CIDRAP: CDC Launches ‘Wild To Mild’ Flu Vaccine Campaign
In an effort to rebrand and rightsize expectations on the seasonal influenza vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) late last week launched a new campaign, called “Wild to Mild.” Decorated with pictures of ferocious wild animals paired against mild house pets, the campaign portrays the flu shot as a way to lessen severity of illness, and not necessarily prevent the virus. (Soucheray, 9/25)

CBS News: In New Effort To Reset Flu Shot Expectations, CDC To Avoid Messages That "Could Be Seen As A Scare Tactic"
"People are more likely to perceive messages as credible and trustworthy if they set realistic expectations about what vaccines can and cannot do," the CDC's Sara Dodge Ramey told a panel of federal vaccine advisers at a meeting Friday. ... That led to them rolling out a campaign this year carefully crafted to "avoid messages that could be seen as a scare tactic," she said, acknowledging some voiced "fatigue" around talking about important steps to avoid dying from respiratory diseases this fall and winter. (Tin, 9/25)

On how attitudes toward vaccination have become polarized —

Politico: Our New Poll Shows Just How Much GOP Voters Have Diverged From Everyone Else On Vaccines
A majority of voters overall see advantages to vaccination, though there’s a large partisan divide on the question. Among Democratic voters, 76 percent said they “care more about potential health benefits than the potential health risks of vaccines.” But among Republicans, it’s split evenly: 51 percent care more about the potential health risks, while 49 percent care more about the benefits. (Shepard, 9/23)

On a historic vaccination campaign —

KFF Health News: The Tata Way
Episode 5 of the “Eradicating Smallpox” podcast explores how a partnership between public health institutions and a huge, influential private company was key in the campaign to eliminate smallpox. (9/26)

CNBC: Merck Covid Drug Linked To Virus Mutations, Study Says
A new study released Monday said Merck’s widely used antiviral Covid pill can cause mutations in the virus that occasionally spread to other people, raising questions about whether the drug has the potential to accelerate Covid’s evolution. The findings may increase scrutiny about the usefulness of the treatment, molnupiravir, which was one of the first Covid drugs available to doctors worldwide during the pandemic. (Constantino, 9/25)

The Hill: Potential Link Found Between Merck Antiviral And Mutated COVID Strains
A new study published Monday links COVID-19 antiviral created by Merck with new mutations of the virus that have been sequenced around the world. Molnupiravir, known commercially as Lagevrio, is one of two COVID-19 antivirals authorized for treating coronavirus infections along with Paxlovid from Pfizer. The drug works by inducing mutations in the virus’s cells as it replicates, resulting in random mutations that are harmful to the virus and cuts down on its viral load. Researchers from the U.K. and South African delved into the question of where some mutated variants may have occurred, given that some have been found with seemingly random mutations, and whether molnupiravir may have contributed to the rise of some strains. (Choi, 9/25)

The New York Times: What To Know About Covid Rebound After Paxlovid Treatment
Rebound is a tricky concept to pin down, partly because you can define it in two ways: by looking at whether someone tests positive again a few days after testing negative, or by looking at whether symptoms have returned after someone has seemingly recovered. It’s also hard to differentiate between rebound symptoms and those that simply linger — or those of long Covid. (Blum, 9/26)

In other covid developments —

The Boston Globe: New COVID Vaccine Rollout Faces Canceled Appointments, Pricey Bills
According to CDC Director Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, it’s the first time the federal government is leaving purchasing to the private market since the pandemic began, which is similar to how the flu vaccine is distributed. ... “It’s important to know that there is vaccine available,” Cohen said in a video posted on social media last week. “You will be able to get one. And it should be free for you — whether or not you have insurance.” “It’s great that people are excited to get the vaccine,” added Cohen. “If you’ve had a problem finding the vaccine, stick with it. More vaccine is on the way.” (Gagosz, 9/25)

WUSF Public Media: The New COVID Vaccines Are Free, But Check With Your Insurance Company First
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that anyone 6 months or older should get the newest COVID-19 vaccines. And thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the shots remain free to consumers. However, some people have gotten surprise bills from insurance companies after getting vaccinated. (Bowman, 9/25)

The Wall Street Journal: Covid Boosters Aren’t Reaching People Who Want Them
The shift in responsibility for Covid-19 shot distribution from federal agencies to the commercial market is off to a rocky start. (Abbott and Wilde Mathews, 9/25)

Fortune: Where To Order Free COVID Tests From The U.S. Government
If your medicine cabinet is bereft of COVID tests, now is the time to stock up: The U.S. government is again mailing out free kits, ahead of an anticipated fall and winter surge. Each U.S. household is eligible to receive four free tests as of Sept. 25, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Orders can be placed at COVID.gov/tests. (Prater, 9/25)

Meanwhile, millions of American adults have had long covid —

ABC News: About 18 Million US Adults Have Had Long COVID: CDC
Millions of Americans say they've had long COVID, and some say they're still battling it, according to new federal data. Two new reports, published early Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, looked at data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey. (Kekatos, 9/26)

Reuters: Biden, US Officials Warn Of Hunger For Millions In A Government Shutdown
U.S. President Joe Biden and one of his top aides warned on Monday that a federal government shutdown could cause widespread suffering, including a rapid loss of food benefits for nearly 7 million low-income women and children. Biden told a meeting on Historically Black Colleges and Universities that failure by Congress to fund the federal government would have dire consequences for the Black community, including by reducing nutritional benefits, inspections of hazardous waste sites and enforcement of fair housing laws. (Holland, 9/25)

Roll Call: Senate Readies Stopgap As House Tries Again On Full-Year Bills
By Aidan Quigley and Paul M. Krawzak and David LermanPosted September 25, 2023 at 8:11pm​Even as Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., preps a last-ditch attempt to get his unruly conference in line behind a spending strategy, there were quiet staff-level talks happening among the “four corners” of the congressional leadership in both chambers to somehow avert a shutdown. Senate Democratic and Republican leaders have been negotiating the contents of a stopgap spending measure while keeping House GOP leaders in the loop, sources familiar with the talks said. They are cognizant of the pressures McCarthy is facing and are trying to give him something his conference can feasibly swallow, these people said. (Quigley, Krawzak and Lerman, 9/25)

USA Today: What Does A Federal Government Shutdown Mean? How You And Your Community Could Be Affected
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food benefits to millions of low-income families, would continue throughout the month of October, he said. But if the shutdown drags on longer than October, SNAP funding would be put at risk. In more immediate danger would be the seven million moms and children relying on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC. That program, according to USDA, helps low-income mothers with infants and children at nutritional risk by offering easier access to things like food and healthcare referrals. Their benefits would dry up within a matter of days, Vilsack said, though some states might be able to use extra funding to stave off the effects for a week or two.  (Schermele, Ramirez and Collins, 9/26)

The Washington Post's Health 202: What A Government Shutdown Means For Health Care
When it comes to health policy, a short shutdown wouldn’t affect major programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare’s federal insurance marketplace. Research into developing vaccines and therapeutics would continue as would the federal health department’s response to covid-19, while the Food and Drug Administration could still support drug and medical device reviews. But a funding hiatus would still impact federal workers and some programs. Roughly 42 percent of staff at the Department of Health and Human Services would be furloughed on the second day of a shutdown, according to a new HHS contingency plan quietly updated Thursday. (Roubein, 9/25)

In congressional news —

Stat: Medicaid, Medicare Dual-Eligible Plans Are Up For Senate Scrutiny
The Senate has set its eyes on regulating insurance plans for some of the most vulnerable patients in the U.S. — the 12.5 million people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. “They’re a complex group of people with a lot of chronic conditions — mental illness, frailty, disability,” said Jose Figueroa, an internal medicine physician and health policy expert at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Over a third of these dual-eligible beneficiaries have less than a high school education, and about 90% make less than $20,000 per year. (Bajaj, 9/26)

Politico: Hearings To Discuss Drinking Water Infrastructure, Access
Hearings in both the House and Senate will focus on water issues this week, as lawmakers assess recent regulatory developments and push agencies to do more against persistent problems. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment is set to discuss infrastructure financing for clean water projects. (Crunden, 9/25)

Roll Call: Lee, Administration Officials Issue Plea For Five-Year PEPFAR 
A key player in crafting the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief joined administration officials Friday in calling for a clean five-year reauthorization of the long-standing HIV/AIDS program. (Raman, 9/25)

And in administration news from the EPA and FDA —

Politico: EPA Advances Closely Watched Soot Rule
Beset by a host of competing pressures, EPA is now in the last lap of a two-year marathon to tighten a particularly consequential set of air pollution regulations. At issue is a rule on airborne levels of soot, which is tied to a host of environmental and health concerns. Because human sources range from refineries and other types of heavy industry to residential wood stoves, the regulatory impact of any changes to the standards can be far-reaching. (Reilly, 9/25)

Politico: Court Hands EPA Big Win In 'Good Neighbor' Litigation
EPA scored a crucial victory Monday in defense of its latest bid to curb the cross-country spread of smog-forming emissions. In a brief order, a divided three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied a flurry of motions from states and industry groups to stay the "good neighbor rule" released in March. Granting a national stay would have been a sign that the court was likely to throw out the rule, thereby gutting EPA's ability to enforce smog reduction requirements affecting almost half the country and predicted to yield substantial health benefits. (Reilly, 9/25)

Stat: Case For ALS Therapy Nurown Relies On ‘Deficient’ Data, FDA Finds
The Food and Drug Administration said Monday that it has deep reservations about NurOwn, an investigational ALS treatment from BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, citing a lack of evidence that the medicine works and the company’s failure to demonstrate that it can properly manufacture the product. (Garde, 9/25)

Also —

Fortune: Anthony Fauci Says He Still Needs A Security Detail After Ron DeSantis Threatened To ‘Grab That Little Elf And Chuck Him Across The Potomac’
Dr. Anthony Fauci says he still needs a security detail, despite having retired from public service at the end of 2022, because of threats to his life inspired by comments from right-wing figures like Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. (Hagy, 9/25)

Politico: AstraZeneca Plans To Negotiate With Medicare Over Price Of Farxiga
Drugmaker AstraZeneca plans to negotiate a price with Medicare for its diabetes drug Farxiga, the company told POLITICO. Farxiga — which is used to treat type 2 diabetes, as well as heart failure and chronic kidney disease — was among the first 10 drugs selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last month for price negotiations Congress ordered in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. (Lim, 9/25)

The Wall Street Journal: Uncle Sam Wants You—To Fight High Drug Prices
Help Wanted: Join the government. Fight Big Pharma. ... Medicare is hiring economists, data scientists and others for a team to conduct the U.S.’s first drug-price negotiations. (Walker, 9/25)

In other health care costs news —

Axios: Women Pay Billions More Out Of Pocket For Health Care: Analysis
At every age, women have higher out-of-pocket expenses for their health care than men despite having similar health insurance, according to a new Deloitte report. Much has been made about a so-called "pink tax" when it comes to higher costs for women's consumer products. The new analysis argues there's a similar burden when it comes to women's health coverage. (Reed, 9/26)

Modern Healthcare: Mark Cuban-Backed JAMA Study Finds Major Hospital Price Variations
A study co-authored by billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban found significant discrepancies in price estimates for hospital services, depending on how patients sought them. The study, published this week in JAMA Internal Medicine, compared online cash price estimates for vaginal childbirth and brain MRI services with estimates obtained via "secret shopper" calls. The study looked at 60 hospitals grouped as top-ranked, safety net or neither. (Hudson, 9/22)

Modern Healthcare: Why Anti-Steering Contracts In Healthcare Are Under Fire In Congress
A section of the Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act of 2023, which passed the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Thursday, would ban hospitals from using anticompetitive contracting practices when they negotiate prices with commercial insurance companies. The bill specifically takes aim at anti-steering and all-or-nothing provisions. Some dominant health systems have prevented insurers from including lower-cost providers in their health plans or they force insurers to contract with all of a health system’s facilities or none of them. (Kacik, 9/25)

Axios: Employers Are Getting More Creative On Benefits
Employers bracing for a major hike in health care costs are retooling their benefits, aiming to provide perks better targeted to workers' needs as they closely mind the bottom line. Employer health costs are expected to see their largest jump in a decade, but many companies facing an ongoing workforce crunch are hesitant to pass along those costs or cut back benefits. (Reed, 9/26)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Judge Rewrites Summary For Missouri Abortion Petition
A Cole County judge rewrote the ballot titles for six initiative petitions seeking to enshrine the right to abortion in the Missouri Constitution, ruling that 13 phrases in the summaries written by Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft are “argumentative” or unfairly biased. In a ruling issued Monday morning, Circuit Judge Jon Beetem wrote that the summaries crafted by Ashcroft completely ignored the initiative proposals’ protections for contraceptives and other reproductive health needs. In a separate decision, Beetem upheld the fiscal note summary written by state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick, rejecting claims by two state lawmakers and an anti-abortion activist that passage would impose enormous costs not reflected in the summary. (Keller, 9/26)

AP: A Judge Has Rewritten Missouri Ballot Summary Language That Described 'Dangerous' Abortions
Missouri is among several states, including Ohio, where abortion opponents are fighting efforts to ensure or restore access to the procedure following the fall of Roe v. Wade last year. If supporters gather enough voter signatures, the proposed constitutional amendments will go before Missouri voters in 2024. Ashcroft’s description asks voters whether they want to “allow for dangerous, unregulated, and unrestricted abortions, from conception to live birth, without requiring a medical license or potentially being subject to medical malpractice.” (Ballentine, 9/25)

Bloomberg Law: Abortion Case Pits Ohio Against Doctors Suing To Treat Patients
Access to abortion care in increasingly Republican Ohio may hinge on a technical but important legal issue: the ability for doctors and clinics to sue the state for access on behalf of their patients. The state Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments Wednesday in a case in which reproductive rights advocates argue that a law effectively banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy violates the Ohio Constitution, especially in the wake of a 2011 amendment that spells out the ability for people to make their own healthcare decisions. (Heisig, 9/26)

On other abortion developments across the country —

The New York Times: A New Border Crossing: Americans Turn To Mexico For Abortions
The text message Cynthia Menchaca received this summer was one she was seeing more and more: A woman living in Texas said she had left a violent relationship only to discover she was pregnant, and she desperately wanted an abortion. The woman had learned that Ms. Menchaca could send her abortion pills from Mexico, where the procedure has been decriminalized in several states. But the growing U.S. demand for abortion care is not limited to deliveries of medication, according to advocates like Ms. Menchaca, who lives in Coahuila state in northeastern Mexico. (Kanno-Youngs and Espriella, 9/25)

Wfmynews2.Com: More NC Women Seeking Sterilization Amid Abortion Restrictions 
North Carolina women are now considering permanent sterilization procedures like hysterectomies or getting their tubes tied, according to doctors. This trend comes after state lawmakers approved a 12-week restriction on abortions this summer. “There is no longer wiggle room or room for error," Dr. Kavita Arora, an OB-GYN at UNC School of Medicine, said. Arora said the data is still limited, but she's seen a rise in the number of women requesting sterilization to avoid getting pregnant. She believes the requests asking for permanent birth control are directly related to state abortion laws. (Wilson, 9/25)

Axios Phoenix: Abortions Have Decreased By 16% In Arizona Since 2020 
The number of abortions performed in Arizona fell by 16%, based on a comparison of 2020 and 2023 data. Meanwhile, abortions increased in neighboring states with looser abortion laws — most notably in New Mexico, where procedures have surged 220%. (Boehm and Bettelheim, 9/25)

Axios Boston: Abortion Rights Advocates Are Trying To Make New England A Safe Haven
Reproductive Equity Now, the advocacy group behind successful efforts to bolster abortion rights laws in Massachusetts, is expanding into Connecticut and New Hampshire. The Boston-based organization wants to build an abortion safe haven across New England, a region where state laws and resources for reproductive health still vary. Codifying abortion protections in state law can shield states from any national abortion restrictions. (Solis, 9/26)

Meanwhile, former President Trump is voicing his opinions —

PolitiFact: Fact Check: Does Trump Support Punishing Women Who Have Abortions?
The claim: A new ad from President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign takes aim at some of his Republican rivals’ positions on abortion, highlighting comments by South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump. PolitiFact ruling: Mostly False. A Biden campaign ad featured a clip of Trump saying “there has to be some form of punishment” for women who have abortions. This is misleading. Trump made the comment in a 2016 MSNBC interview, but walked it back the same day. (Putterman, 9/25)

Axios Raleigh: Contamination Found At Novo Nordisk's Johnston County Plant, Report Says 
Novo Nordisk — the drugmaker behind the popular weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy — has been having trouble with its factory in Clayton, one of the largest employers in Johnston County. Federal inspectors discovered bacteria in batches of Novo Nordisk's main ingredients for a diabetes drug, Rybelsus, that is made at the Clayton plant, the Wall Street Journal reports. (Eanes, 9/25)

Bloomberg: Novo Partners With Valo Health On AI-Driven Drug Deal Worth As Much As $2.7B
Novo Nordisk A/S agreed to partner with the US technology company Valo Health Inc. to use artificial intelligence to find new drugs in a deal that could be worth as much as $2.7 billion. Valo will receive an upfront payment and a potential near-term milestone of $60 million, the companies said Monday. Closely held Valo stands to get far more if some of the 11 programs the partners will work on together reach certain mileposts. (Wienberg, 9/25)

On financial developments across the health industry —

Axios: Alto Pharmacy Raises $120 Million In New Funding
Online pharmacy Alto Pharmacy has raised $120 million in new funding at an $800 million post-money valuation, the company confirmed to Axios. Alto is among the many late-stage startups to take a valuation cut in the current market. (Kokalitcheva, 9/25)

Modern Healthcare: Elevance, Blue Cross Louisiana Halt $2.5B Proposed Merger
"We have chosen to withdraw BCBSLA's plan of reorganization and Elevance Health's acquisition application from the Louisiana Department of Insurance to provide more time for key stakeholders to understand the benefits this transaction will provide to Louisianaians and how the quality service our stakeholders know, and value will continue," the companies said in a joint statement Monday. (Tepper, 9/25)

Reuters: Enovis To Buy Surgical Implants Maker LimaCorporate For $850 Mln
Enovis Corp (ENOV.N), which offers orthopedic bracing, surgical implants and footcare solutions, said on Monday it had agreed to acquire Italian surgical implant manufacturer LimaCorporate for about 800 million euros ($850 million), including debt. The announcement confirmed Reuters' report, citing people familiar with the matter, earlier on Monday.The acquisition will bolster the U.S. company's reconstructive business, which makes shoulder, hip and knee implants used in surgeries, and expand its international footprint. (Carnevali, 9/25)

Reuters: Artificial Heart Maker Carmat Could Run Out Of Cash After Sales Miss
French artificial heart maker Carmat (ALCAR.PA) said on Monday supply issues meant it would miss its full-year sales target and warned it could run out of cash by the end of October. "During the first half of 2023, the production ramp-up we were anticipating was significantly disrupted by supply issues," CEO Stephane Piat said in a press release after the market close. "Due to the lack of a sufficient number of devices, we were late in generating the demand from hospitals." (9/25)

Reuters: AbbVie Terminates Deal With I-Mab To Develop Cancer Drug
China-based biotech company I-Mab (IMAB.O) said on Friday that AbbVie (ABBV.N) has terminated a 2020 deal to co-develop and market I-Mab's lead cancer drug candidate lemzoparlimab. AbbVie's decision to scrap the deal comes after it pulled the plug on an early-stage study in August last year that was testing lemzoparlimab in combination with two other drugs for treating two types of blood cancers, myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myelocytic leukemia. (9/25)

Reuters: Exclusive: Medical Components Maker Zeus Explores $4 Billion Sale -Sources
Zeus Company Inc, a family-owned manufacturer of components used primarily in medical equipment and devices, is exploring options including a sale that could value the company at $4 billion or more, including debt, people familiar with the matter said. The Orangeburg, South Carolina-based company is in the early stages of a sale process and is working with investment bank Goldman Sachs Group (GS.N) to establish whether a deal would be financially attractive, the sources said. (Carnevali, 9/25)

In other industry news —

Bloomberg: Amoxicillin Plant Making Strep Throat Drugs Could Shut Down
A manufacturing plant ... used to make enough amoxicillin to treat the entire country’s strep throat as well as ear and other infections. At its heyday, it employed more than 500 workers and pumped out billions of pills of the most commonly prescribed antibiotic each year. But by late July, only 62 people were working at USAntibiotics LLC. Some of the plant’s equipment sat dormant, plastic draped over the machinery, and the once-bustling cafeteria was closed. Over the summer, the plant was making a mere 3% of America’s amoxicillin supply. (Swetlitz, 9/25)

Modern Healthcare: InnovAge’s PACE Program To Grow Amid Possible Nursing Home Closures
InnovAge, the nation’s largest and only publicly traded operator of Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, is gearing up for expansion as a proposed nursing home staffing mandate threatens to close more skilled nursing facilities. The Denver-based company operates 17 PACE centers across Colorado, California, New Mexico, Virginia and Pennsylvania. It is scheduled to open its first two PACE centers in Florida by the end of 2023 and hopes to open its first center in Kentucky and a third center in California within the next few years, according to InnovAge President and CEO Patrick Blair. (Eastabrook, 9/25)

Axios: Costco Joins Retail Push Into Primary Care With $29 Telehealth Visits
Costco is joining big retailers' push into primary care by offering members $29 telehealth visits, as well as lab testing and virtual mental health services. It's part of a broad effort to use digital tools to create more customizable patient experiences that's also drawn the likes of Amazon, Walmart, CVS and Dollar General. (Bettelheim, 9/26)

AP: Tornado-Damaged Pfizer Plant In North Carolina Restarts Production
A major Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in North Carolina that makes critical supplies for U.S. hospitals has restarted production about 10 weeks after it was heavily damaged by a tornado, the company announced Monday. Getting a majority of manufacturing lines at the Rocky Mount facility back up and running is a “proud achievement,” Pfizer said in a statement. Full production across the facility’s three manufacturing sites is expected by the end of the year. (9/25)

In pharmaceutical news —

Reuters: Canada's Appili Gets US FDA Approval For Oral Antibiotic Solution
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday approved Canadian drugmaker Appili Therapeutics' (APLI.TO) liquid oral form of antibiotic drug metronidazole, offering an alternative to patients who have difficulty taking injections or pills. An injectable form of the drug, which is commonly used in the treatment of bacterial and parasitic infections, has been in shortage in the United States since early last year due to high demand and regulatory delays. (9/25)

NBC News: Children's Cancer Drugs In Shortage As Supply Crisis Continues
Pediatric cancer doctors are sounding the alarm about a growing shortage of chemotherapy drugs for children. ... “It’s devastating,” said Dr. Doug Hawkins, chair of the Children’s Oncology Group, a national research organization. “Can you imagine that your child has been diagnosed with cancer, and you’re told, ‘We know how to treat this, so we have a 70% chance, an 80% chance, a 90% chance of curing your child with standard treatment, and Oh, by the way, we can’t get one of those standard treatments.’” (Lovelace Jr., 9/25)

Reuters: Scynexis To Recall GSK-Partnered Antifungal On Cross Contamination Risk
Scynexis (SCYX.O) said on Monday it would voluntarily recall its antifungal pill, which it has licensed to GSK (GSK.L), due to risk of cross-contamination with a potential allergy-inducing compound, sending the drugmaker's shares tumbling over 30%. The drugmaker said it became aware substances used to make drugs that contain beta-lactam are manufactured using equipment also used to make its treatment, called Brexafemme. (Mishra, 9/25)

Reuters: Pakistan Probes Distributors Of Roche Cancer Drug After Patients Go Blind
Pakistan said on Monday it was investigating two local distributors of Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche's (ROG.S) Avastin cancer drug after 12 diabetic patients injected with the drug went blind. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) said the health authorities in Punjab, the most populous province, had launched the investigation into local use of the drug Avastin, which is licensed for use in Pakistan. ... On its website, Roche said Avastin was approved in more than 130 countries, including the United States, to treat several types of cancer. (Bukhari, 9/25)

CNN: Under Pressure That Hasn’t Eased Since The Pandemic, Some Health Care Workers Are Preparing To Strike
As the US hovers on the edge of another season of respiratory viruses, some health care workers are preparing to swap their medical instruments for picket signs, sounding the alarm about a staffing crisis that they say is already affecting patient care. (Hassan, 9/25)

California Healthline and KFF Health News: Massive Kaiser Permanente Strike Looms As Talks Head To The Wire
Kaiser Permanente and union representatives pledged to continue negotiating a new contract up until the last minute as the threat of the nation’s latest large-scale strike looms next month. Unless a deal is struck, more than 75,000 health workers will walk out for three days from Oct. 4-7, disrupting care for KP patients in California, Colorado, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and Washington, D.C. The unions represent a wide range of KP health workers, including lab technicians, phlebotomists, pharmacists, optometrists, social workers, orderlies, and support staff. (Wolfson, 9/25)

St. Louis Public Radio: St. Louis Nurses Strike For 24 Hours Outside SLU Hospital 
Dozens of nurses on Monday formed a picket line outside SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital on South Grand Boulevard to call for better staffing, guaranteed breaks and more comprehensive sick leave policies. The workers represented by the National Nurses United union earlier this month voted for the strike — nearly three months after their contract expired in mid-June. The nurses say they voted to strike for 24 hours after SSM did not address their concerns about retention and workplace violence due to short staffing. (Fentem, 9/25)

The Mercury News: California Dialysis Workers To Go On Strike Over Labor Practices
More than 500 dialysis workers across California are expected to go on strike this week over allegedly unfair labor practices at Satellite Healthcare and Fresenius Kidney Care clinics. (Hase, 9/25)

In other news relating to health care personnel —

Axios: Staffing Crunch Hit Federal Health Facilities
A tight labor market, comparatively poor pay, COVID-19 requirements and a lengthy hiring process contributed to staffing shortages and decreased access to care at federal health care facilities during the pandemic, a new report found. Why it matters: Officials must do more to ensure facilities are properly staffed during normal operations and strategically plan for future pandemics and other health emergencies, according to federal agency watchdogs on the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. (Goldman, 9/26)

Stat: Emergency Workers More Likely To Restrain Black Patients: Study
In the chaotic environment of an emergency room, hospital staffers sometimes face the question of whether to use physical restraints when a patient is experiencing a behavioral crisis. Using restraints is meant to be a last resort in the face of a patient’s agitation in order to keep health care workers and others around them safe. But restraints can also lead to severe adverse outcomes for patients, including physical and psychological trauma. (Nayak, 9/25)

Fox News: ‘Zombie Apocalypse’: San Francisco On Track To Crush Overdose Death Record As Addicts Die In Streets
San Francisco is poised to surpass a record-breaking year for overdose deaths. ... "There's so much fentanyl that it's contaminated other drugs sold on the street like meth and crack cocaine. It's in everything," Tom Wolf, a former drug user and current recovery advocate, told Fox News. He said the surge in overdoses is because the amount of fentanyl on the streets has increased threefold compared to 2020. (Raasch, 9/25)

ABC News: Overdose Crisis Reaches Historic Levels In New York City
The overdose crisis has reached historic levels in New York City, according to new data from the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Provisional data shows there were 3,026 overdose deaths in New York City in 2022, the highest total since the department began recording such incidents in 2000. Newly released data shows that overdose deaths increased by 12% from 2021 to 2022. Fentanyl was detected in 81% of drug overdose deaths in New York City, according to the data. (Alfonseca, 9/25)

The New York Times: Online Marijuana Shops Make It Easy For Minors To Buy, Study Finds
Many online marijuana dispensaries do not enforce age limits on purchases, and they have other lax policies that enable minors to buy cannabis on the internet, according to a new study published on Monday in The Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics. ... The study found that 18.8 percent of dispensaries, or nearly one in five, “required no formal age verification at any stage of the purchasing process.” And that more than 80 percent accepted “nontraceable” payment methods, like prepaid cards or cash, thus “enabling youth to hide their transactions,” the authors noted. (Richel, 9/25)

In other public health news —

The Boston Globe: First Human Case Of Jamestown Canyon Virus Found In New Hampshire This Year, Officials Say
The first human case of Jamestown Canyon virus this year has been identified in New Hampshire, where public health officials have also discovered two cases of Powassan virus, both of which are spread by bites from insects. A virus spread by mosquito bites, JCV was identified in an adult in HIllsborough County, the Division of Public Health Services said Monday. (Ellement, 9/25)

Wyoming Public Radio: Healthy Aging Report Highlights Factors Influencing Health And Wellbeing For Those Over 65
Wyoming's population is aging fast. The number of people 65 and older has increased nearly 50 percent in the last decade — far outpacing every other age demographic. A new report from the Wyoming Healthy Aging Coalition compiles data about this rapidly growing population. It pulled together 130 indicators of health and wellbeing, covering a vast range of metrics about Wyoming's oldest residents and the resources they need — from the prevalence of chronic conditions to the degree of internet access to the affordability of housing. (Victor, 9/25)

PBS NewsHour: Patients Say Drugs Like Ozempic Help With ‘Food Noise.’ Here’s What That Means
As more people turn to drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss, another side effect for some patients has emerged: less so-called “food noise,” or food chatter. The terms refer to constant or intrusive thoughts or preoccupation about food, said Dr. Karla Lester, an obesity physician and pediatrician. Whereas “hunger would be the physiologic sensation that you need to eat … food noise and food chatter is more like the craving mind.” (Kuhn, 9/25)

Also —

KFF Health News: A Decades-Long Drop In Teen Births Is Slowing, And Advocates Worry A Reversal Is Coming
Cicely Wilson’s work doesn’t end when she leaves her day job as a lactation consultant, doula, and child care expert. Wilson founded a nonprofit called Sunnyside Up Youth Pregnancy Services, which connects girls ages 13 to 19 with resources they need to care for their babies. After-hours, she looks for affordable Nashville apartments, books medical appointments, tries to find strollers and other baby supplies, and hosts conversations with pregnant teens about breastfeeding and preparing mentally for childbirth. (Sweeney, 9/26)

In obituaries —

The Washington Post: Burkey Belser, Designer Of Ubiquitous Nutrition Facts Label, Dies At 76
Burkey Belser, a graphic designer who created the ubiquitous nutrition facts label — a stark rectangle listing calories, fat, sodium and other content information — that adorns the packaging of nearly every digestible product in grocery stores, died Sept. 25 at his home in Bethesda, Md. He was 76. ... Mr. Belser’s nutrition facts label — rendered in bold and light Helvetica type — was celebrated as a triumph of public health and graphic design when it debuted in 1994 following passage of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act. (Rosenwald, 9/25)

Axios: Scientists Take "Decisive Step" In Blood Testing For Long COVID
Patients suffering from long COVID have distinct immune and hormone imbalances compared to those without, according to a new study published in the scientific journal Nature. More than three years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the breakthrough offers concrete scientific evidence of a complex condition that scientists have struggled to understand. (Saric, 9/25)

NBC News: Long Covid Blood Test Shows Differences In The Immune System, Research Finds
Scientists have found clear differences in the blood of people with long Covid — a key first step in the development of a test to diagnose the illness. The findings, published Monday in the journal Nature, also offer clues into what could be causing the elusive condition that has perplexed doctors worldwide and left millions with ongoing fatigue, trouble with memory and other debilitating symptoms. (Edwards, 9/25)

On other research into covid —

CIDRAP: COVID Patients At Higher Risk Of New Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular Conditions Amid Delta Wave
A large study from Singapore suggests that COVID-19 infection increased the risk of new-onset cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications during the Delta variant era and that vaccination lowered the risk. For the study, published today in Clinical Infectious Diseases, a team led by National Centre for Infectious Diseases researchers used national testing and healthcare claims databases to evaluate the risk and rates of incident cardiovascular (eg, abnormal heart rhythms), cerebrovascular (eg, stroke), and other thrombotic (blood clot–related) complications among adults. (Van Beusekom, 9/25)

CIDRAP: UK: Still Not Clear If BA.2.86 Will Outcompete Other Variants
The United Kingdom's Heath Security Agency (HSA) recently posted a technical briefing on the highly mutated Omicron BA.2.86 variant, which said that, based on moderate confidence, the level of antibody escape is probably similar to XBB.1.5. In addition, data from two labs suggests it may have slightly higher ACE2 binding affinity, a factor that might play a role in transmissibility. So far, there's no sign that infections involving BA.2.86 are more severe. (Schnirring, 9/25)

On the innovative benefits AI may have in health care —

Modern Healthcare: How ChatGPT, Generative AI Could Eliminate Third-Party Tech Vendors
Health system leaders are viewing generative artificial intelligence as a way to cut costs and pare relationships with certain third-party vendors. Excitement is palpable for AI in healthcare. A survey released last week by the Center for Connected Medicine at UPMC and market research firm KLAS Research showed AI was “dominating the thoughts of many executives at health systems.” AI was identified as the most exciting emerging technology by nearly 80% of health system respondents. (Turner, 9/25)

Also, on the future of antibiotic developments —

CIDRAP: Report Calls For 'Grand Bargain' To Fix Antibiotic Development Market
A new report by an international team of experts is calling for a "grand bargain" to improve the antibiotic development market. The report, released last week by the Center for Global Development, calls for governments and drug makers to negotiate and come to a political understanding that would help fix the antibiotic development market. Such an agreement is needed because the current market, the report argues, is failing to spur antibiotic research and development (R&D), ensure equitable access to new antibiotics, and protect antibiotics from overuse. (Dall, 9/25)

Also —

The Boston Globe: How Do Fiber And Food Insecurity Impact The Health Of N.H.’s Hispanic Community?
New research at the University of New Hampshire will focus on finding out more about the gut health of New Hampshire’s hispanic community and particularly those at risk of food insecurity. ... Diabetes affects Hispanic or Latino people more, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. US adults have a 40 percent chance of developing Type 2 diabetes, while Hispanic or Latino adults have more than a 50 percent chance of developing the disease and it’s likely to occur at a younger age. (Gokee, 9/25)

Axios Raleigh: North Carolina Is Expanding Medicaid Eligibility On December 1 
Medicaid expansion in North Carolina will go live on Dec. 1, Gov. Roy Cooper and N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley announced Monday. When it goes live in December, expansion will make more than 600,000 of the state's poorest residents newly eligible for government health care coverage. (Eanes, 9/25)

AP: North Carolina To Launch Medicaid Expansion On Dec. 1
Medicaid expansion will launch Dec. 1 in North Carolina, Gov. Roy Cooper announced on Monday after achieving what he’s sought for nearly seven years on the job and what’s possibly his biggest policy win. Government health insurance should be available to another 600,000 low-income adults, with roughly half of them receiving coverage on Day One. But securing expansion through the Republican-controlled state legislature came with hefty political expenses for the Democratic governor that will be difficult to reverse. (Robertson, 9/25)

Side Effects Media: Kansas And Missouri’s Poorest, Sickest Patients Get Trapped Between Medicare And Medicaid
Low-income people who are disabled or over 65 — or both — qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. In 2022, that included 203,000 people in Missouri and 75,000 in Kansas. A bipartisan group of lawmakers agree: the two insurance programs are failing the country's most vulnerable patients. (Walker and Gorenstein, 9/26)

In other news from across the country —

News Service of Florida: Florida House May Again Take Up Medical Malpractice Related To Death Of Adult Children
The Florida House could again take up an issue about whether parents should be able to seek damages for mental pain and suffering when their adult children die because of alleged medical malpractice. Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers, filed a bill (HB 77) on Thursday that would eliminate a prohibition on parents of adult children pursuing such damages in malpractice cases. (9/25)

Los Angeles Times: Medication Error 'Probably Caused' SoCal Patient's Brain Bleed
State regulators faulted two hospitals in Southern California for medication errors that put patients at risk... State investigators determined that the medication error represented a “system wide failure” and may have led to the death, which occurred 18 hours after the brain bleed. The hospital “failed to ensure that patients had been protected from medication errors,” they found, declaring its faulty practices an “immediate jeopardy” situation that put patients at risk of serious harm. (Alpert Reyes, 9/25)

NPR: FDNY Deaths From 9/11-Related Illnesses Now Equal The Number Killed On Sept. 11
In the 22 years that have passed since Sept. 11, 2001, just as many New York Fire Department employees have died from World Trade Center-related illnesses as died on the day at ground zero, the department says. Over the weekend, the FDNY announced the deaths of EMT Hilda Vannata and retired firefighter Robert Fulco, bringing the total number of deaths from World Trade Center-related illnesses to 343. (Sullivan, 9/25)

Axios Seattle: ADHD Prescriptions Skyrocket In Washington State And Nationwide 
Prescriptions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have skyrocketed in Washington state and nationwide, driven largely by more adults and women seeking treatment. Greater recognition of how symptoms show up differently in women and girls is shifting who receives treatment for ADHD, which has historically been diagnosed more often in boys, said Douglas Russell, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Seattle Children's Hospital. (Santos, 9/25)

CBS News: Michigan To Receive $3 Million For Youth Mental Health Services
"Some of that money is going statewide to support teleconsultation, to help pediatricians access mental health providers when they need help and support caring for their patients," said Carole Jonson, the Health Resources and Services Administration administrator. "Some of it's going to targeted areas. We're doing awards to the University of Detroit Mercy to Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State University for the support of training new mental health providers, which is what everyone in the health care field knows we need to do more of." (Meyers, 9/25)

Chicago Tribune: Teen Who Had Rare Double Lung Retransplant Visits Sue The T. Rex
Josh Burton is a soft-spoken, studious 17-year-old from Madison, Wisconsin, who is now on his third set of lungs. In 2020, he had shortness of breath after helping a neighbor retrieve a runway pet. He told his mom, Kelly Burton, he felt like he was having a heart attack; she thought surely that couldn’t be the case. But they went to the doctor anyway, and soon found out he had a rare case of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease, which can lead to heart failure. (Bowen, 9/26)

AP: Connecticut Health Commissioner Fired During COVID Settles With State, Dismissal Now A Resignation
Connecticut’s Department of Public Health has reached a settlement agreement with the agency’s former commissioner, who was fired in the first weeks of the coronavirus pandemic. She had accused Gov. Ned Lamon of discriminating against her, a Black woman, by elevating several white people to lead the crisis response. (Haigh, 9/26)

Kansas City Star: KC-Area Doctor Allegedly Assaulted Amish Girls During Pelvic Exams 
A suburban Kansas City doctor for decades sexually assaulted women and girls, mostly from Amish communities, under the guise of performing routine breast and pelvic exams, prosecutors said Monday. David B. Clark, 70, of Independence, was charged with six felonies in Jackson County Circuit Court based on a long-running investigation led by the FBI. He is accused of assaulting patients at his Health+Plus clinic in Oak Grove, a town of about 8,500 people, 30 miles east of Kansas City. (Lukitsch, 9/25)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Inspira’s Former Woodbury Hospital Campus Could Soon Include Health Services, Housing And Retail Offerings
New Jersey health system Inspira Health and Woodbury city officials on Monday announced plans to transform Inspira’s former Woodbury hospital campus into a “Health and Education Innovation District” that combines health services with housing, restaurants, and a hotel. The emergency department and inpatient behavioral health units that currently occupy the Woodbury campus will be moved across the street to a new building, a $60 million structure currently under construction. (Whelan, 9/25)

Houston Chronicle: The Sneaky Reason American Medical Bills Are Rising
A relatively new source of rising health care costs is causing concern among physicians like me. Large health systems are buying up independent physician practices left and right. The doctors continue to provide the same health care services, usually in exactly the same place. But then they charge more for those services. (Audrey Nath, 9/24)

The Tennessean: Tennessee Abortion Law Threated The Life Of A Mother Who Needed Care
Tennessee’s politicians are passing cruel laws against something they know nothing about − medically essential abortions. I needed one, and it was traumatizing for me and my family that I had to leave Tennessee to get it. Tennesseans must be able to get the care they need at home. (Allyson "Allie" Phillips, 9/25)

The Tennessean: As Nashville Healthcare Grows, Collaboration Across Tennessee Is Key
Nashville’s health care industry has greater reach and touches more patients through health care delivery than any other city in the United States. With more than 900 health care companies – including the headquarters of 17 publicly traded health care companies – Nashville’s health care businesses operate in all 50 states, providing 500,000 jobs and generating $97 billion in annual revenue to the U.S. economy. (Apryl Childs-Potter, 9/26)

The CT Mirror: Connecticut Insurance, Stop Raising Obamacare Premiums
As insurers continue to record hefty profits, the annual increase in health insurance premiums recently approved by the Connecticut Insurance Department will further burden patients already struggling with healthcare costs. This double-digit increase, following a similar one last year, may lead to the impossible decision between a more expensive comprehensive plan and one which is affordable but with substantial out-of-pocket costs and more limited coverage. (Dr. Ruth Weissberger and Dr. Anthony Yoder, 9/26)