Higher Dementia Risk Linked To Regular Laxative Use: Study
March 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
A correlation was found between regular laxative use and dementia by researchers in the U.K., with a study of around 500,000 adults. Meanwhile, Stat reports Eli Lilly is avoiding big Medicaid rebates with its insulin price cuts; the FDA warns of food allergy test false negatives, and more.
Disability-Rights Trailblazer Judith Heumann Dies; She Helped Create ADA
March 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
The world-renowned activist and quadriplegic served in both the Clinton and Obama administrations and was a fellow or board member at some of the nation’s leading nonprofits, news media outlets reported. President Joe Biden called her “a rolling warrior for disability rights in America.”
Abortion Clinics Set To Be Banned In Utah; Issue Already Shaping 2024 Election
March 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
Utah’s governor says he’ll sign a bill that will ban clinics from operating in the state, leaving hospitals as the only option. Abortion news is also reported from North Carolina, South Carolina, Massachusetts, and other parts of the nation.
Covid Mask Rules For Health Workers To End In California, Washington, Oregon
March 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
California health officials said they plan to relax guidance for masking in high-risk settings and health worker vaccine rules, the LA Times reported. Separately, Washington and Oregon will lift health worker mask rules, according to AP. Other news reminds us covid is still infecting and killing people.
Biden Had Basal Cell Carcinoma Lesion Removed During February Physical
March 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
The lesion was on his chest and “has healed nicely,” the president’s physician, Kevin O’Connor, said Friday.
Statin Alternative Lowers Heart Attack, Stroke Risks, Major Study Finds
March 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
Statins are the most common cholesterol-lowering drugs, but some patients can’t tolerate or refuse it due to side effects. In a large study of bempedoic acid, sold as Nexletol by Esperion Therapeutics, the alternative medication option is shown to both lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. Stat examines whether doctors will start to prescribe the pill more.
Spiking Diabetes And Obesity Rates Among Young Adults Sound Alarms
March 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
A study finds that cases among patients between 20 and 44 years old rose from 2009 to 2020, with rates even higher than average for Black and Hispanic Americans. “We’re witnessing a smoldering public health crisis,” one study author told The Washington Post.
First Edition: March 6, 2023
March 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Struggling to Survive, the First Rural Hospitals Line Up for New Federal Lifeline
By Sarah Jane Tribble
March 6, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Hospitals in New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma are among the first to apply for a new rural hospital payment model that shifts the focus of services away from overnight stays to outpatient and emergency care. Still, experts say the law needs to be amended to provide the right mix of care for rural communities.
Virtual or In Person: Which Kind of Doctor’s Visit Is Better, and When It Matters
By Michelle Andrews
March 6, 2023
KFF Health News Original
While there are no hard-and-fast rules about when to opt for a telehealth visit versus seeing a doctor face-to-face, physicians offer guidance about when it may make more sense to choose one or the other.
Despite Pharma Claims, Illicit Drug Shipments to US Aren’t Full of Opioids. It’s Generic Viagra.
By Phil Galewitz
March 6, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The FDA has long blocked the importation of cheap medicine, agreeing with pharmaceutical manufacturers that it opens the door to opioids. The agency’s own data shows that rarely happens.
Journalists Discuss Insulin Prices, Gun Violence, Distracted Driving, and More
March 4, 2023
KFF Health News Original
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Kentucky Religious Gathering Could Have Exposed 20,000 To Measles
March 3, 2023
Morning Briefing
The CDC estimated that 20,000 people attended the gathering at Asbury University at the same time as a resident who was infected with measles, CBS News reports, during an outbreak that has already affected multiple states and countries. Doctors are warned to watch for symptoms.
EPA Poised To Limit Levels Of ‘Forever Chemicals’ In Water
March 3, 2023
Morning Briefing
AP reports that the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to restrict levels of chemicals like PFAS after finding “they are dangerous in amounts so small as to be undetectable.” Separately, lead levels in schools’ water supplies are still a concern in some places.
51% Of People Alive In 2035 Will Be Obese Or Overweight: Report
March 3, 2023
Morning Briefing
A new World Obesity Federation report says the economic impact of this situation could hit $4 trillion a year. Separately, a survey finds the bulk of big food brands’ products are unhealthy.
DEA’s In-Person Rules For Controlled Substance Prescriptions Cause Concern
March 3, 2023
Morning Briefing
The federal effort to limit the overprescription of controlled substances via telehealth is causing “confusion and consternation” in the behavioral health community, Axios says, because of how it affects patients with opioid use disorder. Insulin, an Alzheimer’s vaccine, and more are also in the news.
Mental Health Provider Fined $7.8M For Sharing Data With Advertisers
March 3, 2023
Morning Briefing
The FTC says BetterHelp provided consumers’ email addresses, IP addresses, and health questionnaire information to Facebook, Snapchat, and other companies, Modern Healthcare reported. The FTC also says the company wrongly used HIPAA certification seals on its website.
FDA Says No Flu And Covid Combination Shots This Year
March 3, 2023
Morning Briefing
The FDA’s top vaccines official, Dr. Peter Marks, said this week the effort to produce a combo shot for late this year has proved “too heavy a lift.” The federal Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, meanwhile, expects commercial vaccine sales alongside the next covid strain.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
March 3, 2023
Morning Briefing
Each week, KHN finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on hospital food, endovascular thrombectomy, aphasia, peptide injections, medical tourism, and more.