Morning Briefing for Tuesday, July 2, 2024
July 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Doctor shortages, a fake therapist, worker heat protections, generics dispute, abortion ballot measures, pain, covid, and more are in the news.
National Protections For Workers In Extreme Heat Proposed By Biden
July 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Biden administration released a proposal that would put in place the first-ever national protections for people who work in extreme heat. The measure, if finalized, would require rest breaks and access to shade and water.
FTC Investigating Teva Over Contested Patents On Inhalers
July 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Federal Trade Commission has ordered Teva Pharmaceuticals to provide internal documents about its patents on asthma and COPD inhalers. The move is part of a larger dispute over minor tweaks made by pharmaceutical companies to products to fend off generics competition, resulting in higher prices for patients.
Biden Administration Allocates $206M To Address Shortage Of Geriatricians
July 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
The money will go toward academic programs that focus on training doctors to care for the elderly. Family members and caregivers also may benefit from initiatives to help them care for aging loved ones. Meanwhile, news moms are suing for the right to breastfeeding pump breaks.
Not-For-Profit Hospital In Pennsylvania Hacked By Ransomware Gang
July 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
The group behind the hack of the 114-bed, not-for-profit Wayne Memorial Hospital claimed it had data that it would leak soon. A data breach at Geisinger, meanwhile, is now expected to have affected the personal info of more than 1.2 million people.
Nebraskans Call Out Sneaky Language On Abortion Petitions
July 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Secretary of State’s office has received a slew of affidavits from voters who want their names removed from petitions. The majority stem from a petition by Protect Women and Children, which wants the 12-week abortion ban codified in the constitution. In Kansas doctors challenged a law requiring they collect data on patient’s reasons for abortions.
Wyoming’s Ban On Transgender Minor Care Takes Effect
July 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender youth are now restricted in Wyoming. Meanwhile, in West Virginia, students on university and college campuses are allowed to carry guns. In Mississippi, a law restricting young people’s social media use was blocked.
That Bout With Covid Might Cause Myriad Ailments Later On, Study Finds
July 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Scientists suspect inflammation is at least partly responsible for IBS, mini strokes, and a host of other issues that begin years later, even if a person had only a mild infection. Separately, although the threat of bird flu in humans is low, scientists warn that could change rather quickly.
First Edition: July 2, 2024
July 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Pain Doesn’t Belong on a Scale of Zero to 10
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
July 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
A popular scale for measuring pain doesn’t work, but medicine still has no better alternative.
Mississippi Lacks Black Doctors, Even as Lawmakers Increasingly Target Diversity Programs
By Lauren Sausser
July 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Administrators at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine are trying to recruit more Black students — and more Hispanic and Choctaw Nation students, for that matter. But they face several obstacles, including a recent swell of Republican opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Fake Therapist Fooled Hundreds Online Until She Died, State Records Say
By Brett Kelman
Illustration by Oona Zenda
July 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
A Florida woman with no training in mental health services pretended to be a licensed social worker during online therapy sessions with Brightside Health patients.
Falsa terapeuta engañó a cientos de pacientes en Internet, y solo se supo porque murió
By Brett Kelman
July 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Cientos de estadounidenses pueden haber recibido terapia, sin saberlo, de una impostora sin formación que se hizo pasar por terapeuta en sesiones por internet, posiblemente durante dos años. El engaño sólo se descubrió cuando murió, según registros de departamentos de salud estatales.
El dolor ya no se puede medir en una escala de cero a 10
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
July 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Los médicos de hoy tienen una comprensión más completa del tratamiento del dolor, así como de las terribles consecuencias de recetar opioides con liviandad. Lo que están aprendiendo ahora es cómo medir mejor el dolor y tratar sus muchas formas.
The Supreme Court Just Limited Federal Power. Health Care Is Feeling the Shockwaves.
By Stephanie Armour
July 1, 2024
KFF Health News Original
A Supreme Court ruling restricting federal power will likely have seismic ramifications for health policy. A flood of litigation — with plaintiffs like small businesses, drugmakers, and hospitals challenging regulations they say are too expensive or burdensome and not authorized by law — could leave the country with a patchwork of disparate health regulations.
Critical Patients Missed Out On Lung Transplants Due To Algorithm Error
July 1, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Chicago Tribune reports that a new system to help fair distribution of donor lungs was built on a flawed algorithm which harmed some sick and dying patients. Meanwhile a researcher was indicted on research fraud charges related to an Alzheimer’s drug candidate.
Scientists Zero In On Milking Machines As Conduit For Bird Flu Spread
July 1, 2024
Morning Briefing
Virologists say this is good news, but halting transmission of the virus poses “a real logistical problem” for farmers. Elsewhere, two more people in Pennsylvania have contracted the virus, which also has been detected in San Francisco wastewater.
FDA Has New Powers Over Cosmetics Regulation Starting Today
July 1, 2024
Morning Briefing
It’s part of a phase-in of a 2022 law allowing more oversight of the industry. In other news, a study links anxiety in older people to a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease. Also: brain damage found in Navy SEALs who died by suicide.
Massachusetts On Track For Local Record With Over 50 Dengue Cases
July 1, 2024
Morning Briefing
Also in Massachusetts, as well as New Hampshire, residents are warned of potential measles exposure from an international traveler. Also in state health news: credit agencies barred from medical debt data in Connecticut; gun violence in Baltimore drops; and more.
