Democrats Focus On Gun Violence With New Restrictions
January 19, 2023
Morning Briefing
Stateline shines a spotlight on Democrats’ efforts to pass gun safety measures in states where they hold power. Meanwhile, in California, a bill would ban most ownership of body armor. And the Supreme Court again declined to pause New York gun regulations.
Concerns As Two Top NIH Leadership Positions Remain Empty
January 19, 2023
Morning Briefing
Roll Call reports on worries that the unfilled director posts at NIH and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, vacated by Francis Collins and Anthony Fauci, respectively, may cause problems for the NIH’s agenda in the new Congress.
Morning Briefing for Thursday, January 19, 2023
January 19, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s roundup covers a failed HIV vaccine, long covid, HHS oversight, abortion pills, Medicaid, weight loss, youth mental health, and more.
HHS Oversight Of Pathogen Research Must Improve, Watchdog Report Says
January 19, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Government Accountability Office has several concerns about the Health and Human Services Department’s framework for virus research, news media outlets report.
Study Estimates That 65 Million People Worldwide May Have Long Covid
January 19, 2023
Morning Briefing
Researchers say that the condition is undercounted as symptoms are not always recognized as long covid. Other news stories report on covid immunity, the XBB.1.5 subvariant, and more.
FDA Disputes Texas Lawsuit Aiming To Reverse Its Approval Of Mifepristone
January 19, 2023
Morning Briefing
“The public interest would be dramatically harmed by effectively withdrawing from the marketplace a safe and effective drug that has lawfully been on the market for twenty-two years,” the FDA wrote in a filing to District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk arguing that the lawsuit from the Alliance Defending Freedom has no merit or standing. A separate FDA decision allowing pharmacies to dispense abortion pills is also expected to be challenged in the courts.
Trial Of J&J HIV Vaccine Halted After ‘Disappointing’ Failure
January 19, 2023
Morning Briefing
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said Wednesday that Johnson & Johnson’s experimental vaccine does not effectively prevent HIV infections and that the Phase 3 clinical trial was closing. This development follows the failure of a similar vaccine candidate in 2021.
First Edition: Jan. 19, 2023
January 19, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Readers and Tweeters Diagnose Greed and Chronic Pain Within US Health Care System
January 19, 2023
KFF Health News Original
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
A $30 Million Gift to Build an Addiction Treatment Center. Then Staffers Had to Run It.
By Bram Sable-Smith
January 19, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Howard Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett and chairman of his own charitable foundation, gave $30 million to build an addiction treatment center in the central Illinois community where he farms. But the money was a one-time gift for infrastructure, so the clinic is on its own to keep it running.
Lo que necesitan saber los adultos mayores sobre covid y Paxlovid
By Judith Graham
January 18, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Expertos dicen que la terapia de primera elección debe ser Paxlovid, un tratamiento antiviral para personas con covid leve a moderado con alto riesgo de enfermarse gravemente.
Morning Briefing for Wednesday, January 18, 2023
January 18, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s roundup covers RSV vaccines, medical debt, covid, nursing home use of antipsychotics, abortion, prescription drugs, and more.
Missouri Set To Launch Prescription Drug Monitoring Program
January 18, 2023
Morning Briefing
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that “after years of Republican resistance,” Missouri will launch a statewide prescription drug monitoring program to tackle the opioid addiction crisis. Other health news is from North Carolina, Colorado, Maryland, South Dakota, Ohio and elsewhere.
Bad Seasonings: Your Spice Jars Are Likely Harboring Germs
January 18, 2023
Morning Briefing
A new study identifies a surprise culprit as the most contaminated spot in the kitchen: the spice drawer. Other news stories report on dry January, weight loss strategies, sleep, and more.
Nursing Homes’ Use Of Antipsychotic Drugs To Be Audited By CMS
January 18, 2023
Morning Briefing
The effort is targeting inappropriate prescriptions, where antipsychotic drugs are being abused to sedate patients. Inaccurate coding for schizophrenia will reportedly see nursing homes “negatively impacted.” Meanwhile, in St. Louis, nursing home workers strike over low-pay claims and bed bugs.
Maine Governor Signals Allowing Abortions Past 24 Weeks
January 18, 2023
Morning Briefing
The move would expand abortion access by loosening what the Bangor Daily News calls “Maine’s already liberal set of abortion laws.” Separately, New York City will offer free abortion pills at four city-run sexual health clinics as early as today, to boost abortion access in low-income communities.
Citing ‘Perverse Incentives,’ Harvard Medical School Exits U.S. News Ranking
January 18, 2023
Morning Briefing
News outlets report on the decision of the No. 1 ranked medical school for research, Harvard Medical School, to withdraw from the U.S. News rankings — a decision reportedly made in part because the rankings result in the creation of “perverse incentives for institutions to report misleading or inaccurate data.”
Rush To Return To ‘Normal’ May Have Outpaced Anti-Covid Air Safety Device
January 18, 2023
Morning Briefing
Bloomberg spotlights an invention that creates an “air shield” by clipping on to air vents — but flyers have returned back to the skies regardless of concerns over cabin air quality. Other pandemic news is on the dangers of dual RSV-covid infections, state actions, China, and more.