Residents of a Rural Arkansas County Grapple With Endemic Gun Violence
By Renuka Rayasam
October 25, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Rural gun homicides have often been overshadowed by violence in cities. But they are taking their toll on small communities ill-equipped to deal with the challenges.
Viewpoints: We Are Starting To See Climate Change For The Health Danger It Is; How To End Hospital Violence?
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle climate change, hospital violence, AI in health care and more.
14-Year-Old Invents Soap To Treat Skin Cancer, Wins Top Young Scientist Prize
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Heman Bekele, who’s only in the ninth grade, developed a compound-based bar of soap designed to treat melanoma — with a delightful upshot, in this era of high medical bills, of a price of only 50 cents a bar. It earned him the top prize from 3M and Discovery Education.
Ways To Save Medicare Money May Not Be Popular With Voters, Industry
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
News outlets explore test models and policy debates over how Medicare spending could be reduced. Other insurance and health industry reports on older physicians, cybersecurity, premiums, and more.
Being Homeless In San Francisco Dramatically Raises Your Death Risk
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
A new study shows that being unhoused in San Francisco means you’re 16 times more likely to suddenly die than local residents with homes. Among other news, psychedelic mushrooms go on sale in Oregon; Ohio’s medical marijuana is among the cheapest; Narcan is stocked in New York City high schools; and more.
Survey: Shortages Of Meds, Equipment Now At Levels To Harm Patients
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
A survey from a nonprofit patient safety organization has revealed the extent that medical supply chain shortages are impacting health systems and patients across the country. Also, the FDA cleared Verve Therapeutics to conduct a clinical trial of a gene-edit therapy for a common heart disease.
Next Year, You Might Be Able To Take Your Own Flu Vaccine At Home
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
The FDA is reviewing an application from AstraZeneca to allow its nasal spray flu vaccine, FluMist, to be self-administered. If approved, it could be available for home use during the 2024-25 flu season. Plus, updates on RSV, strep, and covid.
Colo. Judge: Catholic Facility Allowed To Offer So-Called Abortion ‘Reversals’
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
The unproven treatment involves administering a high dose of progesterone. The judge said a Colorado law banning the treatment likely violates the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of religious freedom. In other news, a county in Texas has approved an abortion travel ban.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, October 24, 2023
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Water safety, TCE, at-home flu vaccine, medicine shortages, Medicare, abortion law, skin cancer, and more are in the news.
White House Wants To End All Use Of TCE, Chemical Linked To Cancer, Parkinson’s
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Biden administration aims to revive efforts from the Obama White House to ban trichloroethylene. It is a solvent used in cleaning chemicals and adhesives. Exposure to it, even in small amounts, has been linked in studies to cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
First Edition: Oct. 24, 2023
October 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Epidemic: What Good Is a Vaccine When There Is No Rice?
October 24, 2023
Podcast
What good is a vaccine when there is no rice? Episode 7 of “Eradicating Smallpox” explores the barriers public health workers face in communities where people’s basic needs aren’t being met.
Millions of Rural Americans Rely on Private Wells. Few Regularly Test Their Water.
By Tony Leys
October 24, 2023
KFF Health News Original
More than 43 million Americans drink, bathe, and cook with water from private wells, which can be tainted by farm or industrial runoff, leaky septic systems, or naturally occurring minerals.
Covid Cases Faded Across US, But Deaths Rose
October 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
U.S. covid markers are said to have shown more declines over recent weeks, but one of the markers for severity of infections — deaths from covid — were shown to have risen by CDC data. Even amid hopes the virus is becoming more flu-like, scientists worry more deadly surges may occur.
In California, Someone Caught Dengue Via Local Infection For The First Time
October 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
In startling news, a rare case of mosquito-borne dengue virus was locally acquired by someone in Pasadena — the first known case in the state for someone who had not recently traveled. Also in the news: In the hunt for Zika virus vaccines, volunteers are safely infected for the first time.
Doctors, Hospitals Increasingly Caught In Crossfire Despite Geneva Conventions
October 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The New York Times highlights Article 18 of the First Geneva Convention, ratified after World War II, which says hospitals “may under no circumstances be the object of attack,” while pointing out that across the world, doctors and hospitals are being hit. AP covers the “nightmare” in Gaza’s hospitals.
Roche Drug Achieves Dramatic Impact On Some Early-Stage Lung Cancers
October 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The risk of recurrence or death for patients with a type of early non-small cell lung cancer on Alecensa fell by 76% versus chemotherapy. The drug is already approved for advanced cases where the cancer has spread to other areas in the body. Also in the news: growing “pharmacy desert” risks.
New Report Highlights Giant Health Care Costs Associated With Dementia
October 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
A new study from the University of Michigan highlights how massive the out-of-pocket health care financial burden can be for families of people with dementia. Meanwhile, a separate study shows how the cost of giving birth in the U.S. is already high, and is getting ever higher over time.
Pfizer’s Vaccine For Meningococcal Diseases Earns FDA Approval
October 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
Approval for the vaccine Penbraya makes it the first to protect against five groups of the bacteria behind meningitis and blood poisoning. Among other news, Sanofi reports “unprecedented” demand for its RSV therapy; the CDC’s acting director warns of respiratory disease season; and more,
Congress’ Battle Against Opioid Crisis Becomes Slog, As Thousands Die
October 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
There seems to be no answer from Congress for the opioid drug crisis, Politico reports. And an investigation reveals drug overdose deaths are soaring at Georgia prisons. Elsewhere, it’s reported Texas cities are destroying expired Narcan doses despite that they can still be effective against overdoses.