Haven’t Had Covid? Scientists Find How Nasal Cells Help In Dodging Infections
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Specialized immune cells may help some people reliably avoid catching covid. Separately, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that although initially closing schools during the pandemic was a good move, the shutdowns shouldn’t have lasted so long.
Preventive Task Force Urges More Intervention For Kids With High BMI
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is shifting its guidance on childhood obesity. The panel now recommends that physicians take behavioral interventions—though not with new GLP-1 drugs—for kids 6 or older with a high body mass index.
Novant Health Ends Effort To Purchase Two North Carolina Hospitals
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
A federal appellate court backed an FTC push to block Novant Health’s planned $320 million purchase from Community Health Systems. Meanwhile, Steward Health Care has pushed back its planned auction of eight of its Massachusetts hospitals by three weeks.
FDA Warns Dollar Tree, Says Retailer Didn’t Remove Tainted Applesauce
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Lead-contaminated applesauce pouches, linked to over 500 cases of illness in children, remained on some Dollar Tree shelves even after they’d been recalled, the FDA says. Meanwhile, scientists have detected microplastics in human penises for the first time, highlighting the spread of the material.
Bipartisan House Group Aims To Halt Chinese Supply Sources For Fentanyl
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
They will seek to boost sanctions, target money launderers, and explore trade reforms to cut off supply from China in an attempt to impact the opioid epidemic. Also in the news: limited military health care on Guam, a rise of streptococcal toxic shock in Japan, and more.
Research Roundup: Reused Masks Worn By Nurses At Start Of Pandemic Didn’t Properly Block Aerosols
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health policy studies and briefs.
Viewpoints: How Likely Is It You’ll To Be Exposed To Bird Flu?; Ozempic Can Do Much More Than Weight Loss
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss H5N1, weight-loss drugs, pharmaceutical advertising, and more.
Morning Briefing for Thursday, June 20, 2024
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Uninsured rate, Medicare drug costs, covid variants, bird flu, cyberattacks, child obesity, lack of sleep, and more are in the news.
Rate Of Uninsured Americans Forecast To Reach 8.9% Over Next 10 Years
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
More than 25 million people currently lack coverage, CBO reports. Also, researchers found that ailing Americans spend roughly two weeks a year working among colleagues rather than staying home to tend to their illnesses.
Medicare Patients To Get Access To Amazon RxPass’ $5-A-Month Plan
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Amazon Pharmacy is extending its RxPass prescription plans to Medicare enrollees. The service allows customers to fill and have delivered as many prescriptions as they need from a list of about 50 generic medications—for $5 a month. Other Medicare news reports on its star ratings.
Massachusetts 911 Outage, Blamed On Firewall Glitch, Exposes System’s Risks
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Although dispatchers couldn’t receive calls, they were able see the phone numbers of callers and reach out to them. Also in the news: Utah and Florida target transgender rules while Texas looks at maternal mortality and a memory loss care center.
FLiRT Variant Is Fueling Covid Reinfections In California
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
As the Golden State sees a summer surge in cases, public health officials are worried their preparedness plans might not be enough to tackle more growing threats.
First Edition: June 20, 2024
June 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
‘We’re Flying Blind’: CDC Has 1M Bird Flu Tests Ready, but Experts See Repeat of Covid Missteps
By Amy Maxmen
June 20, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Three months into the U.S. bird flu outbreak, only 45 people have been tested. Laboratories that are the foundation of diagnostic testing have yet to get approval to detect the bird flu virus. They say their path forward has been slowed by miscommunication and uncertainty from the CDC and FDA.
Experts: US Hospitals Prone to Cyberattacks Like One That Hurt Patient Care at Ascension
By Rachana Pradhan Kate Wells, Michigan Public
June 20, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Clinicians working for Ascension hospitals in multiple states described harrowing lapses, including delayed or lost lab results, medication errors, and an absence of routine safety checks to prevent potentially fatal mistakes.
A Tale of Two States: Arizona and Florida Diverge on How To Expand Kids’ Health Insurance
By Daniel Chang
June 20, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Both Florida and Arizona want to expand eligibility for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, but their approaches to charging low-income families premiums for the coverage showcase the nation’s ideological divide on helping the disadvantaged.
Presidential Politics, Polka and Wisconsin
By Angela Hart
June 18, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Wisconsin, the land of fried cheese curds and the Green Bay Packers, is one of a half-dozen key battleground states where President Biden is trying to make health care a key issue in his expected November matchup with former president Donald Trump. Biden narrowly won Wisconsin in 2020, after it went for Trump in 2016. […]
Side Effects Of Drugs Like Leqembi Masked By ‘ARIA’ Acronym, Some Say
June 18, 2024
Morning Briefing
Far from an operatic solo, ARIA (amyloid-related imaging abnormalities) may be being used as a “soothing” term to obscure potentially fatal side effects of Alzheimer’s drugs, doctors say. Separately, a new Alzheimer’s blood test is offering faster, highly accurate diagnoses.
Mpox Cases Spike In Los Angeles County
June 18, 2024
Morning Briefing
Alarmed by the sudden increase, officials advise anyone who shows symptoms—rash, sores, fever, aches—to seek immediate medical attention. In other news, scientists have found that U.S. citizens have very little, if any, immunity to the H5N1 bird flu virus.
Federal Judge Squelches Trans Student Protections In Another 6 States
June 18, 2024
Morning Briefing
U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, a George W. Bush nominee, temporarily halted enforcement of changes to Title IX designed to protect trans students from discrimination in schools that get government funding. Reeves said the changes were “arbitrary and capricious rulemaking.”
