect on 1 July, an analysis from the non-profit Center for Political Accountability (CPA) shows several major corporations donated large sums to a Republican political organization which in turn funded groups working to elect anti-abortion state legislators. (Robins-Early, 6/3)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri Hires An Anti-Abortion Marketing Agency
Abortion is banned in Missouri, but Gov. Mike Parson’s administration is spending $266,000 on a social media campaign designed to steer women away from abortions. A contract inked in April shows the Missouri Department of Social Services has hired a Columbia marketing firm that specializes in online advertising — and beating potential roadblocks erected by search engines — to help market the state’s Alternatives to Abortion program. (Erickson, 6/2)

The 19th: In Florida, Black Women Health Professionals Are Fighting For Reproductive Justice
As Florida has tightened its abortion laws and passed policies that restrict access to reproductive health care, nearly 40 Black women in the state have formed a coalition to push back against these measures that are disproportionately harming them. (Barber, 6/2)

KQED: Is California Really The Abortion Haven It Claims To Be? Not For This Woman
When Roe v. Wade was overturned last year, California declared itself an abortion haven, an abortion sanctuary. The governor invited women from around the country to come here for safe, accessible abortions. He even set aside taxpayer dollars to help pay for their travel expenses. But for many people who live here and need abortion care, the state is anything but a sanctuary. Despite having some of the strongest abortion protections in the country, there are corners of California’s healthcare system where state laws can’t reach. One-on-one, in the exam room, what a doctor says – and doesn’t say – can affect the care patients receive. (Dembosky, 6/2)

USA Today: How One Quiet Illinois College Town Became The Symbol Of Abortion Rights In America
Nearly a year ago, the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. The ruling redrew the map of abortion access in America. It also drew new battle lines. (Kenning, 6/4)

Also —

Military.Com: 650 Military Promotions Threatened As Senator Shows No Signs Of Relenting 
About 650 general and flag officer promotions could be delayed this year by a legislative hold on Capitol Hill imposed by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., over military abortion policies, according to the Pentagon. Tuberville’s hold could not only hold up the promotions of rank and position -- the vast majority of the 852 total officers at those ranks -- but is also threatening recent major nominations for a new Joint Chiefs chairman and Marine Corps commandant, as well as the growing list of other key replacements. (Toropin and Kheel, 6/2)

The 19th: Environmental Advocates Ask EPA To Take Stand On Reproductive Justice 
Waning abortion access has dominated conversations around reproductive justice, but a lesser known principle of the movement to maintain bodily and reproductive autonomy is being threatened by a changing climate and a slew of environmental contaminants. One of the main tenets of reproductive justice is the ability to raise a child in a safe and healthy environment, according to SisterSong, one of the leading reproductive justice collectives in the country. But the evidence that pollutants are impacting the health of pregnant people is everywhere. (Kutz, 6/2)

The Texas Tribune: Texas Bill Banning Gender-Affirming Care For Transgender Kids Is Now Law
Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law Friday a bill that bars transgender kids from getting puberty blockers and hormone therapies, though the new law could face legal challenges before it takes effect on Sept. 1. Senate Bill 14’s passage brings to the finish line a legislative priority for the Republican Party of Texas, which opposes any efforts to validate transgender identities. Trans kids, their parents and LGBTQ advocacy groups fiercely oppose the law, and some have vowed to stop it from going into effect. (Nguyen and Melhado, 6/2)

In updates from Florida —

WUSF Public Media: Florida Medical Board May Pass A Rule To Reduce Disruptions Caused By Trans Care Law
The Florida Board of Medicine is expected to pass an emergency rule on Friday that would allow patients receiving gender-affirming care to continue as officials craft new standards for treatment. The goal is to address disruptions caused by a new law that restricts access to transgender care for minors and also makes it harder for adults to get care. (Colombini, 6/2)

AP: Transgender Adults In Florida `Blindsided' That New Law Also Limits Their Access To Health Care
Debate surrounding Florida’s new restrictions on gender-affirming care focused largely on transgender children. But a new law that Republican presidential candidate and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed last month also made it difficult – even impossible – for many transgender adults to get treatment. Eli and Lucas, trans men who are a couple, followed the discussions in the Legislature, where Democrats warned that trans children would be more prone to suicide under a ban on gender-affirming care for minors and Republicans responded with misplaced tales of mutilated kids. Eli said he and his partner felt “blindsided” when they discovered the bill contained language that would also disrupt their lives. “There was no communication. … Nobody was really talking about it in our circles,” said Eli, 29. (Beaty, Farrington and Schoenbaum, 6/4)

More news about LGBTQ+ health issues —

The Hill: How Biden Has Navigated LGBTQ Issues As A Catholic President 
President Biden, only the second Catholic president in U.S. history, is navigating LGBTQ issues in a way that has at times labeled him a champion and at others labeled him as behind the times. Much like his handling of abortion issues  –  before it erupted when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade – Biden can appear to be uncomfortable at times with matters that can contradict his faith. And transgender issues, in particular, can be considered quite new to older Americans like Biden. (Gangitano, 6/4)

The New York Times: No One Knows How Many L.G.B.T.Q. Americans Die By Suicide 
Cory Russo, the chief death investigator in Utah, is used to asking strangers questions at the most excruciating moments of their lives. When she shows up at the scene of a suicide, a homicide or another type of unexpected death, her job is to interview the grievers about how the deceased had lived. How old were they? What was their race? Did they have a job? Had they ever been hospitalized for psychiatric issues? How had they been feeling that morning? Over the past couple of years, she has added new questions to the list: What was their sexual orientation? What was their gender identity? (Ghorayshi, 6/1)

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.

NBC News: Women More Likely Than Men To Skip Or Delay Medications Due To Cost, CDC Report Finds
Women are more likely than men to skip, delay or take less medication than was prescribed because of cost, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. The finding came from the CDC’s National Health Interview Survey, an annual survey in which tens of thousands of people in the U.S. are asked questions about their health-related experiences. (Lovelace Jr., 6/2)

Axios: CDC: Upward Of 9 Million Cut Corners On Drugs Due To Cost
More than 9 million American adults aren’t taking their medications as prescribed due to the cost, with those who are uninsured or disabled among the likeliest to cut corners, according to new CDC data released Friday. Skipping doses, taking less than the prescribed amount or delaying refills to save money can make health conditions worse and more expensive to manage, researchers wrote. (Moreno, 6/2)

In other pharmaceutical industry news —

Stat: For Many Who Use Power Wheelchairs, CMS Decision Just Made Seat Elevation Much Less Expensive
For years, patients and medical groups have advocated for Medicare to cover wheelchairs with power-seat elevation, allowing users to, among other things, reach cabinets and countertops more easily and conduct conversations eye to eye. In a major shift in its approach to the devices, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last month granted that request, saying it would cover some wheelchairs with a power-seat elevation feature. (Young, 6/5)

AP: Maker Of Anti-Addiction Drug Suboxone Reaches $102.5 Million Settlement Over Antitrust Claims 
The company that makes the opioid addiction treatment drug Suboxone has agreed to pay $102.5 million to 41 states and the District of Columbia to settle claims that the company engaged in anticompetitive practices, it announced Friday. The agreement with Indivior, based in North Chesterfield, Virginia, averts a trial that was scheduled to start later this year. (6/2)

NBC News: Ozempic, Wegovy Force Weight Loss Companies To Upend Their Approaches
The rise of the popular obesity and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic have compelled weight-loss companies to fundamentally shift their business models. WeightWatchers and Noom have for years promoted diet and exercise as the primary ways to lose weight, but both recently debuted plans to offer prescriptions for Wegovy and similar drugs as part of a strategy that recognizes obesity as a chronic disease. (Bendix, 6/4)

Boston Globe: Biotechs Face Challenges As BIO Convention Returns To Boston
The world has changed since 2018 when the Biotechnology Innovation Organization last brought its annual road show to Boston, complete with entrepreneurial boot camps, beer-flowing receptions, and four days of nonstop networking. Since then, a global pandemic showcased the industry’s prowess in rushing out lifesaving vaccines — elevating scientists to the status of saviors, at least for a fleeting moment. But complaints about steep prices for drugs have grown louder, sparking a backlash in Washington, D.C., that threatens to disrupt the biotech business model crucial to the Massachusetts economy. (Weisman, 6/4)

The Boston Globe: Class-Action Lawsuit Filed Against Compass Medical Over Abrupt Closure Of Facilities In Mass.
An Abington man has filed a class-action lawsuit against Compass Medical claiming the Quincy-based health organization was negligent in not warning patients prior to shutting down its six South Shore medical offices last week. The lawsuit brought by Richard Callanan, whose family all received care through Compass Medical, argues that the organization abandoned its approximately 70,000 patients by abruptly closing the facilities without notice, leaving them scrambling to fill prescriptions, find new doctors, and reschedule examinations. (Stoico, 6/4)

Becker's Hospital Review: Acadia-Owned Psychiatric Hospital In Washington State To Close, Layoff 288
Cascade Behavioral Health Hospital in suburban Seattle is winding down operations and laying off 288 employees, according to a WARN filing posted June 1.A spokesperson for the Tukwila, Wash.-based hospital told Becker's the 135-bed psychiatric hospital will close by July 31 due to financial challenges. (Emerson, 6/2)

More health care industry news —

Axios: Hospitals Unexpectedly Cut Off From Discounted Drugs At Outpatient Clinics
An unexpected policy change has left some hospital outpatient clinics potentially shut out of the government's discount drug program, rattling health systems with a lot of poorer patients that are accustomed to buying medicines at cheaper prices and keeping the savings. The change means health systems may incur higher drug costs at a time when many are trying to push more care outside hospital walls, to offsite clinics. (Dreher, 6/5)

Modern Healthcare: Critical-Access, Acute-Care Hospitals Increase Capital Spending
In a Modern Healthcare analysis of cost reports for hospitals filing from 2018 through 2022, median net capital costs for critical-access hospitals increased almost 17%, while those for acute-care hospitals rose only 1% over the same period. Net capital costs are defined as the total costs of buildings, fixtures and movable equipment. (Broderick, 6/5)

Modern Healthcare: Hospital-At-Home Market To Grow By 50% Within 5 Years: Chilmark 
The hospital-at-home market is projected to grow 50% from $200 billion to nearly $300 billion by 2028, and is a magnet for companies trying to get a foothold in the space. (Eastabrook, 6/2)

Axios: BJC And St. Luke's Hospital Merger Could Create $10 Billion Giant
BJC HealthCare of St. Louis and Saint Luke's Health System of Kansas City said that they are exploring a merger that could create a 28-hospital academic health system valued at around $10 billion. The combined company wouldn't have geographic overlap, which seems to be key for U.S. hospital operators that want to expand (and cut costs) without attracting antitrust attention. (Primack, 6/2)

Stat: How Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurers Ratcheted Up Profits In 2022
Publicly traded health insurers were not the only ones in the industry that continued to amass large windfalls in 2022. Many nonprofit and private Blue Cross Blue Shield companies ended last year with sizable gains that added to their mountainous cash reserves, according to a STAT analysis of financial filings. (Herman, 6/5)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Penn Medicine, Jefferson Health, And Temple Health Have Reported Financial Results For Nine Months Of Fiscal 2023
Financial pressures from higher costs for labor, pharmaceuticals, and other supplies did not let up in the first three months of this year for not-for-profit health systems in Southeastern Pennsylvania, as most continued reporting operating losses through March 31. The Inquirer has been tracking financial results for the region’s nine health systems, as they work to recover financially in a world where experts expect permanently higher costs to prevent a return to pre-pandemic profitability levels. (Brubaker, 6/5)

On staffing and safety —

St. Louis Public Radio: Vacancies And Turnover Still High At Missouri Hospitals
Missouri hospitals saw fewer unfilled jobs and staff turnover in 2022 than during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report from the Missouri Hospital Association. But the report released this week notes that the shortage of health care workers is still higher than before. The report’s authors surveyed 128 of the state’s hospitals and found nearly 15% of all positions were vacant across the state last year, compared with 17% in 2021. Hospitals saw turnover in approximately one in four positions. (Fentem, 6/2)

NBC News: Trapped At Work: Immigrant Health Care Workers Can Face Harsh Working Conditions And $100,000 Lawsuits For Quitting
Nurses and other health care workers who have been brought to the U.S. from overseas to fill thousands of vacant jobs say in some instances they’ve been subjected to unsafe working conditions, wage theft and threats of tens of thousands of dollars in debt if they quit or are fired. (Pettypiece, 6/4)

KFF Health News: Will A ‘National Patient Safety Board,’ Modeled After The NTSB, Actually Fly?
People concerned about the safety of patients often compare health care to aviation. Why, they ask, can’t hospitals learn from medical errors the way airlines learn from plane crashes? That’s the rationale behind calls to create a “National Patient Safety Board,” an independent federal agency that would be loosely modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board, which is credited with increasing the safety of skies, railways, and highways by investigating why accidents occur and recommending steps to avoid future mishaps. (Jaklevic, 6/5)

NPR: Heart Transplant Recipient Dies After 2 Days In Florida Jail; ACLU Wants Probe
On the day he was arrested for a misdemeanor, Dexter Barry warned Florida police that if he did not take his anti-rejection medication, his heart would fail. "I take rejection medicine for my heart transplant. I can't miss those doses," he said, according to body camera footage obtained by NPR. (Kim, 6/3)

In other health news from across the nation —

North Carolina Health News: After A Decades-Long Stalemate, Nurse-Midwives Can Now Practice Without Physician “Supervision” 
The Midwifery Practice Act, which passed the North Carolina legislature in 1983, required certified nurse-midwives to practice under the supervision of a physician who is engaged in the practice of obstetrics. But supervision doesn’t mean the doctor needs to be in the same room, or even the same county, as the midwife he or she supervises. Supervision can take many forms — sometimes meaning as few as two meetings a year, and many midwives even need to pay a fee for the supervision that allows them to work in their chosen profession. Without a physician supervision agreement, North Carolina certified nurse-midwives were unable to practice, even if they’d completed training and had thousands of hours of experience. (Crumpler, 6/5)

Axios: ASU Will Launch Medical School, Part Of A $30 Million Health Initiative 
Arizona State University will open a medical school for the first time in the school’s history. ASU's new School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering is part of a $30 million investment by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) announced Thursday. (Boehm, 6/2)

New Hampshire Public Radio: Gov. Phil Scott Allows Vermont Gun Waiting Period Bill To Become Law, Expecting Court Challenge
Legislative leaders say they're pleased that Gov. Phil Scott will allow a gun violence prevention bill to become law. The plan requires a 72-hour waiting period to purchase a firearm, it calls for the safe home storage of guns, and it expands the use of risk prevention orders. Scott says he has strong concerns that the waiting period is unconstitutional, but he allowed the bill to become law without his signature because he says the issue will likely be settled in federal court. (Kinzel, 6/2)

The Washington Post: Chicago's Mpox Control Strategy Is Tested As Cases Return Before Pride 
The purple sandwich boards scattered throughout the historic hotel hosting the annual International Mr. Leather convention bore a stark warning: “MPOX ISN’T GONE.” Health officials and LGBTQ+ organizations treated the convention as an opening salvo in the race to stave off another outbreak of the virus that ripped through the gay community and infected more than 30,000 Americans last year. They sought to vaccinate attendees and raise awareness at the event, one of the first large gay gatherings to kick off a summer of Pride festivities and travel — and with it, sexual activity that drives mpox transmission. (Nirappil, 6/2)

Dallas Morning News: Poison Hemlock Was Spotted In A Dallas Suburb. Here’s What You Should Know About The Plant
Not everything that grows in your yard is meant to be touched. On Sunday, Kenzie Kizer of Lancaster wrote on Facebook about her incident handling a plant that doctors later identified as poison hemlock. Kizer said she was attempting to remove weeds near her home when she began experiencing some severe symptoms. (Adatia, 6/3)

On drug use in New Hampshire, Washington state, and California —

New Hampshire Public Radio: NH Senate Votes To Legalize Fentanyl, Xylazine Test Strips
State and federal health officials say fentanyl test strips can reduce overdoses and other harms from drug use, at a time when overdose deaths have been rising in New Hampshire. But in New Hampshire, those materials are considered illegal drug paraphernalia — limiting who can distribute them. A bill that recently cleared the New Hampshire Senate could change that. It would legalize materials that test for fentanyl or xylazine, an animal tranquilizer that’s increasingly entered the New England drug supply in recent years. (Cuno-Booth, 6/2)

Axios: Mushrooms Go Mainstream In Seattle With Medical Trial 
Two states have legalized medical uses of psychedelic mushrooms, but Washington state lawmakers want more information on the benefits before following suit. (Clarridge, 6/2)

KFF Health News: California Confronts The Threat Of ‘Tranq’ As Overdose Crisis Rages
When the city’s medical examiner announced in February that four people who had recently died of overdoses had the animal sedative xylazine in their systems, public health workers across the state sprang into action. Drug dealers on the East Coast had in recent years begun mixing xylazine, which can have devastating effects on people, with the opioid fentanyl, causing a surge in emergency room visits in Philadelphia and other cities. But there had not been much evidence of it in California. (Rinker, 6/5)

The Washington Post: More People Are Living With Dementia. What Are The Signs And Risk Factors?
More than 55 million people globally live with dementia, and the number is expected to increase to an estimated 153 million by 2050, according to the World Health Organization. With the number of people living with dementia rising, individuals need to take steps to reduce the risk of developing it, experts say. These include sustained physical activity, making healthier lifestyle choices and staying socially connected, a 2020 article published in Lancet recommended. (Cimons, 6/2)

Military.Com: America Faces A Tidal Wave Of Aging Veterans, Including A 237% Increase In Women Over 65 By 2041 
As Vietnam and eventually Gulf War-era veterans grow older, they bring with them new needs, different expectations for care, and greater diversity than the Korean War and World War II veterans who came before them. The Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans organizations across the country are working to care for a new generation of older veterans who tend to have greater expectations for longevity and independence than earlier generations, yet also may struggle with more complex medical conditions. (Kehrt, 6/4)

NPR: Scientists Zap Sleeping Humans' Brains With Electricity To Improve Their Memory 
A little brain stimulation at night appears to help people remember what they learned the previous day. A study of 18 people with severe epilepsy found that they scored higher on a memory test if they got deep brain stimulation while they slept, a team reports in the journal Nature Neuroscience. (Hamilton, 6/2)

Fortune Well: 7 Ways To Care For Elderly Parents Who Live Far Away
Having people who are your eyes and ears on the ground, who can call you if they notice something amiss, is crucial. (Seegert, 6/4)

In other health and wellness news —

CNN: Estrogen-Only Pills Used As HRT Raised Blood Pressure In Study. Experts Weigh In
People who use estrogen-only pills during menopause were more likely to be diagnosed with high blood pressure than those using patches or creams, a new study found. However, doctors who treat menopause say estrogen-only pills are rarely prescribed for high-risk patients, and the overall benefits of hormone replacement therapy far outweigh the risks for many patients. (LaMotte, 6/5)

Good Morning America: Women Who Struggle With PCOS Find Help Using Ozempic, Mounjaro
Branneisha Cooper of Texas said she was diagnosed during her senior year of high school with polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, a reproductive hormone imbalance that can cause problems with the menstrual cycle and lead to the formation of multiple ovarian cysts and infertility, according to the U.S. Office on Women's Health. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown, but people with this condition have higher levels of androgens, such as testosterone, and insulin that can lead to insulin resistance which is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. (Kindelan, 6/5)

USA Today: What Is THC-O? What To Know About Potency, Legality, More
A growing number of marijuana-adjacent products are hitting consumer markets in the United States. Among them is a synthetic cannabinoid known as THC-O. The passage of the 2018 farm bill legalized hemp and spawned a cottage industry of weed look-alikes that are similarly intoxicating – and legal. (Kaufman, 6/2)

Chicago Tribune: Facility Fees Are Raising Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Patients
There is a disease that is raising out-of-pocket health care costs for patients. Medical schools aren’t teaching about this disease, and there are no medical specialists trained to treat it. It is a fiscal disease — facility fees — and it is spreading to health care facilities across the nation. (Sheldon Jacobson, 6/5)

USA Today: Now That The Covid-19 National Public Health Emergency Is Over, It's Time To Fix The CDC
The COVID-19 pandemic made one thing very clear: We need a new CDC – a CDC for the 21st century that’s part of local communities and held accountable for its actions. (Dr. Deborah L. Birx, 6/4)

Los Angeles Times: Why Is COVID Still Killing So Many People? 
Many immunocompromised and older people are still terrified of COVID. As a transplant infectious disease doctor on the front lines, I understand why. (Peter Chin-Hong, 6/5)

The Boston Globe: US Will Save $13.6 Billion Annually In Health Care Costs With Medically Tailored Meals
A groundbreaking cost-modeling 2022 study found that a national implementation of medically tailored meals for patients with diet-sensitive conditions and other factors — patients accounting for the highest costs in our health care system — could help avoid trips to the hospital and save $13.6 billion annually. (David B. Waters, 6/5)

Stat: How To Protect Coverage Of PrEP
Since a Texas judge’s decision dropped earlier this spring, Braidwood v. Becerra has sent shudders down public health’s spine. Similar to earlier contraceptive mandate cases, Braidwood involves plaintiff-employers who object to paying for health insurance that includes coverage of disease screenings and PrEP for HIV on moral grounds. (Richard Hughes IV, 6/5)

Modern Healthcare: Physician Staffing Presents Challenges, Opportunities
The healthcare industry is facing a wide variety of challenges—and solutions aren’t always straightforward. Each month, Modern Healthcare asks leaders in the field to weigh in on their approaches to the sector’s thorny issues. (Matthew McKinney and Dr. Jack Resneck Jr., 6/5)