Latest KFF Health News Stories
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations. Note to readers: KHN’s First Edition will not be published Monday, Feb. 21, in celebration of Presidents Day. See you Tuesday!
Viewpoints: UK’s NHS Has Massive Backlog; Covid-Style Partnership Needed For New Cancer Drugs
Opinion writers tackle these public health issues.
Different Takes: Show Covid’s Lung Damage To The Vaccine-Hesitant; Is It Time To Unmask?
Editorial pages discuss these covid topics.
BioNTech’s Modular African Vax Factory Plan Gets Mixed Reaction
Stat says BioNTech’s plan for making covid and other shots in Africa, shipping preconstructed factory elements in shipping containers, snubs efforts by the World Health Organization. Meanwhile, the WHO is also cautioning that a global slide in covid cases may be linked to lower testing rates.
Florida Moves Ahead With 15-Week Abortion Bill
The Florida House vote approving an abortion ban was achieved along party lines, driven by Republican lawmakers. Next it will go before the state Senate. But in Arkansas, efforts to pass a Texas-style abortion ban seem to have been stymied, at least for this year’s Senate session.
Research Roundup: Covid; Gene Editing; Alzheimer’s
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
2021 Saw Record Organ Transplants In US: Over 41,000
This was the first year the U.S. ever exceeded 40,000 transplants. Researchers, separately, found altering the blood type of lungs could lead to universal transplants. And Axios reports on the awful situation where “bionic” eye transplants go obsolete as the company behind them faltered.
Share Of US Adults Identifying As LGBTQ+ Rises To 7.1%
The record figure is double that reported by Gallup in 2012, and up on 2021’s 5.6% figure. The opioid epidemic in North Carolina, mild flu season in Dallas County, a study linking being attractive and a better immune system, and a Victoria’s Secret model with Down syndrome are also in the news.
Seeing Medical Specialists In Vermont Means Long Waits: Report
The AP reports on a new state probe into wait times for patients needing to see some medical specialists, with waits averaging 61 days during the pandemic. Meanwhile, in Chicago, nine hospitals’ eating facilities failed food inspections last year.
White House Mulls Overhaul Of Trump Direct-Contract Medicare Program
The Trump-era program allows private companies to participate in Medicare in an attempt to limit government costs. Progressive Democrats are said to be pressuring the White House to overhaul it. In Montana, federal inspectors placed the state psychiatric facility under serious sanctions.
Doctor Survey Suggests Faltering US Drug Supply Chain
Seven in 10 physicians questioned as part of the new US Pharmacopeia survey said the pandemic has worsened drug supply chain problems. Separately, an AHIP survey found some specialty pharmacy drugs can cost twice as much in hospitals for the same product.
Omicron Vaccine Booster Plans Slowed, May Not Be Needed
Moderna says an omicron-specific booster may be ready by August, but it was still gathering data to see if the shots actually provide better protection for omicron. Pfizer and BioNTech said slow data-gathering delayed their plans for an omicron-specific shot and also said it may not be necessary.
Think Omicron Is Mild? In 15 States, Covid Deaths Are Rising
As an average of 2,200 Americans die from covid each day, focus is falling on 15 states reporting at least a 10% rise in daily death rates. Experts are also cautioning that reported infection numbers may be wrong as people fail to report positive cases from at-home tests.
Ga. Judge Intervenes With Air Force Officer Seeking Religious Exemption
The judge temporarily blocked the U.S. military from enforcing its vaccination mandate against the officer, who is Christian and against “receiving a vaccine that was derived from or tested on aborted fetal tissue.” As reported previously, the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been accused of being “morally compromised” because fetal cells were used in their development. However, none of the three shots have fetal cells in the actual vaccine.
Texas Sues Over Airline Mask Mandate
In related news, a 4-year-old boy on the autism spectrum will be allowed to fly from Florida to Boston without wearing a mask. Meanwhile, many cities, states and colleges are dumping mask rules.
CDC Says It Will Soon Update Its Covid Guidelines
CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Wednesday that the agency was looking at new metrics for relaxing pandemic guidance, including masks, ABC News and other media outlets reported. Walensky didn’t give specifics on what the benchmarks might be but has said hospitalization levels are key.
50 Million US Homes Already Have Their Free Covid Test Kits
Meanwhile, the president has reportedly chosen two people to temporarily stand in for former top White House science adviser Eric Lander, who recently resigned as head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy after an investigation into hostile workplace conduct.
Bill Aims To Curb Harm Of Social Media On The TikTok Generation
Congress recently held five hearings on the potential dangers for children and teens under age 17. The bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act of 2022 aims to force companies like TikTok and Meta to better protect younger users, boost privacy, and subject themselves to independent checks.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Different Takes: Blood Donation Discrimination Must End; OTC Hearing Aids Will Soon Be Reality
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health issues.
