Expert Warns ‘Never Fall Behind’ When Trying To Control Zika Mosquitoes
May 27, 2016
Morning Briefing
Health officials in states across the country are trying to get ahead of the Zika threat.
Longer Looks: A Dismantled Mental Health System; Abortion In Texas; Fighting Zika
June 30, 2016
Morning Briefing
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Blood Tests Show Zika Is Spreading Easily Across Puerto Rico, Endangering Pregnancies
June 20, 2016
Morning Briefing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says tests at blood banks across the U.S. territory have shown a steady increase in donors with the Zika virus, which may signal large numbers of serious birth defects if pregnant women are infected. Also, The New York Times explores the lack of follow-up on health guidelines to check pregnant women who have traveled to Zika-infected areas.
WHO Calls For Olympics To Go Forward, Says Risk Of Zika Spreading Is Low
June 15, 2016
Morning Briefing
The games, scheduled for August, will occur in Brazil’s winter when the concentration of mosquitos is low there, the World Health Organization says. At the same time, U.S. health authorities release a blueprint of how they would use rapid response teams to respond to a Zika infestation in this country.
Zika Infections Late In A Pregnancy Don’t Lead To Deformities, Study Finds
June 16, 2016
Morning Briefing
A report co-authored by federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers examined infections in Columbia and found that pregnant women who were infected in the third trimester did not have babies born with brain abnormalities. The researchers also reported that women who did not show signs of Zika infection could still have babies with birth defects.
As Zika Fears Grow, Research Quickens But Fight May Be Hampered By Regional Disparities
June 27, 2016
Morning Briefing
Stat profiles research in a monkey lab, while The Washington Post looks at how many counties across the country are not prepared to fund a fight against the mosquitoes carrying the virus. Also, news outlets describe developments in the states.
‘We Are At The 11th Hour And 59th Minute’: Dems, Obama Make Final Push For Zika Funding
July 8, 2016
Morning Briefing
The president called Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to personally ask for a bipartisan compromise on Zika funding, but the Republican has said he would stick with the current legislation, which was agreed by House and Senate negotiators and has already passed the House. Lawmakers prepare to leave for a seven-week recess on July 15.
Senate, House Negotiators To Begin Talks On Reconciling Zika Funding
June 9, 2016
Morning Briefing
The Senate approved a bill providing $1.1 billion in funding for efforts to combat the virus while the House approved $622 million. The conference committee will try to find a compromise.
U.S., Cuba Form Partnership To Collaborate On Matters Of Public Health, Biomedical Research
June 14, 2016
Morning Briefing
The two countries will work together on issues such as dengue fever, Zika, drug development and medical training.
White House Blasts Republican Zika Bill As ‘Totally Inadequate,’ Threatens Veto
June 24, 2016
Morning Briefing
The upper chamber has promised to kill the legislation anyway, and with only a few working days left before the August recess where both the House and Senate are in Washington, it doesn’t look like funding negotiations will be settled soon.
Demand For Abortion Pills Spikes In Latin American Countries Hit Hard By Zika
June 23, 2016
Morning Briefing
The requests for the drug nearly doubled, and while researchers can’t prove a direct link, countries that were not afflicted with the virus saw no change in orders.
WHO Says Women In Zika-Infested Areas Should Consider Delaying Pregnancies
June 10, 2016
Morning Briefing
The advice to women in 46 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean stopped short of recommending that women don’t get pregnant. U.S. officials have not made a similar suggestion, but they are continuing to put pressure on Congress to fund prevention and research efforts to fight Zika.
Democrats Block Zika Bill; Tension Mounts As Lawmakers Trade Barbs Ahead Of Recess
June 29, 2016
Morning Briefing
The Republicans are accusing Democrats of being “sore losers,” while the Democrats are saying that including poison pills in the legislation is a “cynical ploy.” Meanwhile, the vote against the funding leaves very little time for the two sides to work out their differences before summer recess.
Study: Risk Of Microcephaly ‘Substantial’ For Pregnant Women Infected By Zika
May 26, 2016
Morning Briefing
A new report reveals that up to 14 percent of women who contract the Zika virus while pregnant will have babies born with the birth defect. In other news, CDC head Tom Frieden talks about his outbreak worries while U.S. officials take steps to protect Olympic athletes heading to Brazil.
Medicaid Can Pay For Mosquito Repellent, Condoms In Effort To Curb Zika
June 2, 2016
Morning Briefing
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sent the guidance to states to clarify how money could be used to fight the virus. In other news, underlying issues with Texas women’s access to health care could complicate its efforts against Zika, and Florida’s governor wrote a letter to President Barack Obama warning of a “disaster” if funding isn’t approved.
Zika Threat Will Spur Urgent Contraception, Abortion Debates
May 12, 2016
Morning Briefing
Meanwhile, the federal response to the virus makes headlines as the Senate considers funding options and Florida Gov. Rick Scott pushes government officials to implement a plan to fight the spread of Zika.
House Passes $1.1B Zika Bill That’s Likely To Fail In Senate
June 23, 2016
Morning Briefing
Democrats strongly oppose parts of the package, which include provisions regarding the Affordable Care Act, Planned Parenthood and pesticides — and they have promised to filibuster it to death in the Senate. The House immediately adjourned for recess following the vote, leaving behind any chance to resolve the funding dispute before the holiday.
Viewpoints: Using Medicaid Dollars To Fight Poverty; Zika And The Summer Olympics
June 8, 2016
Morning Briefing
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
State Highlights: Pa. Audit Finds Deficiencies In Enforcement Of Nursing Home Staffing Rules; Common Calif. Mosquito Could Carry Zika
July 27, 2016
Morning Briefing
Outlets report on health news from Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Connecticut, Georgia and Virginia.
CDC Head: The Window Is Closing On Opportunity To Effectively Fight Zika
May 27, 2016
Morning Briefing
On the same day Congress left town without approving money to fight the outbreak, Dr. Tom Frieden, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that time is running out. He knows how to change the course of an epidemic, he says, but he can’t because his hands are tied on funding. Key House Republicans say, however, that more money will be coming and the government’s efforts have not been hamstrung.
