Cambodia Blocks Exports Of Primates Used In Drug Research
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
Stat says the decision to halt the export of “non-human primates,” driven by problems with monkey smuggling, could hit drug discovery efforts. Also: FDA approval for a lung cancer drug, “natural killer cells” for Hodgkin lymphoma, and a gene editing treatment for leukemia.
CMS Wants To Limit Non-Standard Policies On Insurance Exchanges
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
Modern Healthcare says the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is proposing changes to ACA network adequacy and standardized plan rules, boosting the number of standardized plans offered.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, December 13, 2022
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
Tuesday’s roundup covers covid vaccines, Medicare Advantage plans, diabetes, misinformation, opioids, abortion law, screen time, and more.
Overdoses Surging Because Of Fentanyl ‘Hidden’ In Other Drugs
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
A Bloomberg report shines a light on “hidden” fentanyl in drugs such as Adderall and cocaine. Fox News warns that fentanyl and a “more dangerous” type of meth are driving homelessness. Other news outlets cover drug use in California youths, Milwaukee, and elsewhere.
Iowa Judge Quashes Attempt To Ban Most Abortions In The State
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
A 2019 decision placed a permanent injunction on Iowa’s strict abortion law, and now a state judge says there’s no process to reverse it. Separately, in Pueblo City, Colorado, efforts by a Texas anti-abortion group to push an abortion ban were rejected by the city council.
White House, Medical Community Call Out Musk’s ‘Dangerous’ Fauci Tweets
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
The Biden administration and other medical professionals worry that Twitter owner Elon Musk’s words could further inflame possible physical threats against Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Covid Linked To Serious Heart Condition POTS: Research
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
New research finds evidence of a connection between cases of POTS, or postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, and a covid infection — and to a lesser extent, covid vaccinations.
3.2 Million More Americans Would’ve Died Without Covid Vaccines: Study
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
In what is viewed as a conservative estimate, a new study says that covid vaccines averted at least 3.2 million deaths and kept over 18.5 million patients out of the hospital.
More Ambitious Care Standards Set By American Diabetes Association
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
The American Diabetes Association is urging a more modern and aggressive approach to treating patients with diabetes. Recommendations include losing 15% of weight instead of 5%, a greater use of statins to control cholesterol, and tackling racial disparities in care.
First Edition: Dec. 13, 2022
December 13, 2022
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
How Medicare Advantage Plans Dodged Auditors and Overcharged Taxpayers by Millions
By Fred Schulte and Holly K. Hacker
December 13, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Facing rare scrutiny from federal auditors, some Medicare Advantage health plans failed to produce any records to justify their payments, government records show. The audits revealed millions of dollars in overcharges to Medicare over three years.
Are You an Optimist? Could You Learn to Be? Your Health May Depend on It.
By Judith Graham
December 13, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Multiple studies show a strong association between higher levels of optimism and healthy aging. We ask some dedicated optimists what might explain the connection.
Oakland Calculates The Real Cost Of Homelessness: 6% Of Its Budget
December 12, 2022
Morning Briefing
The “true” cost of homelessness, from direct to indirect, was estimated by Oakland officials to be $122 million out of their $2 billion annual budget. Also: how homelessness worsens in older populations; deaths of unhoused people in Anchorage, Alaska; and more.
Special Report: Chronic Pain Hits Kids, Adults And Wallets, But Can Be Tackled
December 12, 2022
Morning Briefing
A special report in USA Today looks at different aspects of chronic pain, including how expensive it is to manage the condition. The report also looks into which treatments work for children, how drug alternatives can make a difference, whether cannabis helps, and the future of treatment.
‘What Took You So Long?’: San Francisco Has ‘Scary’ Shortage Of 911 Dispatchers, First Responders
December 12, 2022
Morning Briefing
Chronic understaffing has led to employee burnout and lower-quality services for residents because the city is failing to meet standards for 911 call response times, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Other news is from Missouri, Massachusetts, Texas, Connecticut, and Colorado.
Mpox Infection Led To Myocarditis In 3 Men, Study Finds
December 12, 2022
Morning Briefing
The men had no history of heart problems, and all of them recovered. Other news is on mental health in the military, the opioid crisis, fibroids, menopause, and more.
Morning Briefing for Monday, December 12, 2022
December 12, 2022
Morning Briefing
Monday’s roundup covers a health fraud investigation, masks, the “tripledemic,” covid vaccines, Medicare payments, chronic pain, and more.
Study: Smaller Surgeries Are An Option For More Breast Cancer Patients
December 12, 2022
Morning Briefing
AP reports on a study showing lumpectomies, compared with mastectomies, are an effective option for many women with two or three breast tumors, challenging usual dogma. Other news includes genetically targeted drugs for treating leukemia, a multiple myeloma treatment, and more.
Juul To Pay $1.7 Billion To Settle More Than 5,000 Vaping Lawsuits
December 12, 2022
Morning Briefing
Reports say Juul Labs has agreed to pay $1.7 billion to settle suits, which include a consolidation of cases from Northern California. Separately, Walgreens is said to sell off AmerisourceBergen stock to cover its purchase of Summit Health; Amgen is trying to buy Horizon Therapeutics; and more.