House Passes Bill Barring Use Of QALY Metric In Federal Health Programs
February 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
The legislation would ban the use of quality-adjusted life years indexes when valuing medicines for federal health programs such as Medicaid, Medicare Advantage, and VA Health Care.
DEA Won’t Strip Licenses From Large Drug Distributor Over Opioids History
February 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
Reversing an earlier order, the Drug Enforcement Administration will allowing Morris & Dickson Co to stay in business. As part of a settlement, the drug distributor agreed to admit wrongdoing over its failure to properly monitor opioid shipments and will forfeit $19 million.
160,000 More Americans Died Of Covid Than Have Been Counted: Study
February 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
A new study says 162,886 excess pandemic-era deaths in the U.S. that were blamed on other reasons, like natural causes, were actually due to covid. This means covid killed more people in the U.S. than had been thought. Also: Scientists find 1 in 4 with covid go on to get long covid symptoms.
Missouri Republicans Block Abortion Exceptions For Rape, Incest
February 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
An effort led by Democratic lawmakers in Missouri had targeted the state’s strict anti-abortion laws to allow exemptions for rape or incest. Senate Republicans decided allowing these victims to have abortions wasn’t a good idea. Meanwhile, thousands of people attended events to push for an abortion ballot question in the state.
Another Hospital In Minnesota Ends Baby Deliveries
February 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Mayo Clinic Health System’s New Prague hospital is the latest facility in the state to stop delivering babies. Minnesota Public Radio reports on how midwives are filling the void in birthing services as hospitals move deliveries to larger, centralized hospitals.
FDA Reports Quality Lapses At Indiana Drug Factory That Novo Is Buying
February 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
The facility in Bloomington, Indiana, belonged to contract drugmaker Catalent. FDA inspectors found issues including a “pest” on the manufacturing line. Novo is buying Catalent to boost Wegovy production. Also: A report says FDA oversight of foreign firms making U.S. market drugs is weak.
Facing Backlash, Ohio Scraps Plans To Limit Gender Care For Adults
February 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
Ohio’s proposed restrictions would have been the toughest on transition-related care for adults in the country, trans rights advocates said. Separately, a survey shows that transgender Americans have been experiencing economic and health disparities for years.
Morning Briefing for Thursday, February 8, 2024
February 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
Thanks to everyone who entered our Health Policy Valentines contest! We received many fabulous entries. Be sure to read the Morning Briefing on Feb. 14 to see who won!
La FDA finalmente prohibiría peligroso químico en productos para alisar el cabello
By Ronnie Cohen
February 8, 2024
KFF Health News Original
El primer estudio que vinculó los alisadores de cabello con el cáncer de útero, publicado en 2022, encontró que el uso frecuente de estos químicos duplica con creces el peligro.
First Edition: Feb. 8, 2024
February 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Cities Know That the Way Police Respond to Mental Crisis Calls Must Change. But How?
By Nicole Leonard, WHYY Kate Wolffe, CapRadio Simone Popperl
February 8, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Cities are experimenting with new ways to meet the rapidly increasing demand for behavioral health crisis intervention, at a time when incidents of police shooting and killing people in mental health crisis have become painfully familiar.
FDA’s Plan to Ban Hair Relaxer Chemical Called Too Little, Too Late
By Ronnie Cohen
February 8, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The FDA’s recent notice that it would move to ban formaldehyde in hair-straightening products comes more than a decade after researchers raised alarms about health risks. Scientists say a ban would still leave many dangerous chemicals in hair straighteners.
Even in Bright-Blue California, Abortion Is on the Ballot
By Molly Castle Work
February 7, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The race to replace the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein is in full swing in California. Although the state enshrined abortion rights into its constitution, the prospect of a national abortion ban has the candidates vying for a Senate seat putting a spotlight on reproductive rights. Or, at least the Democrats are. Steve Garvey, a […]
Minorities Are Underrepresented In Staph Antibiotic Trials: Study
February 7, 2024
Morning Briefing
Read recent pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News’ Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Perspectives: Nothing Can Stop Another Drug Debacle Like Aduhelm
February 7, 2024
Morning Briefing
Read recent commentaries about pharmaceutical issues.
Viewpoints: Hypertension Woefully Undertreated Worldwide; Academic Medicine Can Affect Social Change
February 7, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss hypertension, medical schools, ACA, and more.
National Nurses Survey Finds Rising Violence Against Staff
February 7, 2024
Morning Briefing
Nearly half of nurses said they’d experienced increasing workplace violence, prompting many to think of quitting, a new survey found. Also in health industry news, Amazon is laying off workers in its One Medical and pharmacy divisions; Premier will sell all or part of Contigo Health; and more.
Common Plastics Linked To Tens Of Thousands Of Premature Births
February 7, 2024
Morning Briefing
A Lancet Planetary Health study reports plastics are linked to many U.S. preterm births each year, ultimately driving medical bill costs up by billions. Separately, while Latina and other women of color are disproportionately hit by abortion bans, they often aren’t part of the legal or media narratives.
47% Of Transgender Americans Have Considered Moving To Another State
February 7, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Hill reports on a new survey that shows exactly how unsettling anti-LGBTQ+ laws are to trans people in the U.S., with nearly half of those polled considering moving elsewhere. Also in the news: Even though Medicaid unwinding is only half done, 10 million people are off the rolls.
Morning Briefing for Wednesday, February 7, 2024
February 7, 2024
Morning Briefing
Medicaid ‘unwinding,’ PBMs and drug prices, mental health care, guns, violence against nurses, covid, RSV vaccines, and more are in the news.
