ERs Treat More Heatstroke Cases As Temperatures Hit Record Highs
July 17, 2023
Morning Briefing
“They’re coming in essentially unresponsive and they’re cooked,” a Phoenix doctor tells NBC News. The dangerous heat is leading to bad sunburns, organ failure, and other heat-related illnesses. Meanwhile, poor air quality from wildfire smoke invades other parts of the nation.
First Edition: July 17, 2023
July 17, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Readers and Tweeters See Ways to Shore Up Primary Care
July 17, 2023
KFF Health News Original
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
In Older Adults, a Little Excess Weight Isn’t Such a Bad Thing
By Judith Graham
July 17, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Researchers have found that while obesity at any age risks harming health, a few extra pounds in later life isn’t cause for concern.
Viewpoints: FDA’s Approval Of OTC Opill Is A Win; Is Aspartame Good Or Bad?
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss OTC birth control pills, aspartame, gender in medical research and more.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on aging and longevity, how memory affects child abuse survivors’ mental health, weight loss drugs, and more.
Syphilis Cases Soaring In Houston, Particularly For Women
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Houston health department said new infections rose by 57% from 2019 to 2022. The outbreak is higher among women, jumping from 295 cases in 2019 to 674 cases in 2022. Other state health news covers Texas’ new school safety law, nuclear waste in Missouri, psychedelics in California, and more stories.
J&J Sues Scientists Who Linked Cancer Cases To Talc Products
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
Reuters covers the legal action by Johnson & Johnson, which has been embroiled in a complex and expensive legal dispute over its talc products. In other industry news: progress is reported for Caribou Bioscience’s CAR-T cancer therapy; Roche speeds up infusions of an MS drug; and more.
Morning Briefing for Friday, July 14, 2023
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
OTC birth control, deadly heat, Medicare physician pay, covid shot pricing, aspartame, trans health, STDs, and more are in the news.
Texas Sued To Prevent Its Gender Care Ban For Minors Taking Effect
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
Five families of transgender youth in Texas, plus 3 health care workers, are suing the state to prevent the ban from taking effect in September. In Florida, meanwhile, medical boards have issues new rules for trans health care after laws restricted what care could be offered by providers.
CMS Proposes 3.3% Cut To Base Pay For Physicians In 2024
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its proposed Physician Fee Schedule rule Thursday. If enacted, some specialists would face steeper cuts from Medicare, while other practitioners’ pay could rise. Physicians faced similar cuts that went into effect this year, though Congress averted some.
36% Of Covid Survivors Had Symptoms After 2 Years: Study
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
An Italian study finds a startlingly high number of people with symptoms long after they had a covid infection. Separate research showed that covid vaccine boosters did protect cancer patients from poor outcomes. Also in the news: “superagers,” brain tumor treatments, and more.
During The Pandemic Cannabis Sent Many More Young People To ERs: CDC
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
CDC data showing emergency department visits by young people related to cannabis spiked during the pandemic, with female cannabis-involved ED visit ratios often beating male ratios. Also: “forever” chemicals in North Carolina, the 988 crisis line’s anniversary, and more.
New Covid Shots Should Be Priced At ‘Reasonable Rate,’ Becerra Demands
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told makers of updated covid shots to limit prices for the drugs come the fall. Becerra warned that gouging would violate the trust of the U.S. public. He also said the shots are expected by late September.
Health Program Reauthorization Bill Introduced, Amid Stalled Negotiations
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Hill and Politico report efforts by Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, to reauthorize funding for a number of health programs, including community health centers. Cassidy’s negotiations with Sen. Bernie Sanders on the issue are reportedly stalled.
House Amends Defense Bill To Require Abortion Policies To Be Rolled Back
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
The House voted 221-213 Thursday night to approve an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would reverse Biden administration rules that reimburse service members or their dependents who must travel for abortion services. Republican lawmakers also added language that prohibits military funding of transition surgeries and hormone treatments for transgender people.
Dangerous Temperatures To Hit South, With Heat Already Killing People
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
Media outlets report on the heat dome hitting California, Arizona and elsewhere, as Maryland reports its first heat-related death of the year. And NOAA confirms that June was the hottest for 174 years of records.
WHO Classifies Sweetener Aspartame As Possible Carcinogen; FDA Disagrees
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
The declaration from the World Health Organization had been expected. The matter is complex however, with news outlets stressing that the risk appears to be very low, and linked to high levels of consumption of aspartame. The FDA is reported as disagreeing with the new classification.
First Birth Control Pill Authorized For Over-The-Counter Sale In US
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
The FDA authorized Thursday that HRA Pharma’s Opill, a daily progestin-only oral contraceptive, can be purchased without a prescription, making the birth control pill easier to obtain.
First Edition: July 14, 2023
July 14, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.