Trans Advocates Say Florida Consent Forms Are Inaccurate, Transphobic
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
New Florida Boards of Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine consent forms required for access to gender affirming care are inaccurate, intentionally vague, and have transphobic language, critics say. Meanwhile, in California Republicans push to end a tax on health savings accounts.
Pfizer Warns Some Drug Supplies May Be Affected By Tornado Strike
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
Though the tornado that hit the company’s plant in North Carolina last week mainly affected warehousing, some drug supplies — including lidocaine, morphine, and fentanyl injectables — may be disrupted. Also in health industry news: a huge deal with Roche, new investments in blood testing tech, and more.
Researchers Link Adult Depression To Higher Dementia Risk Later
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
News outlets cover a new study that suggests a depression diagnosis in adulthood could more than double your risk of developing dementia in older age. Meanwhile, Stat covers the race to develop ways to detect Alzheimer’s earlier. Also in the news: aspirin, alcohol addiction, gene therapy, and more.
Poll Finds Majority Support Universal Background Checks For Gun Owners
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
A survey finds that 86% of American adults support Congress mandating background checks for all firearms sales and transfers. A majority also support gun license test-taking and an assault weapons ban. Meanwhile, a new study reports that Black Americans are more likely to be mass shooting victims.
Abortion Politics Fuel Messaging Ahead Of Ohio’s August Ballot Measure Vote
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
Next month’s vote that could make it harder for initiatives to make Ohio ballots is entwined with abortion politics. And a new survey finds that such a measure on abortion rights would be supported by voters. Meanwhile, another survey shows shifting national attitudes on state abortion laws.
Lawmakers Urge Federal Worker Protections During Extreme Heat
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
Over 100 congressional Democrats are urging President Joe Biden to task OSHA with establishing stronger heat safety regulations for people who work both indoors and outside as the nation wrestles with record heat. Separately, new research links heat and pollution to higher heart attack risks.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, July 25, 2023
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
Weight loss drugs, covid deaths, abortion on the ballot, heat safety rules, gun violence, medical supplies, and more are in the news.
Biden Administration Pushes Insurers For Better Mental Health Coverage
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
New regulations, to be proposed today, require insurers to investigate if their customers have equal access to medical and mental health benefits, and to fix imbalances. Also in the news: a suit against Cigna’s claims denials, a grant to help schools remove lead from drinking water, and more.
Lower Covid Vaccine Uptake Linked To Excess Republican Deaths In Florida, Ohio: Study
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
Researchers have found that in the months after the covid vaccine was released that Republicans in Florida and Ohio experienced “significantly higher” excess death rates than Democrats, when compared to the rates before vaccines were available.
First Edition: July 25, 2023
July 25, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Hospitals Ask Congress to Delay ACA Medicaid Funding Cuts — For the 14th Time
By Phil Galewitz
July 25, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Congress has until October to avert cuts to a Medicaid program intended to support safety-net hospitals that, in practice, improves the bottom lines of other hospitals, too. Hospital leaders say now is not a good time for the cuts — which lawmakers have so far postponed 13 times.
New Weight Loss Drugs Carry High Price Tags and Lots of Questions for Seniors
By Judith Graham
July 25, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Although nearly 40% of Americans 60 and older are obese, Medicare doesn’t cover weight loss medications. Meanwhile, studies haven’t thoroughly examined new drugs’ impact on older adults.
Viewpoints: Tech Can Help Alleviate Health Care Burnout; Drug Production Needs Manufacturing Changes
July 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss burnout, drug manufacturing, heat deaths and more.
2-Year-Old Killed By Brain-Eating Amoeba In Nevada
July 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
The child died after a visit to a natural hot spring where he could have been exposed to Naegleria fowleri. Also in state health news, a hack in Texas exposed patients’ health information, Medicaid redeterminations, heat-related illnesses, and more.
Gilead Accused Of ‘Slow-Walking’ HIV Therapy For More Profit
July 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
A New York Times report highlights an alleged plan at Gilead to delay the release of a promising new HIV drug to maximize profits. Separately, GSK was given marketing authorization for an HIV prevention drug in Europe. Other industry news concerns cosmetics research, industry deals and more.
Palo Alto VA Medical Center To Become First Full-5G Enabled Hospital In US
July 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
5G could bring many benefits, Axios reports, including enabling more smart technology in and around hospitals. In other research news: statin use for people with HIV; a finger prick that could detect Alzheimer’s; how TV watching as a child could hurt later health; AI; and more.
3 Killed, 5 Sickened Overall In Washington State Listeria Outbreak
July 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
News outlets report on a spate of deaths in Washington over recent months from food-borne listeria infections. Though genetic testing on bacteria from all five patients revealed they were likely infected from the same source, that source remains unidentified.
Morning Briefing for Monday, July 24, 2023
July 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Pandemic preparedness, drug pricing, Medicaid, maternal deaths, misinformation, medical shortages, HIV, outbreaks, and more are in the news.
Texas Has Worst Maternal Mortality Rate; Births Among Over-30s Slip
July 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Houston Chronicle reports on data that show maternal death rates in Texas rose from 10 per 100,000 births in 1999 to nearly 22 deaths in 2019. The Boston Globe, meanwhile, reports that births among people over 30 fell for the first time in 10 years during 2020.
FTC Signals Growing Appetite For Greater PBM Oversight
July 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Federal Trade Commission is reviewing “outdated” agency statements and policies when in comes to regulation of pharmacy benefit manager practices. In other drug pricing news, pharmaceutical companies ratchet up their efforts to halt Medicare negotiations, and a bill capping insulin prices hits hurdles in Congress.