Gallup Poll Finds Nurses Are Most Trusted Among 23 Major Professions
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
Americans trust nurses even more than doctors, the new 2023 Honesty and Ethics poll found: 78% of Americans taking part in the poll felt nurses kept to “very high” or “high” standards of honesty and ethics. Also in the news: female body dummies for CPR training.
Should Obesity Drugs Be Prioritized? Genetics Test Could Help Decide
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
Read recent pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News’ Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Viewpoints: Misinformation Can Be Deadly; Will We Ever Recover From The Covid Pandemic?
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle misinformation, covid, gene therapy, and more.
New Cases And Low Vaccination Rates In Some Areas Raise Measles Concerns
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
Some states in the Northeast are reporting a rise in measles. That trend is expected to spread to westward, including to some spots where vaccination rates are low enough to raise alarms for the CDC.
Thousands Of Frontline Worker Covid Deaths Due To Govt. Failures: Report
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
A new study published in the BMJ calls attention to failures in the U.S. regulatory system that contributed to the deaths of thousands of frontline workers during the pandemic. Separate research shows up to 75% of adults have hidden an infectious illness in order to work, travel, or socialize.
Medicaid Outlines Plan To Help Pay For Pricey Sickle Cell Gene Therapies
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will pursue so-called outcomes-based agreements that would put discounts or rebates in place on two new expensive gene therapies if they don’t deliver promised results for patients with sickle cell disease.
Lawmakers, AHA Highlight Need For Health Worker Anti-Violence Bill
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
House sponsors of the Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act of 2023 urged action on the bill at a briefing hosted by the American Hospital Association, which endorses the measure.
Analysis Finds Premature Birth Rate Grew 12% From 2014 To 2022
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
In 2022, nearly 8.7% of U.S. births were premature, new data from the National Center for Health Statistics show. Black mothers were nearly twice as likely as white peers to give birth before full term. Also in the news: the VA will expand fertility treatment options to single vets and same-sex couples.
Experimental Non-Opioid Pain Drug Achieves Success In Studies
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ new drug works by blocking pain signals before they get to the brain and is expected to avoid some issues that opioid pain drugs cause via addiction. The new drug is sparking debate on how widely it would be used if it wins regulatory approval.
Hospital Industry Outlook Looking Good On Wall Street
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
Axios says rising demand for medical care is bringing “good vibes” to the hospital industry’s financial outlook, even as health insurers are left nervous. Also in the news: Humana expands its CenterWell care into new markets; Accompany Health launches; digital therapeutics; and more.
Morning Briefing for Wednesday, January 31, 2024
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
STD rates, measles cases, covid, Medicaid drug costs, violence against health workers, a non-opioid pain drug, and more are in the news.
Syphilis Cases Rise In US While Other STDs Fall Or Stay Flat
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
According to CDC data, syphilis incidences rose 9% in 2022, and have increased 80% since 2018. Gonorrhea cases dropped for the first time in a decade though.
First Edition: Jan. 31, 2024
January 31, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
The FTC Is Attacking Drugmakers’ ‘Patent Thickets’
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
January 31, 2024
KFF Health News Original
It’s a big job clearing out so-called “patent thickets” drugmakers create to keep their products’ prices high. But the Federal Trade Commission is giving it a shot.
Ketamine Therapy for Mental Health a ‘Wild West’ for Doctors and Patients
By Dawn Megli
January 31, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Ketamine, approved by the FDA as an anesthetic in 1970, is emerging as a major alternative mental health treatment, and there are now more than 500 ketamine clinics around the country. But with little regulation and widely varying treatment protocols, it’s a medical “wild West.”
Montana Vows Changes to Avoid Delayed Contracts. Some Health Providers Still Await Back Pay.
By Katheryn Houghton
January 31, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The head of Montana’s health department said the agency is catching up on a months-long backlog of contracts with organizations that connect people to medical care that left organizations without pay, halted some services, and triggered job cuts.
¿Dónde están los proveedores de atención primaria del país? La respuesta no es fácil
By Rae Ellen Bichell
January 30, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Expertos en el tema sienten una frustración persistente: es difícil saber si alguna política está funcionando porque los datos que recopila el gobierno federal sobre las áreas de escasez de atención primaria no han sido fidedignos durante mucho tiempo.
A Legal Battle Over Herring Fishing Has Big Implications for Health Care
By Julie Rovner
January 30, 2024
KFF Health News Original
What do herring fishing and health policy have in common? Quite a bit, it turns out, owing to a case now before the Supreme Court. If the justices rule as expected, based on this month’s oral arguments, they could dramatically change the way federal health agencies operate. “The upheaval caused … would be immense,” argues […]
Texas Supreme Court To Hear Challenge To Youth Gender Care Ban
January 30, 2024
Morning Briefing
In other news, Ohio may be set to follow after Alabama used nitrogen gas in an execution for the first time. Also: HCA North Florida Hospital has extended its surgery shutdown after an instrument sterilization problem; Colorado’s aid-in-dying rules may change; and more.