Vaccines Largely Did Their Job In Warding Off Long Covid, Study Finds
May 23, 2024
Morning Briefing
In another study, scientists are looking at a new antiviral to help ailing covid patients, but the high level of immunity in the population is complicating efforts to test obeldesivir in humans.
Companies Illegally Making Millions Off Veterans Filing For PACT Benefits
May 23, 2024
Morning Briefing
Federal law prohibits charging veterans for help in applying for restitution for wartime injuries. Even so, a Washington Post review found that as many as 100 unaccredited companies are charging vets anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 for help filing claims.
Democrats Want Contraception Rights Vote To Expose GOP Policies
May 23, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Senate will vote in June on legislation designed to protect contraception access, expecting Republicans to block the bill and show their cards on what’s expected to be a key campaign issue. Meanwhile, in Texas, an anti-abortion doctor was appointed to the state maternity committee.
Bankruptcy Filing Is A Farce, J&J Litigants Contend In Latest Lawsuit
May 23, 2024
Morning Briefing
The plantiffs argue J&J’s efforts put money out of reach in a settlement over talc-based products; the company says that isn’t so. In other news, a long-acting insulin product from Novo Nordisk was linked to safety risks; gene splicing might be key to long-lasting obesity drugs; and more.
Miami Now US Epicenter Of Surge In Dengue Fever Infections
May 23, 2024
Morning Briefing
Cases of dengue fever have more than doubled versus the same period last year. Separately, a mosquito sample in Houston has tested positive for West Nile virus, and experts say more kinds of ticks are hitting Illinois in a longer season.
Morning Briefing for Thursday, May 23, 2024
May 23, 2024
Morning Briefing
Bird flu case, medical death, teen opioid overdoses, marijuana use, PACT benefits, birth control access, ADHD, and more are in the news.
Michigan Dairy Worker Is Second Human In US Infected With Bird Flu
May 23, 2024
Morning Briefing
Meanwhile, wastewater surveillance monitoring will pick up nationally in the coming weeks. And clues from Texas identify the state as the likely ground zero for the H5N1 spread.
First Edition: May 23, 2024
May 23, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Los Angeles County Launches Ambitious Plan To Tackle Medical Debt. Hospitals Groan.
By Molly Castle Work
May 23, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous county, is spearheading a comprehensive plan to tackle a $2.9 billion medical debt crisis. Hospitals are still getting on board with the project, which is helmed by the public health department.
Clues From Bird Flu’s Ground Zero on Dairy Farms in the Texas Panhandle
By Amy Maxmen
May 23, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Dairy farmers and veterinarians in northern Texas furiously investigated a mysterious illness among cattle before the government got involved. Their observations are telling.
California Pays People With Addiction To Stay Clean — With Feds’ Blessing
By Angela Hart
May 22, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Led by California, a few states are testing an experimental program that pays people to stop using hard drugs. The Golden State was the first to win approval from the Biden administration to cover the sobriety payments, with Medicaid wrapping it into an ambitious health-care initiative spearheaded by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom to provide the […]
WHO Says The World Is Seeing Rising STI Infections
May 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
In particular chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomoniasis, all curable, are driving over a million daily infections, according to new WHO data. In other news, microplastics are found in human testicles, a study says teens are drinking too much caffeine, and more.
FDA Staff Voice Concern Over Eagerly Awaited Blood-Based Colon Cancer Test
May 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
The remarks about the Shield test, made by Guardant Health, came ahead of Thursday’s meeting with outside advisers. Other pharmaceutical news is on alcohol-associated liver disease, weight loss drugs, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, and more.
‘A Major Step Forward’: HIV Vaccine Candidate Sparks Immune Response
May 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
Read recent pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News’ Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Viewpoints: Why Hasn’t Polio Been Eradicated?; Here’s Why Americans Are Always Fatigued
May 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss polio, sleep deprivation, nuclear testing, and digital health.
White House Overhauls, Streamlines Patient Complaint Process
May 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
The goal is to make it faster and easier for the federal government to investigate patient complaints, such as being denied emergency care or an abortion. Separately, the Biden administration is pressured to quash fraudulent ACA enrollments.
Senators Accuse Pharmaceutical Firms Of Abusing Patent System
May 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
But an official from PhRMA, the drug industry’s trade group, said the current patent system has proper “checks and balances.” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., shot back: “You think it’s working? Yeah, well, I don’t.” Other news from the Hill is on the farm bill and SNAP.
Four Years In, California Had Its First Day With Zero Covid Deaths
May 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
In other news, the CDC wants local and state authorities to continue monitoring flu activity at peak levels during the summer as concerns over the spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus grow.
Spotlight On Opt-Out Fees As NewYork-Presbyterian Charges Union Fund $25M
May 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Wall Street Journal writes about a $25 million fee charged by NewYork-Presbyterian hospital system to a major union benefits fund, which wanted to exclude the system from its plan over alleged high prices. The fee exists via Aetna’s contract with the hospital.