Latest KFF Health News Stories
What’s Better Than A Covid Shot? How About One That Also Covers The Flu
Moderna said Thursday that it is developing a 2-in-1 booster jab that combines the covid and flu vaccines. In other news, BioNTech says it will file its paperwork on trial results for 5- to 11-year-olds “over the next few weeks.”
Los Angeles Is First Large School District To Require Student Vaccines
All children 12 and older must be fully vaccinated against covid by January. In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis files an emergency appeal as his fight against mask mandates continues.
Across The US, Covid Is Surging Among Kids, Students
Nearly half of covid clusters in North Carolina middle and high schools have been in sports teams. Over a dozen schools in Maine have reported outbreaks in the first few weeks of the semester. Montana’s Yellowstone County case investigators are overwhelmed with youth cases. News outlets report on the surge among children.
Fauci Says US Is Lacking Control Needed To Suppress Covid
Dr. Anthony Fauci noted that the current covid situation, with around 160,000 daily cases, is clearly not where the nation wants to be, and he sketched a figure of around 10,000 as a potential end goal. But he also said the country is lacking “modestly good control” in moves to suppress the virus.
Biden Administration Reveals Its Roadmap For Lowering Drug Prices
The 29-page plan developed by the Department of Health and Human Services backs congressional proposals to cut prescription drug costs — including allowing Medicare to negotiate prices — while adding on more detail about actions that federal agencies could also take to implement or build on those efforts.
Department Of Justice Sues State Of Texas Over Abortion ‘Scheme’
Attorney General Merrick Garland called the recent Texas law “clearly unconstitutional.” Meanwhile, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer said the Supreme Court’s refusal to block it was “very, very, very wrong.” The New York Times notes access to abortion is expanding globally, even as it constricts in the U.S.
FDA Ban Decision Sends Market For 950,000 Vape Products Up In Smoke
Nearly a million vape product applications were rejected by the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday, banning the sale of them in the U.S. Technically, the FDA missed a court-ordered deadline to decide on all e-cigarette sales and has pushed a decision on big brands like Juul into the future.
Fines Could Reach $3,000 For Travelers Who Refuse To Mask
As part of the new covid measures, minimum TSA fines will double for air, train or bus travelers who refuse to wear a mask, starting at $500 and going up to $3,000 for repeat offenses. And in response to the increased reports of unruly fliers harassing air crews, President Joe Biden had some stern words: “Show some respect. The anger you see on television toward flight attendants and others doing their job is wrong. It’s ugly.”
Biden Aims A Shot At The Unvaxxed, Lays Blame For Ongoing Crisis
The Hill suggests President Joe Biden is done “pussy-footing around” ongoing covid vaccine hesitancy. Axios says “the enemy” is unvaccinated Americans. The AP, using familiar rhetoric, calls moves to mandate vaccines for 100 million people the latest in “Biden’s war on the virus.”
Who Pays? Vax-Or-Test Order Raises Questions Over Implementation
Reactions among the private sector are mixed, with many business groups praising President Joe Biden’s actions while some unions vow to challenge them in court. But all want more details on how the orders will be carried out and what it’s going to cost.
Republican Governors Plan ‘Pushback’ And To Fight Executive Orders In Court
Calling President Joe Biden’s actions “unconstitutional” and “overreaching,” many Republican governors, as well as the Republican National Committee, pledged to sue over the new federal measures.
Vaccine Rules That Cover 80M Workers Lead Biden’s New Covid Strategies
With a six-step plan, President Joe Biden released Thursday the more aggressive measures of his administration to date to try to control the pandemic still raging in the U.S. due to the highly contagious delta variant and remaining unvaccinated populations.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial pages tackle these public health topics.
Perspectives: Why Are People Taking Ivermectin For Covid?; Australia Struggling With Delta
Opinion writers deal with these covid and vaccine issues.
Research Roundup: Covid; Vaccines; Nano-Capsules; Happiness; HAIs
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs. Today, we’ve included stories from the past two weeks.
UK To Boost Taxes To Highest-Ever Levels To Fund Health, Social Care
Meanwhile, India says it is better prepared against future covid waves; covid hits nearly 100 children in an orphanage in the Philippines; the McDonald’s Happy Meal inventor has died; and France will offer free contraception to all women up to 25.
EPA Eyes Federal-Funded Cleanup For Atlanta Lead Contamination
A westside Atlanta area contaminated with lead could end up on the National Priorities List of the Superfund Program. Separately, Bangor City, Maine, votes to ban the sale of flavored cigarettes, jumping ahead of potential federal-level plans to regulate the tobacco industry.
Guidelines Say Medical Pot May Benefit Only Some Chronic Pain Sufferers
A meta-study of clinical cannabis use showed that the drug may benefit some people with chronic pain, but it likely won’t benefit most patients. A separate study finds that college students’ use of cannabis hit a record in 2020, but the pandemic era also saw a dip in alcohol consumption.
Health Systems Buy Stake In Key Drugmaker Exela; Sanofi Buys Kadmon
11 health systems and group purchaser Premier acquired a stake in Exela Pharma Sciences, a maker of proprietary and generic sterile injectables. Meanwhile, France’s Sanofi paid $1.9 billion to buy Kadmon to boost its transplant business. Eliquis drug makers and drug naming are also in the news.
