Becker's Hospital Review: As Biden Signs CHIPS Act, CIOs Debate Whether It Will Help Hospitals
On Aug. 9, President Joe Biden signed into law the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act, which provides $52 billion to boost the U.S. semiconductor sector. The global chip shortage has affected a variety of industries over the past two-plus years, including healthcare. But how exactly has the dearth of semiconductors affected hospitals and health systems? And do CIOs believe the new law will provide some relief? Becker's asked several health IT executives these questions, and 12 sent responses via email. (Bruce, 8/9)

The Hill: Biden Signs Chips And Science Bill Into Law 
President Biden signed into law on Tuesday bipartisan legislation to provide billions of dollars in incentives to the domestic semiconductor industry and fund scientific research that proponents say will help boost U.S. competitiveness and solve supply chain challenges. ... The bill includes more than $50 billion in incentives for manufacturers of semiconductors, or chips, to build domestic semiconductor plants. It also includes more than $80 billion for the National Science Foundation authorized over five years to support innovation and research. (Chalfant and Gangitano, 8/9)

CNN: Here’s What’s In The Bipartisan Semiconductor Chip Manufacturing Package
The legislation calls for a historic investment in scientific research and development that amounts to nearly $170 billion over five years, an $82.5 billion increase in the federal government’s baseline authorization. ... The federal funding will also fund the creation of new regional technology hubs across the country, strengthen small manufacturers as well as reduce long-term supply chain vulnerabilities in areas such as advanced manufacturing, next-generation communications, computer hardware and pharmaceuticals. (Lobosco, 8/9)

Fox News: Biden Coughs Through CHIPS Bill Signing Speech After COVID-19 Isolation 
President Biden had to apologize to his audience for coughing repeatedly through his speech touting the signing of the CHIPS legislation Tuesday. Biden could barely utter one sentence without stopping to cough for minutes on end. Despite the coughing fit and Biden blowing his nose, attendees still gathered around his desk for photos and shook hands with him after the speech. (Hagstrom, 8/9)

Becker's Hospital Review: HHS Investing $60M To Improve Rural Healthcare
HHS is investing $60 million in programs aiming to grow the healthcare workforce and increase access to care in rural communities. About $46 million of that total is going toward healthcare job development, training and placement in rural and tribal communities, according to an Aug. 8 HHS news release. The funding includes support for dental hygienists, medical and dental assistants, community-based doulas and other front-line healthcare workers. The funding comes through the American Rescue Plan and will support 31 organizations. (Cass, 8/9)

Healthcare Dive: HHS Investing $60M To Boost Rural Healthcare Workforce 
While the pandemic caused massive shifts in the healthcare labor market, rural communities have always faced shortages and issues recruiting and retaining a sufficient amount of talented medical staff. About 14% of Americans live in rural communities, though those areas represent nearly 75% of primary care health professional shortage areas in the county, according to a February report from the Center for American Progress, a left-leaning think tank. (Mensik, 8/9)

WSB-TV 2: HHS Makes $3.3 Million Investment To Make Rural Health Care Easier To Get In Georgia 
Georgia now has more than $3 million dollars to improve rural health care. The Department of Health and Human Services announced investments of more than $3.3 million in the state. (8/8)

In related news about rural health care —

McKnights Long-Term Care News: Primary Care Clinicians On Front Lines Of Early Alzheimer’s Care In Rural U.S., Study Reveals 
Primary care doctors and nurse practitioners, rather than specialists, are more likely to provide care for early-onset dementia in rural areas, putting these patients and clinicians at a disadvantage, say the authors of a new study. The researchers recommend innovative approaches to ensuring specialty care for patients, and training or guidance for clinicians. (Lasek, 8/9)

The Washington Post: Maternal Mortality Is A U.S. Crisis. A New Effort Aims To Change That. 
As part of a major push by the Biden administration to address the nation’s maternal health crisis, senior officials have traveled the country for the past year, talking to midwives, doulas and people who have given birth about their experiences. They’ve held summits at the White House. The result: an almost 70-page plan aimed at taking the United States from being the worst place to give birth among high-income nations — especially for Black, Native American and rural women — to “the best country in the world to have a baby.” But maternal health experts say it remains to be seen whether the federal initiative is enough to accomplish the administration’s goal. (Johnson, 8/9)

North Carolina Health News: Medicaid Patients Brace For When The Public Health Emergency Ends
When the pandemic hit, Rachel got sick with COVID-19. Like millions of others across the country, the rural eastern North Carolina resident lost her job. Though it was a blow to her income, it meant she was eligible for something she hadn’t been before: Medicaid, the federal and state-funded insurance program for low-income people. (Donnelly-DeRoven, 8/10)

Reuters: Pelosi To Urge House To Pass Biden Inflation-Reduction Bill As Is
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Tuesday she will ask members of the House of Representatives to pass without changes a $430 billion climate and prescription drug bill approved by U.S. Senate over the weekend, calling it a historic piece of legislation. Asked if she would ask lawmakers to pass the sweeping legislation as is, Pelosi said "yes." (8/9)

The Hill: GOP Physicians In Congress: Drug Price Control In Reconciliation Bill Will Impact Patient Care 
A group of Republican physicians in Congress are voicing their “strong opposition” to the prescription drug pricing control policies that were included in Democrats’ massive reconciliation package that cleared the Senate over the weekend. The members of the GOP Doctors Caucus cited concerns from health care providers that the policies would result in limited access to care as well as a drastic drop in provider reimbursement. (8/8)

NPR: Sen. Schumer Talks On What The Inflation Reduction Act Means For Americans
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., about what it was like passing the Inflation Reduction Act and what it means for Americans. (Summers, Contreras and Brown, 8/8)

FiveThirtyEight: Democrats Have A Lot Riding On The Inflation Reduction Act 
On Sunday the Senate passed the largest climate-change-intervention bill in American history, the Inflation Reduction Act. In Part 1 of this installment of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, the crew discusses whether Democrats could turn around President Biden’s approval rating with this newest piece of legislation, assuming they can get it past the House. (8/9)

How the bill could affect you —

The Washington Post: How The Inflation Reduction Act Might Affect Your Health Care
The spending package includes a three-year extension of enhanced financial aid for roughly 13 million Americans who buy health coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s exchanges. Last year, Democrats passed the beefed up tax credits in their coronavirus aid bill, but such subsidies are slated to expire at the end of this year. The economic package poised for final passage this week extends the aid through 2025. (Roubei, 8/9)

CBS News: Inflation Reduction Act Could Be "Game-Changing" For Millions Of U.S. Seniors 
The Inflation Reduction Act represents the most important effort in decades to reform how drug prices are set in the U.S., experts say. "This is going to be game-changing," Rena Conti, an associate professor at Boston University's Questrom School of Business who studies drug pricing, said of the bill, which passed in the Senate on Sunday and which House lawmakers could vote on as early as Friday. (Ivanova, 8/9)

Bangor Daily News: Democrats’ Spending Bill Is Expected To Keep 14K Mainers Insured
An item in the Democratic spending bill that would extend subsidies to lower-income people in the Affordable Care Act marketplace could keep thousands of Mainers insured and stabilize costs for others if it passes. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed by the Senate this weekend, is headed to a vote in the House on Friday. While significant future drug-pricing reforms have gotten more attention, the measure’s immediate effect on the health care market is in continuing large subsidies for people at or above the poverty line put into place in 2021 by the American Rescue Plan Act. (Andrews, 8/10)

Houston Chronicle: Democrats' New Spending Package Could Make Texas Health Care Cheaper. Here's How
The law could make health care more affordable and accessible in places like Texas, which has the nation’s higher rate of people without health insurance. It is one of 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid, the federal insurance program for the poor. Under the new law, Medicare, federal insurance for the elderly, would be allowed to negotiate with drugmakers for the first time. Health policy analysts say it's a step toward lowering prescription drug costs, but somewhat limited. (Carballo, 8/9)

In related news from the campaign trail —

Roll Call: Climate, Health And Tax Debate Moves Quickly To Campaign Realm
The debate over the sweeping climate, health and tax bill passed by Senate Democrats last weekend is already moving to the campaign trail, even before the House has cleared it for President Joe Biden's signature. One Nation, the nonprofit associated with the Senate Leadership Fund — the super PAC run by allies of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — on Tuesday announced an ad blitz against the package, passed Sunday. (Lesniewski, 8/9)

The Hill: Johnson Steps On Political Land Mine With Social Security, Medicare Comments
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), a stalwart Senate ally of former President Trump, is facing fresh uncertainty in his race for reelection after telling a podcast last week that Social Security and Medicare should be classified as discretionary spending, with Congress authorized to set their budgets every year.   Johnson had been cruising to reelection in a favorable political climate for Republicans, who expected to take control of the House and possibly the Senate as well. (Bolton, 8/9)

In other news, President Joe Biden will sign the burn pit bill today —

Fox News: Biden To Sign Bipartisan Burn Pits Legislation Designed To Support Veterans
President Joe Biden will sign bipartisan legislation into law on Wednesday aimed at helping military veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits during their time in service. Biden will sign the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promises to Address Comprehensive Toxics, or PACT Act of 2022 in the East Room of the White House. The bill is expected to assist more than five million veterans exposed to toxic burn pits. (Mion, 8/10)

From KHN: After ‘a Lot of Doors Shut in Our Face,’ Crusading Couple Celebrate Passage of Burn Pit Bill

The Hill: Schumer: Senate Will Vote Again On $35 Insulin Cap After GOP Blocked It 
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Monday night that he is going to bring a $35 cap on patients’ insulin costs back up for a vote this fall after Republicans blocked it over the weekend.  “They blocked a $35 price for insulin for non-Medicare people,” Schumer said on MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show.” “We’re going to come back and make them vote on that again.” (Sullivan, 8/9)

NBC News: After Republicans Block Insulin Price Cap, Is It Really Gone For Most?
The axing of the insulin cap provision in the Senate’s budget reconciliation deal would leave millions of people scrambling to cover exorbitant out-of-pocket prices for the diabetes medication. Patient advocates were disappointed with Sunday’s vote — Republican senators blocked the $35 insulin cap for private insurers — and expressed hope that federal and state measures could be included in legislation down the road. (Lovelace Jr., 8/9)

In related news about the cost of insulin —

CNBC: Inflation Reduction Act Aims To Trim Insulin Costs For Medicare Users
The Inflation Reduction Act just passed by the Senate will cap insulin at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries. But that dashed hopes to curb insulin prices for a broader set of the diabetes patient population, about 7.9 million of whom rely on insulin, according to new research from Yale University. (Konish, 8/9)

Axios: How The Failure To Cap Insulin Prices Impacts Latinos
Failure to include a monthly $35 insulin cap in the climate and health care bill that passed the Senate last weekend could especially affect Latinos. CDC data shows Latinos are 70% more likely than their white non-Hispanic peers to be diagnosed with diabetes. (Franco and Galvan, 8/9)

CNBC: 1 In 5 Insulin Users On Medicare Has ‘Catastrophic’ Drug Spending, Yale Finds. The Inflation Reduction Act May Help
The cost of insulin can break diabetes patients financially. Yale’s research found 14% of people in the U.S. who use insulin experience “catastrophic” levels of spending on the treatment. When normal housing and food expenditures are subtracted from their incomes, at least 40% of the remaining money is dedicated to paying for insulin. Of Medicare beneficiaries who use insulin, 1 in 5 reach catastrophic spending, according to Baylee Bakkila, a lead researcher on the Yale School of Medicine’s team focused on this issue. (Konish, 8/9)

In related news about diabetes —

Bloomberg: FDA Warns Diabetes Drug Sitagliptin May Contain Cancer-Causing Carcinogen
Merck & Co.’s Januvia, a popular diabetes drug, was found to be contaminated with a potential carcinogen. An impurity called a nitrosamine was found in some samples of the drug, which has the chemical name of sitagliptin, the US Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. The agency said it was permitting Merck to continue to sell drugs containing sitagliptin with higher-than-allowed levels of nitrosamine in order to avoid shortages. (Edney, 8/9)

The New York Times: The Long, Long Wait For A Diabetes Cure 
Since its theatrical debut in June, “The Human Trial,” the documentary Lisa Hepner produced with her husband, Guy Mossman, has electrified the diabetes community, especially those with Type 1, a disease that the uninitiated often conflate with the more common Type 2. ... “The Human Trial” offers a rare glimpse into the complexities and challenges of developing new therapies — both for the patients who volunteer for the grueling clinical trials required by the Food and Drug Administration, and for the ViaCyte executives constantly scrambling to raise the money needed to bring a new drug to market. These days, the average cost, including the many failed trials along the way, is a billion dollars. (Jacobs, 8/9)

AP: Nebraska Woman Charged With Helping Daughter Have Abortion 
A Nebraska woman has been charged with helping her teenage daughter end her pregnancy at about 24 weeks after investigators uncovered Facebook messages in which the two discussed using medication to induce an abortion and plans to burn the fetus afterward. The prosecutor handling the case said it’s the first time he has charged anyone for illegally performing an abortion after 20 weeks, a restriction that was passed in 2010. Before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, states weren’t allowed to enforce abortion bans until the point at which a fetus is considered viable outside the womb, at roughly 24 weeks. (Funk, 8/10)

NBC News: Facebook Turned Over Chat Messages Between Mother And Daughter Now Charged Over Abortion
Facebook turned over the chats of a mother and daughter to Nebraska police after getting served with a warrant as part of an investigation into an illegal abortion, court documents show. (Collier and Burke, 8/9)

Bloomberg: Facebook User’s Messages Lead To Abortion Charges In Nebraska 
So far, the biggest tech companies have declined to say how they might respond when police or courts demand data from them that could relate to the end of a pregnancy. In some cases, the patient, the care they seek, the company and the data itself may reside in different states with varying laws. (Wagner and Bass, 8/9)

And the governor of Nebraska won't call a special session to discuss stricter abortion laws —

ABC News: Nebraska Governor Will Not Call Special Session To Discuss 12-Week Abortion Ban
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday he will not call a special session to discuss stricter abortion laws because there is a lack of votes for the proposed legislation. Currently, the Cornhusker State bans abortion after 20 weeks. However, Republicans in the state legislature have been trying to garner support for a 12-week abortion ban. (Kekatos, 8/9)

The Hill: Montana Supreme Court Upholds Ruling Blocking Abortion Restrictions
Montana’s Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s ruling that temporarily blocks further restrictions on abortion. Planned Parenthood in a statement Tuesday announced that the Montana Supreme Court blocked three separate laws that were enacted during the state’s legislative session last year from taking effect. (Oshin, 8/9)

In updates on abortion laws in Idaho, Wyoming, and North Carolina —

AP: Justice Department Asks Judge To Pause Idaho Abortion Ban 
The U.S. Department of Justice asked a federal judge this week to bar Idaho from enforcing its near-total abortion ban while a lawsuit pitting federal health care law against state anti-abortion legislation is underway. Meanwhile, the Republican-led Idaho Legislature is asking for permission to intervene in the federal case, just as it has done in three other abortion-related lawsuits filed in state courts. (Boone, 8/9)

Wyoming Public Radio: Judge To Decide Whether To Extend Block On Wyoming Abortion Ban 
A Teton County judge said she’ll rule Wednesday whether or not to extend a temporary halt on Wyoming’s abortion ban. The decision is likely to come before noon, when the two-week restraining order she set in July is scheduled to expire. (Walkey, 8/9)

AP: NC AG’s Staff Asks Judge Not To Restore 20-Week Abortion Ban 
The North Carolina attorney general’s office, representing defendants in a 2019 case that blocked a state law banning most abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, has joined plaintiffs in asking a federal court not to restore the ban after the judge suggested his injunction “may now be contrary to law. ”Reinstating restrictions in the aftermath of the June U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade would create “significant risk of public confusion” about the availability and legality of abortion services in North Carolina, the attorney general’s office argued in a brief filed late Monday in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. (Schoenbaum, 8/9)

In updates from Illinois —

Indianapolis Star: Illinois Now Epicenter For Abortion In For Middle US After Roe's Fall
Julie Burkhart, co-owner of Hope Clinic and a longtime abortion-access advocate, said the facility is and will be a “point of refuge” going forward for Southern and Midwestern states with the U.S. Supreme Court decision eradicating the constitutional right to an abortion. The patient census has doubled since the June 24 court decision. The clinic is now serving 40 to 50 people a day, Amy Redd-Greiner, the front-desk supervisor at Hope, said in between handing patients their intake forms and answering the ringing desk phone. (Ladd and Duvall, 8/10)

Politico: Pritzker Uses 'Terrible' DeSantis As Foil In National Campaign On Abortion Rights 
The fall of Roe v. Wade is giving Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker new resolve to wield his immense bank account against his fellow governors and make his mark on abortion rights outside his state. A wealthy heir to the Hyatt hotel empire, Pritzker has already cut $250,000 checks this election cycle to boost Democratic gubernatorial campaigns and parties across the Midwest, including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Michigan. He also gave $2 million to the Democratic Governors Association last month, according to a person familiar with his campaign. Now, Pritzker intends to pour in more money and target more states where a Democratic governor might be the lone firewall against new abortion restrictions. (Kapos, 8/9)

In updates from Washington state, New Mexico, and elsewhere —

AP: Seattle City Council OKs Outlawing Abortion Discrimination
It will soon be illegal in Seattle to discriminate against people for seeking or receiving an abortion, part of the city’s efforts to preserve reproductive rights locally. The Seattle City Council on Tuesday passed a measure making it illegal to discriminate against someone based on their actual or perceived pregnancy outcome, The Seattle Times reported. The council also added a statewide misdemeanor charge for interfering with health care to the city’s code, hoping to minimize interference and harassment against those seeking care in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court undoing decades of constitutional abortion protections in June. (8/10)

The Texas Tribune: Texas’ Abortion Fights Move To New Mexico, Where Procedure Is Still Legal 
For New Mexico state Rep. Micaela Lara Cadena, the arrival of a new abortion clinic in Las Cruces, the city she represents, is surreal. Over the years, there hasn’t been consistent access to the procedure as providers came and went. (Melhado, 8/10)

Axios: Health Providers Are Fighting To Protect Abortion Records As Bans Expand
Doctors are weighing the legal risks of turning over ultrasounds and other personal health records if prosecutors or law enforcement demand the information to enforce state abortion bans. (Gonzalez, 8/10)

Reuters: Abortion Foes Win Republican Governor Nods In Wisconsin, Minnesota 
Republican voters in Wisconsin and Minnesota on Tuesday nominated abortion foes for governor, ensuring the issue will be central to what are expected to be two of the most high-profile races in November's general election. In Wisconsin, Republican construction magnate Tim Michels will face Democratic Governor Tony Evers, Edison Research projected, while in Minnesota, former Republican state Senator Scott Jensen will challenge Democratic Governor Tim Walz. (Ax, 8/10)

Coloradopolitics.com: Abortion Ban Fails To Make Colorado's November Ballot
The proposed ballot measure seeking to ban abortion in Colorado will not appear on the November ballot, the Colorado Secretary of State's Office told Colorado Politics. According to the Elections Division, backers of Initiative #56 informed the office Monday they would not be submitting petition signatures ahead of the 5 p.m. deadline. The ballot measure sought to define "murder of a child" and ban abortion, save in a few narrow cases. Both anti-abortion advocates and abortion rights activists noted the measure offered no legal carve out for women who get an abortion. (Goodland, 8/8)

Politico: Republicans Turn On Each Other Amid Post-Roe Chaos
Republican state officials have been waiting decades for the chance to ban abortion. Now that they can, red state lawmakers are mired in partisan infighting and struggling to agree on how far to go. The most fervently anti-abortion lawmakers are accusing their colleagues of capitulating on rape and incest exceptions, while those calling for compromise or moderation believe more strident Republicans are ignoring political realities. (Messerly and Ollstein, 8/9)

The Hill: GOP Shrugs Off Kansas Abortion Vote — But It Got Their Attention 
Republicans are not yet sweating the idea of abortion issues swaying the midterm elections in favor of Democrats. But with Kansas voters decisively rejecting an anti-abortion ballot initiative, the room is getting warmer. National GOP groups are brushing off the idea that the Kansas vote last week is a warning sign for November, confident that concerns about economic issues prevail as the driving force in the election. (Brooks, 8/8)

The Washington Post: Before Michigan Abortion Ballot Measure, Democrats Seek Edge With Women
Sitting next to her two teenage daughters at the county fair — a luxury as rising prices squeezed the family budget — Lois Smith said she was worried about the end of Roe v. Wade. She calls herself “pro-life”; she calls President Biden a “puppet”; she wants former president Donald Trump to run again. But Smith is not sure how she’ll vote in this year’s midterm elections, as many Republican candidates in Michigan back a near-total ban on abortion that is still working through the courts. On one thing, 52-year-old Smith was confident — she would vote to make abortion a constitutional right in her state. (Knowles, 8/9)

The Washington Post: Post-Roe, State Supreme Court Races Raises Stakes For Voters 
Mary Kay O’Brien had been working for a year to drum up interest in her campaign for Illinois Supreme Court, struggling to convince voters that it would affect them as a presidential or gubernatorial race would. But “within 24 hours” of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to end federal protections for abortions, levels of interest in judicial races like hers skyrocketed, said O’Brien, a Democratic appellate judge. (Bikales and Somasundaram, 8/9)

KHN: Newsom Pins Political Rise On Abortion, Guns, And Health Care 
Gavin Newsom is fed up with Republicans for attacking abortion rights and blocking gun regulations — and with his own Democratic Party for failing to boldly and brashly take on the conservative right and push a progressive agenda. And as California’s first-term governor positions himself as the national Democratic Party pit bull, no other issue is defining his political rise like health care. (Hart, 8/10)

Politico: Biden Administration Authorizes Emergency Monkeypox Vaccine Strategy 
The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization on Tuesday for health care providers to administer the monkeypox vaccine in a new way intended to stretch the nation’s short vaccine supply. There is limited data supporting the method’s efficacy, indicating how much pressure the Biden administration is under now to stop the spreading virus after its arrival in the spring caught the administration flat-footed. (Mahr and Foley, 8/9)

Politico: Florida Rations Limited Supply Of Monkeypox Vaccines As Infections Go Up 
Florida has nearly doubled its count of people infected by the monkeypox virus in the past week, prompting state health officials to stretch vaccine supplies by only administering the first of two shots. The Florida Department of Health counted 985 people infected by the monkeypox virus as of Tuesday, marking a jump from the 525 infections reported by Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo one week ago. The agency also ordered the full 72,000 vaccine doses allocated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which will be delivered in installments through October. (Sarkissian, 8/9)

The Boston Globe: Who Should Get The Monkeypox Vaccine? What To Know As Mass. Limits Shots To One Dose Only
Dr. Cassandra Pierre, Boston Medical Center’s associate hospital epidemiologist and medical director of public health programs, said she agreed with the decision, despite doubts about the data on how long single-dose immunity lasts. “We’re really trying to sprint to prevent this infection from becoming endemic,” she said. State health officials said that a single dose provides substantial, rapid protection from monkeypox infection, and the second dose will provide long-term immunity even if given months later. (Freyer, 8/9)

The U.S. government will buy $26M worth of the Tpoxx antiviral drug —

Reuters: U.S. To Buy Siga's IV Drug Worth $26 Million To Fight Monkeypox Outbreak 
The U.S. government will buy Siga Technologies Inc's $26-million worth of intravenous formulation of antiviral drug Tpoxx, the company said on Tuesday, as the country fights an outbreak of monkeypox cases. The company plans to deliver by next year the order for the IV treatment, which would be a vital option for patients unable to swallow the oral pill as monkeypox symptoms include rashes and blisters in the mouth. (8/9)

San Francisco Chronicle: ‘Absolutely Ridiculous’: LGBT Leaders Vent Frustration Over Lack Of Access To Monkeypox Antiviral Drug
While a national shortage of vaccines has choked efforts to combat the spread of the monkeypox virus, public health officials say an antiviral medication has shown promise to alleviate symptoms for infected people. The problem: They cannot prescribe the medication Tecovirimat, also known as Tpoxx, without completing hours of paperwork because the FDA has classified it as an investigational new drug to treat monkeypox. (Gardiner, 8/9)

More on the spread of monkeypox —

The Wall Street Journal: Monkeypox Likely Circulated For Years Before Outbreak, Scientists Say 
A gradual decline of herd immunity against the closely related smallpox virus gave monkeypox more possibilities to jump from its natural animal hosts, infection-disease experts say. And one day, years ago, it infected someone who was part of a network with close physical contact between members—maybe a gay man with multiple sexual partners, or a sex worker—allowing it to spread sustainably among humans for the first time, these experts theorize. (Roland, 8/9)

Stat: How Monkeypox Spreads — What Scientists Know, And Don't Know
The explosive trajectory of monkeypox to nearly 90 countries since the current outbreak was detected in the United Kingdom in mid-May has caught many governments off-guard, and created confusion about how monkeypox spreads from person to person. (Molteni, 8/10)

USA Today: Monkeypox In Kids: Symptoms, Vaccine, What Experts Want You To Know
It’s possible, and even expected, to see infections in children, health experts say. But it won’t be as common as other viruses. “We’re not expecting that childcare settings and schools will see rampant monkeypox infections run through kids,” said Dr. Ibukan Kalu, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Duke School of Medicine and a medical director of pediatric infection prevention at Duke University Medical Center. “But it is possible for children to get infected.” (Rodriguez, 8/10)

Stat: As Monkeypox Spreads, Campuses Prepare For Another Outbreak
Public health experts are urging universities to prepare for the arrival of monkeypox before students return to campus in the coming weeks. (Muthukumar, 8/9)

On contact tracing —

San Francisco Chronicle: S.F. All But Gives Up On Contact Tracing For Monkeypox
San Francisco has demanded more vaccines and treatment options for its escalating cases of monkeypox — but the city has all but abandoned a time-honored method of containing outbreaks: contact tracing. U.S. health officials declared monkeypox a national health emergency last week, as did California and San Francisco city officials, and although it’s typically non-fatal, no one wants to become infected by the smallpox relative, with its painful lesions that can lead to scarring. (Asimov, 8/8)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Early Data Shows Monkeypox Disproportionately Affecting Black Men
Monkeypox in Georgia is infecting an overwhelming number of Black people compared to other races — a disproportionate effect not anticipated just a few weeks ago, new data from the Georgia Department of Public Health show. Dr. Jonathan Colasanti, an infectious disease specialist, says it’s important people know the virus is most heavily affecting communities of color — and that those already infected have access to testing, treatment, and vaccines. (Oliviero, 8/10)

Bloomberg: New 'Langya' Virus From Shrews Infects Dozens Of People In China 
Nearly three dozen people in China have been sickened by a newly identified virus from the same family as the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses, though there’s no evidence the pathogen can be transmitted from person-to-person. (Cortez, 8/10)

Mint: Langya Virus Found In China Causing Liver, Kidney Failure. Know The Symptoms About This New Virus
Another Zoonotic virus - Langya virus - has caught the attention of experts as 35 people are found to be infected with it in China. Authorities said, the patients did not have close contact with each other or common exposure history, suggesting that human infections might be sporadic. Meanwhile, Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are currently establishing a nucleic acid testing method to identify and check the spread of the virus. (8/9)

And in news on the spread of covid —

CIDRAP: Study: Pfizer COVID Vaccine Efficacy Wanes 27 Days After Dose 2 In Teens 
A new study finds waning Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine protection against symptomatic infection in Brazilian and Scottish teens starting 27 days after the second dose amid the Delta and Omicron variant waves, but protection against severe illness was still strong at 98 days in Brazil. (Van Beusekom, 8/9)

American Homefront Project: 10% Of National Guard Members Pass On COVID Shots. Some States Want Them To Serve Anyway
Army National Guard troops had until June 30 to get COVID-19 vaccinations. Still, about 10% of those troops haven't received shots. Almost 11,000 have refused, and thousands more have requested exemptions based on religious or medical reasons. (D'lorio, 8/10)

The Baltimore Sun: Deaths Down But Maryland Seeks To Keep Housing ‘COVID-19 Remains’ In Makeshift Morgue In Downtown Baltimore Parking Garage
A makeshift morgue housed in a downtown Baltimore parking garage that put a harsh spotlight on a massive backlog in cases at the state medical examiners’ office is poised to remain in business until January to accommodate “COVID-19 remains.” (Cohn, 8/9)

Axios: Americans Return To Pre-Pandemic Life: Survey
More Americans personally know someone who's died from COVID-19 or has "long COVID" but are rapidly shunning masks and returning to their pre-pandemic lives, according to new data from the Annenberg Public Policy Center. (Bettelheim, 8/9)

AP: Fewer Than 1 In 3 Insured Hepatitis C Patients Getting Cure
Fewer than 1 in 3 people infected with hepatitis C are getting the expensive treatments that can cure them, according to a U.S. government study released Tuesday. The report is distressing because it focused on those with health insurance — the group most likely to get treated for the liver infection, said one expert, Dr. Norah Terrault. Insurance restrictions appear to be part of the reason for the surprisingly low percentage. A course of treatment can cost tens of thousands of dollars but can wipe out the infection in only a few months. (Stobbe, 8/9)

Axios: Access Barriers To Hepatitis C Treatment Persist, Despite Health Coverage
Younger adults, under the age of 40, are accessing treatment at the lowest rates, which concerns health officials since this is the group most likely to spread hepatitis C. (Dreher, 8/10)

USA Today: CDC Hepatitis C Study: Under A Third Of Insured Patients Get Treatment
Treatment was lowest among patients who had state-administered Medicaid plans, with about 23% receiving it. About 28% people covered by Medicare and 35% with private insurance received treatment within the year.“Our study shows that there are large gaps in hepatitis C treatments persisting nearly a decade after a highly effective curative treatment was approved,” said Dr. Carolyn Wester, director of the CDC’s division of viral hepatitis. (Rodriguez, 8/9)

Crain's New York Business: IBM Report Finds That Cybersecurity Attacks Impact Healthcare More Than Any Other Sector
A data breach within a healthcare system could cost in excess of $10 million—more than in any other sector—according to a new report. The cost is on the rise, up about $1 million from last year. The uptick is partially due to increasingly integrated technology systems. (Neber, 8/9)

In other health care industry developments —

Dallas Morning News: Members-Only One Medical Is Opening Two Dallas Clinics
While its acquisition by Amazon is in the works, health clinic operator One Medical is moving ahead with its entry into the Dallas market with two locations. The difference at One Medical is that customers have to buy a membership to get care there. Amazon said in July that it plans to acquire San Francisco-based One Medical in a deal valued at $3.9 billion. The deal hasn’t closed. (Halkias, 8/9)

Modern Healthcare: Insurers To Crack Down On Unscheduled Procedures
Insurers are zeroing in on providers evaluation and management claims that include modifier 25. Providers use evaluation and management codes on claims for assessing or controlling patient health, such as when they hold office visits or perform surgical procedures. They add a modifier 25 when they provide significant and separately identifiable services during the same patient visits, such as removing a mole. (Tepper, 8/9)

Modern Healthcare: CMS Removes Prior Authorization For Select Orthopedic Devices
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services removed prior authorization requirements for a small set of orthopedic procedures as regulators continue to adjust the controversial approval process. CMS issued a final rule Tuesday that indefinitely suspended prior authorization for urgently needed procedures involving spine and knee braces. The agency announced in January that it will more frequently update the mandatory list of durable medical equipment, prosthetic and orthotic procedures requiring insurers’ approval before providers are paid. (Kacik, 8/9)

Modern Healthcare: HCA, J&J Strike Wide-Ranging Partnership
The for-profit health system and the drug, medical device and consumer products company will begin their partnership with a focus on three areas: developing a pilot project to support early detection of lung cancer in Black patients; nurse education and training by HCA Healthcare and its affiliated Galen College of Nursing; and studying how digital technology can improve care for patients with cardiovascular diseases. The companies didn't disclose the financial terms of the arrangement. (Kim Cohen, 8/9)

Modern Healthcare: Hospitals Grapple With CEO Turnover
A wave of CEO departures is hitting the hospital sector as executives hope the worst of the pandemic has passed. But less than half of hospitals are fully prepared, research shows, portending a range of financial and organizational consequences, industry observers said. (Kacik, 8/9)

In legal news —

Modern Healthcare: Blue Cross $2.67B Antitrust Settlement Approved By Judge
Barring an appeal, this would mark the end of policyholders’ 10-year legal battle against 34 Blues plans. The plaintiffs alleged that the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s rules limiting the amount of revenue member plans may generate from non-Blues-branded businesses, and geographic limits to their reach, violated the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890. Judge David Proctor’s ruling, handed down in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, orders Blues plans to begin paying consumers their portion of the settlement after 30 days. (Tepper, 8/9)

Becker's Hospital Review: Cerner To Pay $1.8M In Racial Discrimination Case
Cerner has agreed to pay $1.8 million in back pay and interest over claims it discriminated against Black and Asian applicants, according to an Aug. 9 U.S. Labor Department news release. The EHR vendor will pay the amount to 1,870 applicants who sought work as medical billing account and patient account specialists, system engineers, software interns and technical solutions analysts at Cerner facilities in Kansas and Missouri between 2015 and 2019. (Bruce, 8/9)

The New York Times: Employee Kept Arsenal, Including Assault Rifle, At Hospital, Police Say 
A New Jersey hospital’s marketing director stockpiled an assault rifle fitted with a high-capacity magazine along with dozens of other guns and ammunition in an unlocked closet at his workplace, the police said on Tuesday. The cache of weapons was found after Hudson Regional Hospital in Secaucus, N.J., got a call last month warning of a bomb there, the police said. The threat turned out to be a hoax, but a police dog involved in a safety sweep of the hospital led officers to the guns, officials said. (Shanahan, 8/9)

In nursing home news —

Indianapolis Star: Indiana Hospitals Sued By IndyStar For Obscuring Nursing-Home Spending
Eight Indiana hospitals are violating state records laws by withholding information on how they are spending public funding they’ve received for their nursing homes, according to a new lawsuit filed by IndyStar. (Magdaleno, 8/10)

AP: 2 Pennsylvania Nursing Homes Accused Of Health Care Fraud 
Managers at two skilled nursing facilities in western Pennsylvania fabricated records of staff time and residents’ conditions to defraud state and federal agencies, prosecutors alleged Tuesday in announcing criminal charges. Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Beaver and Mt. Lebanon Rehabilitation and Wellness Center in Allegheny County were accused of health care fraud, along with five people who managed their operations. (8/9)

On billing transparency —

USA Today: Are Hospitals Meeting Requirement Of Medical Billing Transparency Law?
Only two hospitals have been fined for failure to post prices, an indication that enforcement by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has been “lukewarm” and needs to get tougher, said Ge Bai, a Johns Hopkins University professor of accounting and health policy and management. (Alltucker, 8/9)

KHN: Rapper Fat Joe Says No One Is Making Sure Hospitals Post Their Prices
Rapper Fat Joe takes on hospital industry executives in an advertisement, contending that many hospitals are disobeying a law that requires them to publicly post the prices they charge cash-paying patients and insurance companies for every service they offer. The ad, paid for by a group called Power to the Patients, states, correctly, that hospitals must list their negotiated prices and asserts that the rule helps patients by making it harder for them to be overcharged. The ad also blames politicians and regulators because the price information is still not necessarily available. (Appleby, 8/10)

The Hill: Civil Rights Groups, Including Al Sharpton-Led Organization, Urge USDA To Fix ‘Dietary Racism’ In School Lunch Programs 
Twenty-eight civil rights and health care groups announced Tuesday they have requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) address “dietary racism” in national school lunch programs, raising concerns to the federal agency about forcing millions of minority children to drink cow’s milk without allowing them a healthier alternative. In a letter to the USDA’s Equity Commission, the groups said the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) only incentivizes dairy milk, a policy they called “inherently inequitable and socially unjust” because children of color are more likely to be lactose intolerant. (Dress, 8/9)

In other public health news —

The Washington Post: Too Little Sleep May Jeopardize Young Kids’ Development, Study Finds 
For children in elementary school, regularly getting less than nine hours of sleep per night may hinder their neurocognitive development, according to a study led by University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers and published in the journal Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. The study involved 8,323 children, ages 9 and 10, who were enrolled in a large, long-term study of brain development and children’s health. Comparing children who got the recommended amount of sleep for their age — nine to 12 hours a night — with those who slept less, the new research found differences in brain regions responsible for memory, intelligence and well-being. (Searing, 8/9)

The Guardian: Swapping Salt For Substitutes Reduces Risk Of Stroke And Heart Conditions – Study
Replacing regular salt with a salt substitute lowers blood pressure and protects against life-threatening heart conditions, stroke and death from all causes, research suggests. High consumption of salt composed of sodium chloride is known to drive blood pressure up, leading to poor cardiovascular health and posing a major risk of early death. (Pare, 8/9)

FiercePharma: No DIY Mole Removal. FDA Cracks Down On Amazon, Other Companies For Selling Unapproved Products
Even behemoths like Amazon aren’t immune to FDA warning letters. After the regulatory agency caught wind of the sale of unapproved mole and skin tag removal agents, it cracked down on the sellers. The agency issued three warning letters to Amazon, Ariella Naturals and Justified Laboratories for selling unapproved mole and skin tag removal products via interstate commerce, an act in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). There are no over-the-counter, FDA-approved drug products for mole and skin-tag removal. (Becker, 8/9)

KHN: EPA Action Boosts Grassroots Momentum To Reduce Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ 
The intake pumps that once drew 6 million gallons of water a day from the Oostanaula River now sit mostly dormant in this northwestern Georgia city. Local officials contend that years of contamination miles upstream sent toxic perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, into Rome’s water supply, rendering it potentially dangerous for the city’s roughly 37,000 residents. A water source switch from the Oostanaula and added treatment have reduced the traces of the chemicals running through residents’ taps, but they have not eliminated PFAS from the community’s water supply. (Miller, 8/10)

In news about opioids and addiction —

AP: Hawaii Details Plans For $78M Drug Company Opioid Settlement
Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Tuesday outlined plans for how the state will spend $78 million it’s receiving from a multistate settlement reached with pharmaceutical industry companies over their role in the opioid addiction crisis. Ige said drug overdose deaths have exceeded traffic fatalities in Hawaii this year. Drug overdoses, including those from prescription opioids, account for 24% of all fatal injuries in Hawaii, he said. (McAvoy, 8/10)

WUSF Public Media: 'Every Emergency Doctor' Will See An Opioid Overdose Each Shift, A Tampa ER Doctor Says 
Florida has seen an “exponential rise” in overdoses linked to fentanyl, according to the state Department of Health, which issued a public health alert in July. In Florida, and around the nation, doctors say the epidemic is now disproportionately affecting people of color. (Sheridan, 8/9)

Side Effects Public Media: Providing Free Rides Could Help People In Addiction Recovery
The notion that lack of transportation can affect a person’s ability to access health care has caught the attention of policymakers in recent years. A 2017 federal survey found 4 percent of people under age 65 enrolled in Medicaid reported delaying medical care because they lacked transportation. (Benson, 8/9)

AP: Atlantic City Casino Dealers Reject Designated Smoking Area Proposal
Atlantic City casino dealers opposed to smoking indoors are rejecting an idea being floated among state legislators to create designated outdoor smoking areas that employees could opt out of staffing. Pete Naccarelli, a Borgata dealer and a leader of a group of Atlantic City casino workers pushing for a full indoor smoking ban, said Tuesday the opt-out suggestion is not the solution to protecting workers and customers. (Parry, 8/9)

In health news from Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts, and Texas —

Detroit Free Press: Michigan's Childhood Vaccination Rates Fall 6.5% Since 2019
"We have seen a 6% drop in toddler vaccinations in Michigan over the past two years, which is alarming," said Dr. Delicia Pruitt, medical director of the Saginaw County Health Department. "As it currently stands, 32% of Michigan toddlers are at risk for preventable disease because their immunizations are not up to date. (Jordan Shamus, 8/9)

AP: Missouri Voters Set To Weigh In On Recreational Marijuana 
A campaign to legalize recreational marijuana in Missouri gathered enough signatures to make it on the November ballot, Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced Tuesday. If voters approve the constitutional amendment on marijuana, those age 21 and older could buy and grow it for personal consumption as early as this year. (Ballentine, 8/9)

The Boston Globe: Portuguese Man O’ War Sightings In Mass. Prompt Beach Closures
A recent flurry of Portuguese man o’ war sightings have prompted temporary beach closures in Massachusetts over the past several days after officials spotted the dangerous jellyfish relatives in Yarmouth, Westport, and Chatham. (Huynh, 8/9)

The 19th: Austin Schools Offer Free Menstrual Products To Combat Period Poverty In Texas.
When Austin public school students return to classes this month, they will find a new amenity awaiting them in the bathrooms: dispensers of free maxi pads and tampons. (Nittle, 8/9)

Reuters: U.S. FDA Declines To Approve Expanded Use Of Acadia's Antipsychotic Drug 
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration declined to approve expanded use of Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc's antipsychotic drug for treating psychosis related to Alzheimer's disease, the company said on Thursday. (8/5)

Stat: Everything You Need To Know Before The Next Big Alzheimer’s Readout
With the tumultuous rollout of Aduhelm behind them, partners Biogen and Eisai have the rare opportunity for a do-over, with all-important data on their next Alzheimer’s disease therapy expected next month. (Feuerstein and Garde, 8/10)

In other pharmaceutical developments —

Stat: Side Effects Detour Amgen's Effort To Expand Use Of Lung Cancer Drug
Aclinical trial run by Amgen that combined its KRAS-targeting cancer drug called Lumakras with other immunotherapies caused serious liver side effects — forcing lung cancer patients to abandon treatment and leading to substantially lower tumor response rates. (Feuerstein, 8/7)

Reuters: Amgen Bets On ChemoCentryx's Rare Disease Drug In $3.7 Billion Deal 
Amgen Inc on Thursday agreed to buy ChemoCentryx Inc (CCXI.O) for $3.7 billion to gain access to a potential blockbuster treatment for inflammatory disorders and beat quarterly revenue estimates on demand for its bone disease drug. (Mishra, 8/4)

Stat: Karuna Schizophrenia Drug Achieves Study Goals In Late-Stage Trial
Karuna Therapeutics said Monday that a novel combination pill reduced psychosis and related symptoms experienced by patients with schizophrenia, achieving the main goals of a late-stage clinical trial. (Feuerstein, 8/8)

Reuters: AstraZeneca Says Lynparza Gets EU Nod To Treat Early-Stage Breast Cancer 
AstraZeneca said on Thursday its drug Lynparza, developed with U.S.-based Merck & Co was approved by the European Union as an adjuvant treatment for patients with a form of a genetically mutated early-stage breast cancer. (8/4)

Stat: Aldosterone Linked To Worsening Kidney Disease, Study Suggests 
A drug that has been used to slow progression of kidney and cardiovascular disease in people with type 2 diabetes may also help people with chronic kidney disease who do not have diabetes, according to findings published Monday in the European Heart Journal. (Cueto, 8/8)

Stat: With Pfizer Deal, Global Blood Sees Chance To Reach All Sickle Cell Patients
The $5.4 billion acquisition of Global Blood Therapeutics by Pfizer was sealed with a phone call and a commitment to reach patients with sickle cell disease wherever in the world they live. (Feuerstein, 8/9)

Bloomberg: Pharma Overpromised On Antidepressants
The most popular depression drugs taken by millions don’t work by fixing an “imbalance of the brain's neurotransmitters,” as many drug advertisements claim or imply. (Faye Flam, 8/8)

Bloomberg: Pfizer Can Get Sickle-Cell Drugs To More Patients
Pfizer continues to spend its Covid windfall wisely. Today, the pharma company said it would spend $5.4 billion to buy Global Blood Therapeutics, which has one approved drug to treat sickle-cell disease and two more in development. (Lisa Jarvis, 8/8)

Also —

Stat: The Drug Pricing Bill, An Inevitable Solution, Will Have Unintended Results
There’s really no ignoring the inexorable math that led the Senate to approve a plan that will give Medicare unprecedented power to set the prices of some drugs. (Matthew Herper, 8/8)

The Washington Post: Drug Companies Are Warning That Medicare Pricing Reform Spells Doom. Don't Fall For It
Democrats are on the verge of passing legislation that, among other things, would empower the government to directly negotiate the price Medicare pays for a handful of the costliest prescription drugs. The measure has precipitated hyperbole from industry lobbyists, who say it represents an existential threat to medical innovation. (Avik Roy and Gregg Girvan, 8/8)

Los Angeles Times: Solve The Insulin Pricing Problem By Getting Government Into The Business
Insulin, an essential drug for more than 8 million Americans, is currently priced so steeply that many diabetics are forced to skip or ration this life-preserving treatment. (Jon D. Michaels, 8/8)

Columbus Dispatch: Drug Pricing Reforms Needed To Lower Out-Of-Pocket Costs
Federal lawmakers are at the plate again, ready to take a swing at prescription drug prices. Finding a way to lower drug costs for consumers is commendable and necessary. However, the current Senate Budget Reconciliation Bill will miss an opportunity to knock one out of the park. (Luke Russell, 8/3)

Quartz: The Insulin Copay Cap Was A Bad Idea Anyway
The Republican choice not to protect more Americans from high insulin prices will affect thousands of people. But even in its original formulation, the cap was not—as some Democrats have suggested—going to control the outrageous price of insulin in the US, nor was it offering a lifeline to the diabetic patients who suffer the most from insulin price gauging: the uninsured. (Annalisa Merelli, 8/9)

The Tennessean: Support Black Patients Who Are Disproportionately Affected By Multiple Myeloma
African American lives are part of the myeloma tapestry and these lives are equally important, however long-standing disparities in the medical field serve as barriers for Blacks from diagnosis through treatment. (Marsha Calloway-Campbell, 8/8)

Stat: Real-World Data Can Help Expedite The Drug Approval Process 
My grandmother was diagnosed with dementia in the early 2000s. We started taking it seriously when she began letting strangers into her Brooklyn brownstone. (Elenee Argentinis, 8/10)

The Hill: Addressing What’s Wrong With The Fee-For-Service System In Health Care
The Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Senate over the weekend includes the largest national investments in health care since passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. Drug price reform and insurance subsidies will make health care more affordable and more accessible to millions of people. (Frederick Isasi, 8/9)

Stat: Implant Recipients Shouldn’t Be Left In The Dark When A Device Maker Folds
Imagine having an impaired sense restored by an innovative device, only to suddenly lose that function again because the company that developed the device folded, or stopped supporting it and pivoted to other products. (Klaudia Jazwinska, 8/10)

The CT Mirror: Has The U.S. Supreme Court Blessed 'Death Panels'?
Remember, during the fight over Obamacare, extremists’ “lie of the year” invoking “death panels” – the notion that government, rather than a patient and doctor, would decide whether to withhold treatment? This threat to our sense of liberty – to control decisions about our bodies – has now been blessed by the conservative Supreme Court majority in Dobbs emphatically removing any constitutional right underlying abortion. (Andy Schatz, 8/10)

Stat: Low-Dose Monkeypox Vaccination Presents Several Challenges
The U.S. heath secretary recently declared monkeypox as a public health emergency, paving the way for emergency use authorizations of additional vaccines or vaccine regimens to fight the disease. (Philip Krause and Luciana L. Borio, 8/9)

Slate: Will Monkeypox Be Renamed? Using An Abbreviation Like MPX Can Reduce Stigma
One solution available is to refer to the virus and illness with letters, rather than the full name. “Use the acronym MPV (short for monkeypox virus) to help reduce stigma and sensationalizing,” advises a fact sheet from GLAAD. “It is acceptable to use the term monkeypox on first mention for context, and then to use MPV thereafter.” GLAAD also suggests MPX as an abbreviation; it’s in use by some doctors and writers. (Hannah Docter-Loeb, 8/9)

The Washington Post: Anti-Vaxxers Tout ‘Medical Freedom’ — And Raise The Death Toll 
The pandemic has amplified anti-vaccine sentiment, and in some cases, it has devolved into general hostility toward science and medical expertise. This might be the age of the mRNA vaccines that saved millions of lives, but it is also a period in which anti-vaccine campaigns cost lives. By one account, since coronavirus vaccines became widely available in 2021, some 200,000 deaths in the United States could have been averted if patients had not gone unvaccinated. (8/9)

The New York Times: Science Is Still In A Race Against The Coronavirus
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a lesson in speed: the speed at which a novel virus among humans can spread; the speed at which it can rack up fatalities and cripple economies; the speed at which vaccines can be designed and produced; the speed at which misinformation can undermine public health. (David Quammen, 8/10)

Los Angeles Times: How Worried Should We Be About The Mental Health Of Tween Girls?
By all indications, the incidence of depression and anxiety among all children has surged dramatically. In December, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned that the country is facing a youth mental health crisis, exacerbated by the pandemic. This followed the declaration of a national mental health emergency by the country’s leading experts in pediatric health, particularly among the most vulnerable — LGBTQ kids, disabled kids, Black, brown and Indigenous kids, and kids involved in the child welf/are or juvenile justice systems. (Robin Abcarian, 8/10)

Modern Healthcare: Meeting The Mental Health Needs Of The Medicare Population 
For the 63 million Americans who receive Medicare benefits, challenges that significantly affect their mental well-being continue to rise. (Sarah Peipert, 8/9)