Fierce Biotech: Roche Designs New Antibiotic To Fight Drug-Resistant Infections
Researchers at Roche have developed a novel antibiotic with the ability to fight a dangerous drug-resistant bacteria that kills in up to 60% of infections. In a pair of articles published Jan. 3 in Nature, Roche and Harvard University scientists described how they developed a new antibiotic that is effective against carbapenem-resistant acinetobacter baumannii—also known as CRAB—in mice. The drug, zosurabalpin, works by interrupting construction of the bacteria’s outer membrane. ... CRAB is a common culprit in hospital-acquired sepsis and other infections, and is at the top of the list of both the World Health Organization’s and the Centers for Disease Control’s “priority pathogens” for which new drugs are urgently needed. (Floersh, 1/3)

Read the studies in Nature —

→ A new type of antibiotic targets a drug-resistant bacterium

→ A novel antibiotic class targeting the lipopolysaccharide transporter

CNN: New Antibiotic Uses Novel Method To Target Deadly Drug-Resistant Bacteria, Study Says
Zosurabalpin is in its own chemical class and has a unique method of action, says Dr. Kenneth Bradley, the global head of infectious disease discovery with Roche Pharma Research and Early Development and one of the researchers. (Musa, 1/3)

Los Angeles Times: New Type Of Antibiotic Targets Drug-Resistant Bugs, Study Says
Under a microscope, this drug-resistant superbug looks as benign as a handful of pebbles. Yet carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, or CRAB, is a nightmare for hospitals worldwide, as it kills roughly half of all patients who acquire it. (Purtill, 1/3)

Also —

CIDRAP: Study Highlights Threat Of Dual-Carbapenemase–Producing Bacteria
A study conducted in a New York City health system identified several patients infected with dual-carbapenemase–producing organisms (DCPOs), researchers reported late last week in JAC-Antimicrobial Resistance. The study authors say the findings are concerning. "Infectious diseases physicians should be aware of this threat, as our study shows high mortality in patients infected or colonized with DCPOs," they wrote. (Dall, 1/3)

Reuters: CVS Will Remove AbbVie's Humira From Some Drug Reimbursement Lists In April
CVS Health said on Wednesday it will remove AbbVie’s blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira from some of its lists of preferred drugs for reimbursement as of April 1, and will recommend biosimilar versions of the medicine instead. CVS said Hyrimoz and an unbranded version of Humira, both from Swiss drugmaker Sandoz, will be covered across all its formularies, while branded and unbranded near copies of the drug from India's Biocon will be covered on some reimbursement lists. (Wingrove, 1/3)

A price cap on insulin goes into effect —

USA Today: Insulin Price Cap: More Americans Will Now Pay No More Than $35
A price cap on insulin from one of the three major manufacturers took effect on New Year's Day, giving more Americans with diabetes more affordable treatments. ... As of Jan. 1, 2024, Sanofi cut the price of Lantus by 78% and short-acting Apidra by 70%. The price cuts will reduce the cost of the drug for most patients at $35 through either price caps or savings programs. (Al-Arshani and Alltucker, 1/3)

In other pharmaceutical developments —

AP: Alzheimer's Drugs Might Get Into The Brain Faster With New Ultrasound Tool, Study Shows
Scientists have found a way to help Alzheimer’s drugs seep inside the brain faster — by temporarily breaching its protective shield. The novel experiment was a first attempt in just three patients. But in spots in the brain where the new technology took aim, it enhanced removal of Alzheimer’s trademark brain-clogging plaque, researchers reported Wednesday. “Our goal is to give patients a head start,” by boosting some new Alzheimer’s treatments that take a long time to work, said Dr. Ali Rezai of West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, who led the study. (Neergaard, 1/3)

CNN: FDA Looking Into Reports Of Hair Loss, Suicidal Thoughts In People Using Popular Drugs For Diabetes And Weight Loss 
The US Food and Drug Administration is evaluating reports of side effects such as hair loss and suicidal thoughts in people taking medications like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy. These drugs, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, are approved to treat diabetes or weight loss. They include semaglutide, branded as Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy; liragutide, branded as Saxenda and Victoza; and tirzepatide, branded as Mounjaro and Zepbound. They mimic GLP-1, a hormone made naturally in the body whose roles include slowing the passage of food through the stomach. (Dillinger, 1/3)

Reuters: FDA Ordered To Reconsider Denial Of Approval For Vape Products
A federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to reconsider its decision barring two makers of flavored liquid for e-cigarettes from marketing their products, saying the agency had been arbitrary and capricious in refusing to consider the companies' marketing plans. The 9-5 decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a July 2022 decision by a three-judge panel of that court. (Pierson, 1/3)

Axios: Scoop: AI Prescription Assistant Nabs Backing From Mayo Clinic, Eli Lilly
A startup that created a voice-based AI app to manage insulin and other prescriptions is launching Thursday with backing from powerhouses including Mayo Clinic and Eli Lilly. (Reed, 1/4)

The Wall Street Journal: Exclusive: Cigna Nears Deal To Offload Medicare Business
Cigna is in advanced talks to sell its Medicare business in an about-face for the health-insurance giant, which had been expanding its footprint in the fast-growing sector. Cigna, which has been running an auction for the business, known as Medicare Advantage, is now in exclusive talks to sell it to Health Care Service Corp. for between $3 billion and $4 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. (Cooper, Mathews and Thomas, 1/3)

Modern Healthcare: PBMs, Medicare Pay, Telehealth Lead Congress’s 2024 To-Do List
Presidential election years tend to be poor times to attempt major healthcare legislation, but Congress' failure to cope with its 2023 responsibilities has raised the prospects that significant bills could pass in 2024. Lawmakers left town before Christmas having failed to complete much-delayed fiscal 2024 appropriations legislation—the prior fiscal year ended Sept. 30—and leaving in place temporary spending bills that last until Jan. 19 and Feb. 3, depending on the part of government. (McAuliff, 1/3)

The Hill: Inflation Threatens Health Care Access As Medicare Gap Widens: GOP Rep
Inflation is threatening health care access across the country as the gap widens between the cost of medical services and the coverage rates paid out by Medicare, Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) warned last month. Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle joined The Hill’s “Medicare Drug Price Negotiation: How to Ensure Access and Equity” event, sponsored by the Alliance for Aging Research, to discuss the effects of the first 10 drugs chosen for Medicare price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act. (Irwin, 1/3)

In Medicaid news —

Forbes: Medicaid Rebate Rule Causes Problems For Asthma Patients On Flovent
Medicaid has a new rebate rule for prescription drugs which underwent substantial price increases in the past. In response, the pharmaceutical firm GSK is withdrawing branded Flovent, an asthma medication, and replacing it with an "authorized generic" at a modestly lower price than the branded product. But because it will have no price history it will not be subject to the Medicaid rule. However, owing to the convoluted drug pricing and reimbursement system in the U.S., the authorized generic Flovent won’t be as broadly covered by pharmacy benefit managers as the branded product was, leaving some patients with an access problem. (Cohen, 1/3)

WHYY: Pa. Adds Street Medicine Delivery To Medicaid Program 
Street medicine teams that provide care for people who are unhoused hope that new Medicaid reimbursements will help them expand operations. (Leonard, 1/4)

KFF Health News: Utah Survey Shows Why So Many People Were Dumped From Medicaid 
It’s one of the biggest mysteries in health policy: What happened to millions of Americans kicked out of Medicaid last year? A survey conducted for state officials in Utah, obtained by KFF Health News, holds some clues. Like many states, Utah terminated Medicaid coverage for a large share of enrollees whose eligibility was reevaluated in 2023, following a three-year pause during the coronavirus pandemic. And like most states, an overwhelming share of those disenrollments were made for procedural reasons, such as missing paperwork. (Galewitz, 1/3)

The Washington Post: Florida Surgeon General Calls For Halt On MRNA Covid Vaccines, Citing Debunked Claim
Florida’s top health official called for a halt to using mRNA coronavirus vaccines on Wednesday, contending that the shots could contaminate patients’ DNA — a claim that has been roundly debunked by public health experts, federal officials and the vaccine companies. Florida Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo’s announcement, released as a state bulletin, comes after months of back-and-forth with federal regulators who have repeatedly rebuked his rhetoric around vaccines. Public health experts warn of the dangers of casting doubt on proven lifesaving measures as respiratory viruses surge this winter. (Diamond, Weber and Dawsey, 1/3)

More on the spread of covid and flu —

The New York Times: Covid Has Resurged, But Scientists See A Diminished Threat 
The holidays have come and gone, and once again Americans are riding a tide of respiratory ailments, including Covid. But so far, this winter’s Covid uptick seems less deadly than last year’s, and much less so than in 2022, when the Omicron surge ground the nation to a halt. “We’re not seeing the signs that would make me think that we’re heading into another severe wave,” said Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “So far, we’re in relatively good shape.” (Mandavilli, 1/3)

NBC News: Rising Flu Cases Continue To Surge Among Young Children, Especially In The Southeast And West
As kids go back to school and families return to a post-holiday routine, flu season is on track to be a rough one in some states, especially in the Southeast and parts of the West, doctors say. Thirty-three states are reporting high to very high case counts of influenza-like illnesses, and there have been about 4,500 flu-related deaths, including those of 20 children, since the 2023-24 season began in October. (Edwards, 1/3)

Crain's New York Business: NYC Health + Hospitals Reinstate Mask Mandate Amid Covid Rise
New York City Health + Hospitals, the city’s public health system, issued a mask mandate for all employees amid rising rates of Covid-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus, H+H confirmed. H+H staff and visitors are required to mask up at all 11 of New York City’s public hospitals, as well as at community health centers and post-acute care facilities, said Chris Miller, spokesman for H+H. The requirement went into effect shortly after Christmas. (D'Ambrosio, 1/3)

CBS News: Main Line Health Implements Temporary Mask Mandate Due To COVID-19
Over 10 Main Line Health facilities are requiring temporary masks starting Thursday, Jan. 4 for at least the next two weeks due to the rise of COVID-19, flu, and RSV across the Philadelphia region. Officials said Wednesday all patients, employees, medical staff and visitors are required to wear masks in clinical and common areas. (Newbill, 1/3)

Fox News: Amid Rising COVID Cases, Probiotics Could Reduce Symptoms And Infection, Study Suggests
For those who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19, probiotics could offer a level of protection against the virus, a new study suggests. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study led by Duke Health in North Carolina, probiotics were shown to have a "significant ability to delay a COVID infection and reduce symptoms" among people who had not been vaccinated and were exposed to the virus in their households, according to a press release. The study was published in the journal Clinical Nutrition. (Rudy, 1/4)

On the spread of pertussis —

USA Today: New York Health Officials Sound Alarm On Whooping Cough Outbreak In Schools
The Suffolk County Department of Health in New York is sounding the alarm on a whooping cough outbreak happening throughout school districts in the region, it detailed in a press release Saturday. ..."With so many respiratory illnesses currently circulating, some for which there are no treatment, we wanted to make sure that parents know that pertussis, also called whooping cough, can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early," Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott said in the release. (Coblentz, 1/3)

CIDRAP: Cost Of Hospital Care Rose 26% For COVID-19 Patients Over Course Of Pandemic, Data Show 
A study published today in JAMA Network Open shows the average direct cost to provide hospital treatment for COVID-19 patients in the United States rose by 26% from 2020 to 2022, with costs increasing even after the launch of vaccination and the emergence of new variants. ... The adjusted mean cost of an inpatient stay was $11,275 overall, increasing from $10,394 at the end of March 2020 to $13,072 by the end of March 2022, the authors said. That 26% increase is in significant contrast to a 2% to 5% average annual medical cost increase due to inflation. Certain comorbidities significantly increased the costs incurred during a patent stay, with obesity adding $2,924 on average per stay. (Soucheray, 1/3)

In other health care industry news —

Modern Healthcare: BrightSpring Health Services Files IPO Plans With SEC
BrightSpring Health Services, a home health services provider backed by KKR, filed plans for an initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission Tuesday. The Louisville, Kentucky-based company did not state in the filing how much it intended to raise. Bloomberg News reported in September the company planned to raise $1 billion from an IPO. (Eastabrook, 1/3)

The Boston Globe: Brigham & Women’s Hospital Water Main Break Delays IVF Treatments
A water main break at Brigham and Women’s Hospital on Christmas Eve has disrupted in vitro fertilization services for upward of 300 people, forcing patients to reschedule or move egg retrievals and embryo transfers ... The flood damaged the walls of several areas of the hospital, including the IVF clinic, making frozen embryos stored in the area inaccessible as crews work to do remediation work. (Bartlett, 1/2)

Axios: As Hackers Escalate Health Care Attacks, Growing Concerns Over Medical Devices
Amid growing cybersecurity threats to health care facilities, federal officials and health systems are turning their attention to potential vulnerabilities hiding in plain sight in hospital rooms, imaging centers and even patients' homes: medical devices. (Reed, 1/4)

Modern Healthcare: McDonough District Hospital President, CEO Brian Dietz Suspended
Brian Dietz, president and CEO of Macomb, Illinois-based McDonough District Hospital, has been suspended by the hospital's board, pending an internal investigation into unspecified allegations. The suspension with pay began Dec. 28 and will last until Feb. 5, according to a hospital news release. Two board members and legal counsel for the 48-bed hospital will conduct the investigation. (DeSilva, 1/3)

Stat: Caregivers Of Transplant Patients Call For More Support, Training
By the time his wife Glenda Daggert received a double organ transplant in 1999, Ira Copperman already had a lot of experience as a caregiver. The couple had been together for over two decades, married for one, and Copperman had become accustomed to helping Daggert manage her diabetes and its complications. Mixing insulin, going along for doctor’s visits, administering injections: it was all routine. (Merelli, 1/4)

KFF Health News: Woman Petitions Health Insurer After Company Approves — Then Rejects — Her Infusions 
When KFF Health News published an article in August about the “prior authorization hell” Sally Nix said she went through to secure approval from her insurance company for the expensive monthly infusions she needs, we thought her story had a happy ending. That’s because, after KFF Health News sent questions to Nix’s insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, it retroactively approved $36,000 worth of treatments she thought she owed. Even better, she also learned she would qualify for the infusions moving forward. Good news all around — except it didn’t last for long. After all, this is the U.S. health care system, where even patients with good insurance aren’t guaranteed affordable care. (Sausser, 1/4)

Also —

American Homefront Project: Doctors Turn To AI And Wearable Monitors To Measure The Effects Of Burn Pits On Veterans' Health
A long-term study hopes to shed light on an array of vague symptoms that can affect veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. (D'lorio, 1/3)

The Baltimore Sun: ‘This Is A Person’: For Baltimore Medical Students, Dissection Triggers Deep Emotion 
Daniela Krahe likely will never know the tall gentleman’s name. He was dead when they met, so she didn’t get the chance to ask. She’ll never know where the man grew up or whether he had siblings. She won’t know what made him laugh, what movies he liked to watch or what meal his mother used to make him when he was sick. But there are things Krahe knows about the man that even those who loved him probably will never learn. (Roberts, 1/4)

Stat: Cardiac Psychologists Are Pushing To Protect Heart Patients’ Often-Overlooked Mental Health
Margery Quackenbush was attending a board meeting of the nonprofit where she served as executive director when she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her chest. As the organization’s president yelled at a board member, Quackenbush — then age 69 — noticed her heart tightening and felt terrified. (Ryder, 1/3)

KFF Health News: Doctors Are As Vulnerable To Addiction As Anyone. California Grapples With A Response. 
Ariella Morrow, an internal medicine doctor, gradually slid from healthy self-esteem and professional success into the depths of depression. Beginning in 2015, she suffered a string of personal troubles, including a shattering family trauma, marital strife, and a major professional setback. At first, sheer grit and determination kept her going, but eventually she was unable to keep her troubles at bay and took refuge in heavy drinking. By late 2020, Morrow could barely get out of bed and didn’t shower or brush her teeth for weeks on end. She was up to two bottles of wine a day, alternating it with Scotch whisky. (Wolfson, 1/4)

Military Times: Abortion Access Policy Could Be Dumped, Former Pentagon Leader Warns
The Pentagon’s former personnel head warned that the Defense Department’s abortion access policies could be rescinded as early as next year if critics win key seats in the upcoming November elections. “The Department of Defense’s abortion travel policy was a necessary, though incomplete, step to remedying the Supreme Court’s error. It also could be reversed on the very first day of a new administration,” wrote Gil Cisneros, the former undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, in an op-ed published by The Hill on Tuesday. (Shane III, 1/3)

Task & Purpose: Arkansas Air Guard Commander Resigns Over Abortion Travel Policy
The commander of the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Air Wing resigned late last month for what the state’s Governor said is a protest of the Pentagon policy that pays for reproductive medical expenses, which includes out-of-state travel for abortions. According to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ office, Colonel Dillon Patterson resigned on December 18 as commander of the 188th Air Wing at Ebbing Air National Guard Base just, just outside the town of Fort Smith on the Oklahoma border. (Schogol and White, 1/3)

In other abortion news —

CBS News: Arguments Set For February On Florida Abortion Measure
With the measure's supporters getting close to meeting a petition-signature requirement, the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear arguments on February 7th about a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring abortion rights in the state. The arguments will center on whether the Supreme Court should approve the wording of the proposed constitutional amendment and allow it to go on the November ballot. (1/3)

Roll Call: Latina Candidates Plan Abortion Rights Push 
While Republicans have made inroads with Latino voters in recent years, Democrats say the GOP’s support for strict limits on abortion threatens to undercut those gains. A majority of Hispanics, 57 percent, say abortion should be legal in most or all cases, according to a Pew Research Center survey released in 2022. Among young Latinos, one of the nation’s fastest-growing demographic groups, that figure climbs to 72 percent. Support for reproductive rights remains strong even among Catholic Latinos. Polling data from eight key states compiled by UnidosUS, a Hispanic civil rights organization, found that 71 percent of Latinos opposed efforts to make abortion illegal or “take that choice away from everyone else,” regardless of their personal beliefs. (Altimari, 1/2)

Side Effects Public Media: Some States With Abortion Bans Saw Slightly More Births, New Analysis Finds
Abortion bans may have led to an increase in birth rates in some states, a new report suggests. Three university researchers closely analyzed 13 states that prohibited abortion in nearly all situations by the end of 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated a federal right to abortion. The IZA Institute of Labor Economics published their discussion paper in November. (Watkins, 1/3)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: One Resident Still Missing Nearly Three Weeks After St. Louis Nursing Home Closure
Authorities were still searching Wednesday for one former resident of the St. Louis nursing home that closed down abruptly last month. St. Louis police are requesting assistance locating the man, Frederick Caruthers, 61, a former resident of the Northview Village Nursing Home. Missouri State Highway Patrol issued an endangered silver advisory for Caruthers Wednesday afternoon. (Merrilees, 1/3)

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

Los Angeles Times: Newsom Urges Support For State's Mental Health Reform Measure
Gov. Gavin Newsom gathered with city leaders and public safety officials Wednesday to urge support of Proposition 1, an overhaul of the state’s mental health system that will be on California’s March 5 primary election ballot. The measure would reform California’s Mental Health Services Act and create a $6.4-billion bond to provide 10,000 new behavioral-health beds. ... “Everything people have been telling us they desperately need and expect of us, we’ve incorporated into Proposition 1,” Newsom said. (Petrow-Cohen, 1/3)

The Washington Post: States Looking To 2024 To Pass Revised Kids’ Online Safety Bills
A group of state legislators and children’s safety advocates are planning a renewed campaign to import British digital safeguards for kids into the United States as they look to ward off legal challenges from the tech industry. After California passed a landmark online safety law in 2021 — styled after child protection rules in the United Kingdom — lawmakers in several other states, including Maryland and Minnesota, introduced their own versions. (Lima, 1/2)

Minnesota Public Radio: As Mental Health Worries Rise For Black Minnesotans, Focus Shifts To Strengthening Kids, Caregivers 
With three daughters, Brandon and Monica Jones have their hands full. In the mornings, their older two girls are able to get themselves ready for the most part, but it’s the youngest, 2-year-old Skylar who runs around the kitchen screaming and laughing and making a mess with her breakfast. It’s a bit chaotic but Brandon Jones understands it’s part of the normal process of growing up. As the executive director of the Minnesota Association for Children’s Mental Health, he also knows that lots of other Black children and families struggle with the pressures of racism and poverty and the long-term problems they create. (Miles, 1/4)

Houston Chronicle: Houston Physicians Look To Slow Rapid Spread Of Congenital Syphilis
Houston physicians are looking for new ways to address the rapidly growing number of congenital syphilis cases at the local and national level, as public health officials grapple with funding woes. The Houston Health Department, which declared a local syphilis outbreak last year, lost about $4.2 million of grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a result of the federal debt ceiling deal. The money was intended for states and local jurisdictions to train and hire additional disease intervention specialists. (Gill, 1/3)

The Hill: New Rule Designed To Protect LGBTQ Foster Children Draws GOP Opposition 
A new rule requiring child welfare agencies to place LGBTQ children in “environments free of hostility, mistreatment, or abuse” based on the child’s sexual orientation, gender identity or expression is drawing opposition from Republicans. The proposed rule, issued in September by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), also would require caregivers to undergo cultural competency training to ensure LGBTQ youths are placed in homes where their identities are affirmed. (Migdon, 1/3)

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: The Daunting Child Care Challenges For Kids With Special Needs
Finding high-quality, affordable child care is hard. Just ask any parent. But when a child has special needs, child care suddenly gets a whole lot harder -- for parents and child care providers alike. (Kroen, 1/3)

CBS News: Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy Linked With Language Delays, University Of Illinois Study Finds 
A new study from researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign linked acetaminophen with language delays in children. Susan Schantz, professor emerita of comparative biosciences and one of the authors of the study, spoke to CBS 2 about the findings. Schantz said the study looked at language development among children ages 2 and 3, and found that those whose mothers took acetaminophen, especially during the third trimester of their pregnancy, had smaller vocabularies and shorter sentence lengths. (1/3)

The Washington Post: Wearing Hearing Aids Could Reduce Your Risk Of Dying Earlier
For those with hearing loss, simply putting on hearing aids could be a lifesaver. New research, published Wednesday in The Lancet Healthy Longevity journal, showed that people with hearing loss who regularly wore hearing aids had a 24-percent lower mortality risk than those who never wore them, regardless of age, gender, socioeconomic status, race, type of insurance, severity of hearing loss and other medical conditions. And the worse someone’s hearing loss was, the greater was their risk of an earlier death. (Morris, 1/3)

Bloomberg: Smokers Taking Old Generic Drug Cytisine Are Twice As Likely To Quit
Smokers taking a course of cytisine are twice as likely to kick the habit, researchers found as the UK prepares to introduce the plant-based drug this month. Scientists found that the treatment was twice as effective as a placebo — and marginally better than nicotine substitutes — in research published earlier this week in the medical journal Addiction. (Ganatra, 1/3)

Also —

CNN: Best Diet For 2024 Goes To A Science-Backed Style Of Eating
For the seventh year in a row, the Mediterranean style of eating earned the title of best overall diet, according to 2024 ratings that U.S. News & World Report announced Wednesday. The Mediterranean diet also ranked first in the categories of easiest diet to follow, best family-friendly diet, best diet for healthy eating and best diet for diabetes, bone and joint and heart-healthy eating, the report said. (LaMotte, 1/3)

The Atlantic: The Most Mysterious Cells In Our Bodies Don’t Belong To Us
Some 24 years ago, Diana Bianchi peered into a microscope at a piece of human thyroid and saw something that instantly gave her goosebumps. The sample had come from a woman who was chromosomally XX. But through the lens, Bianchi saw the unmistakable glimmer of Y chromosomes—dozens and dozens of them. “Clearly,” Bianchi told me, “part of her thyroid was entirely male.” The reason, Bianchi suspected, was pregnancy. (Wu, 1/3)

CBS News: Ever Wonder Why Urine Is Yellow? Researchers Say They've Figured It Out
Researchers identified the enzyme responsible for urine's color, unraveling a mystery that's puzzled scientists for years, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature Microbiology. "It's remarkable that an everyday biological phenomenon went unexplained for so long, and our team is excited to be able to explain it," Brantley Hall, an assistant professor in the University of Maryland's Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, said in a news statement. (Chasan, 1/3)

ScienceDaily: Foundation Laid For Improved Diagnostic Imaging Of Brain Tumors 
Research team draws up criteria for PET-based examinations of malignant brain tumors. (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Munchen, 1/3)

CIDRAP: Kids' Urinary Tract Infections Fell Sharply In Early Months Of COVID-19
An analysis of private insurance claims data shows there was a dramatic decline in one of the most common bacterial infections in children during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study, published today in JAMA Network Open, found that urinary tract infection (UTI) diagnoses in children fell by 33% during the first 3 months of the pandemic, without associated changes in disease severity. The authors of the study say that while several pandemic-related factors could have played a role, the findings may provide insight into the diagnosis and management of UTIs in children. (Dall, 1/3)

The Hill: New Study Helps Explain ‘Darwinian Paradox’ Of Same-Sex Attraction
Men carrying genetic factors linked to bisexual attraction tend to have more children, a new study has found. The paper published Wednesday in Science Advances found evidence for genetic variations that contribute to both bisexual attraction in men and a heightened appetite for risk. Those findings help resolve a paradox at the heart of evolutionary theory — while also raising difficult new questions about the genetic roots of same-sex attraction. (Elbein, 1/3)

Nature: A New Class Of Antibiotics Is Cause For Cautious Celebration — But The Economics Must Be Fixed
Two studies published on January 3 in Nature report a new class of drug candidates for tackling A. baumannii infections. One of these compounds has already made it into clinical trials, but it is still a long way from being approved for clinical use. The obstacles for developing such compounds are not just scientific: the economic incentives are insufficient for many companies to take the risk. As the threat of resistance grows, the international community must do more to shepherd promising drugs from bench to bedside. (1/3)

Los Angeles Times: The U.S. Is Facing The Biggest Covid Wave Since Omicron. Why Are We Still Playing Make-Believe?
The pandemic is far from over, as evidenced by the rapid rise to global dominance of the JN.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2. This variant is a derivative of BA.2.86, the only other strain that has carried more than 30 new mutations in the spike protein since Omicron first came on the scene more than two years ago. This should have warranted designation by the World Health Organization as a variant of concern with a Greek letter, such as Pi. (Eric J. Topol, 1/4)

Dallas Morning News: We Can Stop Hospital Monopolies From Driving Up Costs For Texas
It is a tough time for most Americans. We’re experiencing the effects of staggering inflation across all areas of our daily lives. Not only have our grocery bills increased, medical costs are soaring. There are many things that our congressional members should be focusing on to provide more financial stability and freedom for American consumers. (Genevieve Collins, 1/4)

Stat: Why Psychiatrists Like Me Stop Taking Insurance 
“I’m sorry, but I’m unable to take on new patients at this time.” I’ve said that line hundreds of times in the 15 years since I started my solo private practice in psychiatry. I feel terrible each time I say it. Someone on the other end of the phone is suffering and has taken the difficult step to call for help — probably multiple calls, given the longstanding shortage of psychiatrists — and yet I added to their hopelessness. (Andrew Popper, 1/4)

The Washington Post: Texas, Where Women Are Less Important Than A Fetus
Texas doesn’t care if pregnant women die. That comes as no surprise in the post-Dobbs abortion landscape. But it’s worth noting when the state’s unceasing cruelty is aided and abetted by federal judges. (Ruth Marcus, 1/3)

The New York Times: Millions Die Of Malaria With Miracle Drugs At Hand
In late October a large-scale pilot rollout of the malaria vaccine RTS,S in parts of Africa by the World Health Organization was shown to have reduced child mortality in by 13 percent over four years, Science reported. It was so astonishing that mortality reduction in one disease could reshape the prospects of all childhood deaths that the epidemiologist who led the program said she expected gasps in the audience when the news was announced. (David Wallace-Wells, 1/3)