First Edition: June 26, 2023
June 26, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
E-Cigs Are Still Flooding the US, Addicting Teens With Higher Nicotine Doses
By Liz Szabo
June 26, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The FDA, Justice Department, and White House have failed to act as vapes with kid-friendly flavors like cotton candy or gummy bears proliferate.
‘We’re Not Doing That’: Why a Black Couple Wouldn’t Crowdfund to Pay Off Medical Debts
By Noam N. Levey
June 26, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Kristie Fields, a cancer patient in Virginia, was urged to go public to seek financial help. She worried about feeding hurtful stereotypes.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on the morgue scandal, the health benefits of fresh air, cancer, psychedelics, and more.
Ranking Shows Massachusetts Has Best Overall Health System In US
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The new data is from an annual ranking released Thursday by The Commonwealth Fund. Meanwhile, Iowa Public Radio reports that though the federal government offered states the option to expand Medicaid postpartum coverage to a year, some are turning it down.
Insurance Reimbursements To Novel Medical Device Makers May Get Easier
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
Stat reports on the potential of a program from CMS called Transitional Coverage for Emerging Technologies, which would apply to medical products deemed “breakthrough devices” by the FDA. Also in the news: an effort to change the way Medicare pays physicians.
DHS To Step Up Efforts To Intercept Fentanyl Trafficking
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Washington Post covers efforts by the Biden administration to impact the influx of illegal opioids into the U.S. Meanwhile, Axios reports that preventable deaths, including by suicide and drug overdose, increased during the pandemic. Also: AP examines Xylazine’s role in the opioid crisis.
FDA Approves First Gene Therapy For Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
In what NPR calls an “eagerly anticipated decision,” the FDA approved Thursday a treatment called Elevidys from Sarepta Therapeutics to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy by targeting the genetic defect behind it. The treatment costs $3.2 million. Also in the news: the high cost of drugs.
Moderna Already Seeking FDA Authorization For New Covid Shots
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The drugmaker’s newest covid shots target the variant that currently dominates new covid infections in the U.S. — XBB.1.5. The FDA recently indicated that new shots for the fall should be aimed at these variants. Also in the news, how long covid can affect mental health.
3M’s Bill To Settle PFAS Water Contamination Lawsuits: $10.3 Billion
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The company announced Thursday it will pay at least this sum to settle lawsuits over contamination of U.S. drinking water systems with potentially harmful “forever chemicals,” AP reports. Also in the news, “cancer alley” in Louisiana, Minneapolis’ poor air quality, and more.
Viewpoints: End Of Roe Has Had Negative Impact On OB-GYNs; Patient Navigator Details Difficulty After Roe
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers take a look at the effects of overturning Roe, Cost Plus Drug Co., nursing schools and more.
Morning Briefing for Friday, June 23, 2023
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
How a year without Roe has shaped US health care. Plus, vaping, diabetes, new covid shots, PFAS, gene therapy, fentanyl, and weekend reads.
More In US Say They’ll Vote Only For Politicians With Same Abortion Stance
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
A Gallup survey, reported in The Guardian, says over a quarter of registered U.S. voters will vote only for candidates who share their beliefs on abortion, up from last year’s figure. USA Today, meanwhile, highlights how independent women are increasingly at odds with the GOP position on abortion.
Study: Rising Diabetes Will Affect 1.3 Billion People By 2050
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
A new study blames global aging and rising body weight for increasing diabetes cases, which will impact billions more people around the world by 2050. Separately, data show that Hispanic and Asian Americans mainly drove population growth after the pandemic.
CDC Data: Disposable E-Cigarettes Drive Booming Sales And Youth Vaping
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
After a 47% spike during the pandemic years, sales numbers declined in the second half of 2022. The drop is attributed in part to state and local bans on flavored products, though disposable e-cigarettes purchases continue to thrive. And use by teenagers is still climbing.
Denied Care, Distant Travel: Women Tell Their Stories Of A Post-Roe US
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
Many women of reproductive age in the U.S. have been impacted over the last year as new state laws and court decision quickly shifted how pregnant women are treated. Some tell news outlets about their personal stories of fear and uncertainty, difficulty in getting care, and dangerous outcomes.
House Conservatives Want Abortion Bill Vote As GOP Searches For Unified Footing
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
Republican lawmakers at the state and federal level have struggled in the past year to strike a balance on abortion, which has so far proved to be a defining campaign issue. In the House, conservative caucus members want a vote on the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, but moderate members worry about the election impact.
A Year Without Roe: Cascade Of Bans, Legal Fights Shape Abortion Access
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
In the year since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization “dropped a nuclear bomb into public health,” as one expert said, the U.S. has become a patchwork of state laws banning or expanding access to abortion. That trend will continue, as will court battles that have extended to abortion medications and fallout at the ballot boxes.
Abortion Pills To Remain Legal For Now In Wyoming As Judge Blocks Ban
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The state’s first-in-the-nation law banning abortion pills now won’t go into effect July 1 as a lawsuit against the ban proceeds. Other abortion-related news is from Maine — where a bill allowing medically-necessary late abortions was advanced — Ohio, Texas, and elsewhere.
White House To Rally With Abortion Rights Groups To Mark Dobbs Anniversary
June 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Biden administration is holding a series of events over the next two days to spotlight the Supreme Court’s politically controversial decision that overturned abortion rights in the U.S. Groups like Planned Parenthood, EMILY’s List and NARAL-Pro Choice America will join Friday’s White House rally and endorse President Joe Biden for re-election.