tech + pharma

Covid Vaccine Hesitancy Drops Among All Americans, New Survey Shows
By Emmarie Huetteman A nationwide poll released by KFF also revealed which arguments are most compelling to persuade people to get a shot — and which ones are unlikely to work.

‘I Can Breathe Again’: Older Adults Begin to Test Freedom After Covid Vaccinations
By Judith Graham Whether it’s making plans to hug their grandchildren, scheduling long-overdue medical appointments or just petting the neighbor’s dog, seniors are inching back to a lifestyle they’ve missed during the pandemic.

Ask KHN-PolitiFact: How Can Covid Vaccines Be Safe When They Were Developed So Fast?
By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez Experts say there's nothing new about the research underpinning the covid vaccines and that they were tested in more participants than many other approved vaccines.

In His Continued Sparring With Fauci, Sen. Rand Paul Oversimplified the Science
By Julie Appleby The Kentucky lawmaker was right that a recent study offered evidence that vaccination and previous infection appear to neutralize covid-19. But experts say that doesn’t mean people should be complacent.

To Extract More Doses per Vial, Vaccinators Put Squeeze on FDA to Relax Vaccine Handling Advice
By Arthur Allen Although vaccine supply is ramping up, the supply gap puts pressure on vaccinating teams to extract every drop they can. Some are asking the FDA to waive guidance against extracting vaccine from two vials with the same needle. It’s worth a shot.

Vaccine Altruists Find Appointments for Those Who Can’t
By Anna Almendrala An army of volunteers help people who otherwise would have had difficulty securing a covid vaccination because of cumbersome computer or telephone registration systems.

What Childhood Vaccine Rates Can, and Can’t, Teach Us About Covid Vaccines
By Rae Ellen Bichell Hesitancy toward routine childhood vaccines doesn’t necessarily predict hesitancy toward a covid shot.

Meet the Retired Nurse Who Could Give Covid Shots But Couldn’t Get One
By Victoria Knight She followed up on every possible avenue that would allow her to register for a vaccination appointment. Ultimately, it took a 40-minute drive and someone else’s cancellation to make it happen.

‘Explained by KHN’: Consumer Concerns About the Covid Vaccines
By Arthur Allen and Julie Appleby and Tarena Lofton Our newsroom has some of the best and smartest health care and health policy reporters in the business. We’ve created a new video series — “Explained by KHN” — in which our correspondents and editors answer common health care and policy questions. In this edition we cover consumer concerns over the covid-19 vaccines.

The Boom in Out-of-State Telehealth Threatens In-State Providers
By Matt Volz Health provider conflicts, fraud and access disparity temper the covid telehealth revolution.

‘Painless’ Glucose Monitors Pushed Despite Little Evidence They Help Most Diabetes Patients
By Phil Galewitz The numbers of people wearing these monitors are soaring as prices have fallen and device-makers promote them to doctors and patients. But few studies show the devices lead to better outcomes for the nearly 25 million Americans with Type 2 diabetes who don’t inject insulin to regulate their blood sugar.

Can Vaccination and Infection Rates Add Up to Reach Covid Herd Immunity?
By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez A financial research firm offered its take on when states might be reaching the sought-after status of herd immunity. But some experts say the analysis is oversimplified.

Landmark Covid Relief Law Pumps More Than $100 Billion Into Public Health
By Steven Findlay The law provides money to enhance coronavirus testing and contact tracing, support federal efforts on vaccine distribution and hire more public health workers. But advocates worry support will wane when the pandemic is over.

Need Amid Plenty: Richest US Counties Are Overwhelmed by Surge in Child Hunger
By Laura Ungar Hunger among kids is skyrocketing, even in America’s wealthiest counties. But given the nation’s highly uneven charitable food system, affluent communities have been far less ready for the unprecedented crisis than places accustomed to dealing with poverty and hardship.

So You’re Vaccinated Against Covid. Now What?
By Bernard J. Wolfson The vaccination rollout has been unsteady, but the vaccines seem very effective, raising hopes that the pandemic will subside by later this year if enough Americans get their shots. Meanwhile, remain cautious.

In America, Covid Vaccine Eligibility Is a ‘Crazy Quilt’ of State Rules
By Phil Galewitz Across the country, a mishmash of rules to qualify for a precious covid shot is creating nightmares for consumers. Criteria including age, occupation and medical conditions vary dramatically.

Birx Joins Air-Cleaning Industry Amid Land Grab for Billions in Federal Covid Relief
By Christina Jewett and Lauren Weber Air-cleaning companies with limited oversight are targeting a growing market of schools desperate for covid-19 protection. Donald Trump’s former covid adviser lands with one that built its business, in part, on ozone-emitting technology.

Some Dream — Others Scheme — To Find a Vaccine Before Spring Break
By Fred Mogul It’s the second spring break of the pandemic, and rumors abound about people exploiting loopholes to get vaccinated in order to party. But some students who’ve been immunized were eligible because of where they work or underlying health conditions.

‘Press 1 for English’: Vaccination Sign-Ups Prove Daunting for Speakers of Other Languages
By Rachana Pradhan In Virginia, if you called 1-877-VAX-IN-VA to register for a vaccine and wanted help in a language other than English or Spanish, the system might hang up on you.

Stop Blaming Tuskegee, Critics Say. It’s Not an ‘Excuse’ for Current Medical Racism.
By April Dembosky, KQED The Tuskegee syphilis study is often cited as a reason Black Americans might hesitate to take the covid-19 vaccine. But many people say that current racism in health care and lack of access deserve more attention to move more Black Americans toward vaccine protection.

Inmates’ Distrust of Prison Health Care Fuels Distrust of Covid Vaccines
By Eric Berger Many inmates at Western Missouri Correctional Center, like their peers in prisons across Missouri and the nation, are hesitant about getting vaccinated against covid-19 because they don’t trust prison health care.

Accidentally Trashed, Thawed or Expired: Reports of Covid Vaccine Spoilage
By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio As the speed of covid vaccinations picks up, so do the reports of doses going to waste. Health officials are trying to rein in waste without slowing down vaccinations.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Good and Not-So-Good News on Covid
The FDA authorized the emergency use of a one-shot vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson, which could help accelerate the pace of vaccinations to prevent covid-19. But after a dramatic decline, case numbers are again rising, and several states are rolling back public health mitigation efforts. Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Jordan Rau about the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode.

Pfizer’s Newest Vaccine Plant Has Persistent Mold Issues, History of Recalls
By Sarah Jane Tribble After nearly a decade’s worth of federal inspections, reprimands and corrective action plans, has Pfizer fixed the facility that will be filling vials of its covid vaccine?

Doctors Debate Use of Blood Thinners to Prevent Clots in Women After C-Sections
By Harris Meyer One group of maternal health experts in 2016 urged doctors to give all women heparin shots after C-sections, barring specific medical risks for individual patients. But many physicians disagree, questioning whether wide use of the drug is effective, worth the cost and safe, since it carries the risk of bleeding.

High Obesity Rates in Southern States Magnify Covid Threat
By Sarah Varney In the American South — home to nine of the nation’s 12 heaviest states — obesity is playing a role not only in covid outcomes, but in the calculus of the vaccination rollout.

‘Super-Sized’ Vaccine Clinic Offers Food Workers Some Relief
By Lori Basheda Long Beach, which has its own health department, kicked off a vaccination campaign for essential workers by inviting 3,000 food workers to a splashy vaccination event at the city’s convention center.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: ACA Packs More Benefits — And More Confusion
The covid relief bill signed by President Joe Biden includes a long list of new health benefits for consumers. But many eligible people may have difficulty taking advantage of them because of the interaction with the income tax system and a lack of expert guidance. Meanwhile, Democrats are debating internally about what should come next on the health agenda. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call and Rachana Pradhan of KHN join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

The Case for Donating US Covid Vaccines Overseas
By Arthur Allen For now, there’s not enough vaccine for the U.S., but that could change within a few months. Vaccinating other nations will be key to stopping the pandemic – and keeping it away from our shores.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Getting Down to Work at HHS
After a bruising confirmation process, Xavier Becerra was sworn in as secretary of Health and Human Services this week. The Senate also confirmed the nominations of former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to return to the post he held in the Obama administration, and former Pennsylvania health secretary Rachel Levine as assistant secretary for health. Levine is the first openly transgender person to receive Senate confirmation. Meanwhile, questions continue to swirl around the AstraZeneca covid vaccine, which some public health experts worry will create more hesitancy toward other vaccines.

Scientists Seek Covid Treatment Answers in Cheap, Older Drugs
By Esther Landhuis Philanthropies are funding studies of cheap, existing medications like the antidepressant fluvoxamine as covid treatments. But early hype about hydroxychloroquine and other repurposed drugs leaves researchers leery of hasty conclusions.

Democrats Eye Medicare Negotiations to Lower Drug Prices
By Emmarie Huetteman Progressive and conservative Democratic lawmakers, as well as President Joe Biden, are in favor of authorizing federal officials to negotiate with drugmakers over what Medicare pays for at least some of the most expensive brand-name drugs and to base those prices on the drugs’ clinical benefits. Such a measure could put Republicans in the uncomfortable position of opposing an idea that most voters from both parties generally support.

How Much of Trump’s Health Agenda Has Biden Undone?
By Julie Rovner In his campaign, President Joe Biden promised to undo policies, particularly health policies, implemented by former President Donald Trump. Yet, despite immense executive power, reversing four years of action takes time and resources.