Colorado Checkup: May 2024

FDA Urged To Relax Decades-Old Tissue Donation Restrictions for Gay and Bisexual Men
By Rae Ellen Bichell
Federal regulations prevent gay and bisexual men from donating tissue, such as corneas, ligaments, and blood vessels. Similar restrictions have been relaxed or lifted for donated blood and organs in recent years.

The Case of the Armadillo: Is It Spreading Leprosy in Florida?
By Sam Ogozalek, Tampa Bay Times
A single Central Florida county reported 13% of all U.S. leprosy cases in 2020. Researchers have teamed up to investigate whether armadillos are passing the bacteria that cause the disease to humans — which is especially concerning as the animals expand their range farther north.

Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Decried as Biased Against Disabled People
By Daniel Chang
People with disabilities say they are abruptly losing their Medicaid home health benefits and are being advised incorrectly when they call state offices for more information. “Every day the anxiety builds,” one beneficiary told KFF Health News.

First Responders, Veterans Hail Benefits of Psychedelic Drugs as California Debates Legalization
By Bernard J. Wolfson
California lawmakers have modified a psychedelic drug bill that was vetoed last year, narrowing it to allow only supervised use of psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy, and other hallucinogens rather than decriminalize more broadly. The current bill would establish new state agencies to regulate the program.

Medical Residents Are Increasingly Avoiding States With Abortion Restrictions
By Julie Rovner and Rachana Pradhan
A new analysis shows that students graduating from U.S. medical schools were less likely to apply this year for residency positions in states with abortion bans and other significant abortion restrictions.