KFF Health News Original Stories
FDA Announces Recall of Heart Pumps Linked to Deaths and Injuries
Some pumps used in end-stage heart failure caused a buildup of biological material that blocks blood flow from the device to the heart’s aorta. The FDA’s recall affects nearly 14,000 devices. (Daniel Chang and Holly K. Hacker, )
Native Americans Have Shorter Life Spans. Better Health Care Isn’t the Only Answer.
Social services, such as parenting classes and economic development programs, can help increase the life spans of Native Americans, some health experts say. But insurers don’t always cover these services. (Arielle Zionts, )
Paris Hilton Backs California Bill Requiring Sunshine on ‘Troubled Teen Industry’
Celebrity hotel heiress Paris Hilton is expanding her campaign for more public reporting on residential therapeutic centers’ use of restraints and seclusion rooms in disciplining teens, setting her sights on legislation in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. (Molly Castle Work, )
To Stop Fentanyl Deaths in Philadelphia, Knocking on Doors and Handing Out Overdose Kits
Facing widening racial disparities in overdose deaths, Philadelphia officials are sending workers and volunteers to knock on doors across the city, aiming to equip households with naloxone and other drug overdose prevention supplies. City officials hope a proactive approach will normalize naloxone as an everyday item in people’s medicine cabinets and prevent overdoses, especially among Black residents. (Nicole Leonard, WHYY, )
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Silence from leaders …
Did Biden say abortion?
Actions are louder.
– Anindita Lal
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Capitol Watch
UnitedHealth Skips Hearing Focused On Change Ransomware Attack
Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee raised questions about UnitedHealth Group's cybersecurity practices, whether the insurer paid the ransom, and on the risks of industry consolidation. But the company did not send a representative to answer those queries.
Modern Healthcare: Lawmakers Rip UnitedHealth At Change Healthcare Hearing
The House Energy and Commerce Committee had a lot to discuss during Capitol Hill's first hearing on the Change Healthcare breach and cybersecurity. UnitedHealth Group's absence from the proceedings was high on the list. "I'm extremely disappointed, I have to say, that the UnitedHealth Group did not send representatives to today's hearing," ranking member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) said Tuesday of the conglomerate, whose Optum subsidiary operates Change Healthcare. (McAuliff, 4/16)
Axios: Lawmakers Target Mergers In First Hearing On Change Healthcare Hack
During the first congressional hearing on the Change Healthcare hack Tuesday, lawmakers appeared to zero in on the risks of massive consolidation in health care. (Reed, 4/17)
Stat: UnitedHealth Skips Hearing In The Wake Of Change Cyberattack, Triggering Call For Subpoena
Multiple representatives, including House Energy and Commerce Committee chair Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-Wash.) and ranking member Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), expressed their disappointment that UnitedHealth failed to make anyone available to testify about the cyberattack on its subsidiary. “I would actually encourage the chair to subpoena UnitedHealthcare. I think they should be here today and I’m appalled, frankly, [that] as a corporate citizen that they didn’t choose to participate,” said Rep. Ann Kuster (D-N.H.). (Trang, 4/16)
Bloomberg: UnitedHealth CEO Witty Defends Change Healthcare Deal After Cyberattack
UnitedHealth Group Inc. Chief Executive Officer Andrew Witty said the cyberattack that interrupted payments throughout the health-care system for weeks would have been harder to recover from if UnitedHealth didn’t own the company that hackers targeted. UnitedHealth is under fire for its response to the attack that halted the flow of money and data in the US medical system, prompting outcry from hospitals, doctors and lawmakers. (Tozzi and Griffin, 4/16)
Bloomberg: UnitedHealth Beats Profit Estimates Despite Hack Impact
UnitedHealth Group Inc. shares jumped after the company beat Wall Street’s profit expectations and affirmed its outlook for the year, despite the costs associated with a cyberattack on one of its subsidiaries that has roiled the health-care industry. Adjusted earnings of $6.91 a share exceeded analysts’ average estimate of $6.59 a share, the health-care giant said in a statement Tuesday. UnitedHealth affirmed its outlook for adjusted net earnings of $27.50 to $28.00 a share in 2024. (Tozzi, 4/16)
In other news from Capitol Hill —
Fierce Healthcare: House To Discuss National Data Privacy Bill With Implications For Healthcare
The House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on innovation will hold a hearing Wednesday to discuss data privacy and the protection of kids online. Among a slew of bills to be discussed is a draft data privacy bill unveiled last week that would regulate all sectors of the American economy, including healthcare. The legislation is sponsored by E&C Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, and Senator Maria Cantwell, D-Washington. (Beavins, 4/16)
The Boston Globe: Warren, Markey Call On Steward Hospital Landlords To Cut Or Terminate Lease Payments
Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are calling on two companies that own Steward Health Care’s hospital buildings in Massachusetts to reduce lease payments or terminate their leases to enable new owners to buy the financially squeezed hospitals. (Weisman, 4/16)
USA Today: Why Is Levemir Being Discontinued? Senators Demand Answers
Three U.S. Senators say they are "alarmed" Novo Nordisk discontinued U.S. sales of a popular insulin brand and are demanding answers from the pharmaceutical giant they say left patients without an affordable substitute. In a letter Tuesday to Novo Nordisk's top executives, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the company's decision to discontinue Levemir, a long-acting insulin, "failed to take into consideration patient access to affordable, long-acting insulin substitutes." (Alltucker, 4/16)
After Roe V. Wade
Montana Group Begins Signature Drive To Put Abortion On November Ballot
Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights must get 60,000 signatures by June 21 to qualify. Meanwhile, Arizona lawmakers on both sides of the aisle set their sights on repealing the state's antiquated near-total ban.
The Hill: Montana Abortion Rights Group Launches Ballot Initiative
A reproductive rights group in Montana launched an initiative Tuesday to include a state constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights on the ballot in the general election this November. On Tuesday, Montanans Securing Reproductive Rights announced that it has officially launched its signature drive to get the required 60,000 signatures from Montanans by June 21 to qualify the measure on the ballot. (Fortinsky, 4/16)
The Wall Street Journal: Arizona Lawmakers Expected To Make Bipartisan Push To Repeal Abortion Ban
Amid mounting pressure to change the narrative on abortion, several state GOP lawmakers could join with Democrats on Wednesday in an effort to repeal Arizona’s 160-year-old near-total ban. If they are successful, the Democratic governor has said she would sign the rollback. “I’m a little bit cautiously optimistic that barring extreme shifts we’re going to be able to get this done,” said Democratic state Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, the sponsor of the repeal legislation. Stahl Hamilton said she has been in touch with Rep. Matt Gress, a Republican, about gathering support on his side. Gress declined to comment but last week led an unsuccessful effort to repeal the ban. (Collins, 4/17)
NBC News: Mexican State Of Sonora Closest To Arizona, Bans Most Abortions, Creating Regional Void
Though American and Mexican women have long relied on one another for abortion care, the impending restrictions in Arizona are set to create a regional lack of access that spans into the neighboring Mexican state of Sonora — where abortion is also banned with minimal exceptions. Such stringent abortion restrictions have left organizers scrambling to support women seeking care on both sides of the border. (Espadas Barros Leal and Linares, 4/16)
The Texas Tribune: Texas, Idaho Abortion Bans Test Against Federal Emergency Medicine Rule
For almost 40 years, American hospitals have operated under a federal law that says they must treat and stabilize any patient experiencing a medical emergency. But now, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act finds itself on a collision course with conservative states that want to ban abortion in nearly all cases. (Klibanoff, 4/17)
The Independent: Marine Who Firebombed California Abortion Clinic Sentenced To 9 Years In Prison
A white supremacist California veteran who firebombed an abortion clinic and had plans for other hate-fueled terror attacks across the state was sentenced to nine years in prison on Monday. Chance Brannon, 24, of San Juan Capistrano, was part of a group who attacked a Planned Parenthood facility in Costa, Mesa, California on March 13. Brannon was an active member of the US Marine Corps stations at Camp Pendleton at the time of the attack, according to federal officials. (Marcus, 4/16)
Also —
Military.com: Expanding VA's Fertility Treatment Coverage To Vets Without Service Injuries Too Costly, Secretary Says
Expanding coverage of fertility treatments to veterans whose infertility is not caused by a service-connected injury would lead to "substantial" cost increases for the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Secretary Denis McDonough told lawmakers Tuesday. During an appearance before the House Appropriations Committee subpanel in charge of the VA budget, McDonough was asked by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., why the VA does not cover in vitro fertilization for veterans suffering from infertility unless it is caused by a service-connected injury. (Kheel, 4/16)
Outbreaks and Health Threats
White House Launches Plan To React Quickly To Future Pandemics
Part of the strategy involves strengthening health partnerships with key countries around the world. Although the plan's critics say it might not go far enough, President Joe Biden said, "it will make the United States stronger, safer and healthier than ever before."
NPR: Biden Administration Announces New Global Plan To Thwart Future Pandemics
A disease originating in a remote area halfway around the world can travel to the U.S. in as little as 72 hours. That's why the Biden administration has launched a new effort to improve the ability of the U.S. to prevent, detect and respond to the spread of infectious diseases. … "It will help protect people — across our nation and around the world — from security threats, particularly those posed by infectious diseases," said President Joe Biden in a statement. "It will make the United States stronger, safer and healthier than ever before." (Emanuel, 4/16)
CIDRAP: Many Healthcare Workers Unsure About COVID Vaccine Boosters For Themselves, Kids
A survey of more than 4,100 healthcare personnel (HCP) at a New York healthcare system from 2021 to 2022 reveals that 17% were hesitant to receive the recommended COVID-19 vaccine booster, and 33% were unsure about vaccinating their children. Many of the HCP polled held unsubstantiated beliefs not only about COVID vaccines but also childhood vaccines. (Van Beusekom, 4/15)
Medscape: 4 Years In, A Sobering Look At Long COVID Progress
While physicians may not have a blanket diagnostic tool that works for all patients with long COVID, they have refined existing tests for more accurate results, said Nisha Viswanathan, MD, director of the University of California Los Angeles Long COVID Program at UCLA Health. Also, a range of new treatments, now undergoing clinical trials, have emerged that have proved effective in managing long COVID symptoms. (Novak, 4/16)
CNN: Colorado Funeral Home Owners Accused Of Mishandling 190 Bodies Charged With Covid-19 Relief Loan Fraud, Officials Say
The owners of a Colorado funeral home accused of mishandling nearly 200 sets of human remains are now facing charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $880,000 in Covid-19 relief funds and using it for personal expenses like trips and jewelry, federal prosecutors said. (Alonso and Babineau, 4/16)
On bird flu, pertussis, meningitis, and shingles —
CBS News: Bird Flu Makes Its Way To Another Flock In Michigan
Another flock in Michigan is detected to have the contagious highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. MDARD officials say the virus, which was first detected in Michigan in 2022, was found in Newaygo County, making it the seventh flock in the state in the last two years. It was previously detected in a commercial flock in Ionia County. (Booth-Singleton, 4/16)
CBS News: Whooping Cough Detected In Montgomery County; What You Need To Know
Montgomery County's Office of Public Health is investigating an increase in whooping cough cases primarily among high school students, a county spokesperson told CBS News Philadelphia on Monday. … Montgomery County officials said the whooping cough vaccine, although effective, does wane with time for those who received the shot during childhood which is why the majority of the cases they're monitoring are among high schoolers. (MacAulay, 4/16)
CIDRAP: FDA To Review 5-In-1 Meningococcal Vaccine Candidate
British drugmaker GSK announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted an application for review of the company's 5-in-1 meningococcal vaccine. GSK's MenABCWY vaccine candidate will target the five groups of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria (meningococcal serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y) that cause most cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) globally. It combines the antigenic components of GSK's well-established meningococcal vaccines, Bexsero and Menveo. (Dall, 4/16)
Reuters: GSK Says Efficacy Of Its Shingles Vaccine Remains High After Years
British drugmaker GSK (GSK.L), opens new tab said on Wednesday long-term data showed that its blockbuster shingles vaccine, Shingrix, had 79.7% efficacy in participants aged 50 years and above, six to 11 years after vaccination. The vaccine's efficacy remained high at 82% at year 11 after initial vaccination, GSK said, citing data from a long-term follow-up, late-stage trial that tracked participants for up to about 11 years after they were first vaccinated with Shingrix. (4/17)
Opioid Crisis
House Committee Alleges China Is Helping To Fuel US Fentanyl Crisis
A special House committee released a report that alleges the Chinese government is subsidizing core materials used in the production of fentanyl to fuel the ongoing drug crisis in the U.S. Meanwhile, news reports say San Francisco officials want to expand methadone access to help combat addiction.
AP: House Panel Says China Subsidizes Fentanyl Production To Fuel Crisis In The United States
China is fueling the fentanyl crisis in the U.S. by directly subsidizing the manufacturing of materials that are used by traffickers to make the drug outside the country, according to a report released Tuesday by a special House committee focused on countering the Chinese government. Committee investigators said they accessed a government website that revealed tax rebates for the production of specific fentanyl precursors as well as other synthetic drugs as long as those companies sell them outside of China. (Freking, 4/16)
San Francisco Chronicle: S.F. Officials Back California Bill To Expand Methadone Access
In the face of rising fentanyl overdose deaths, San Francisco officials are pushing to change state law to expand the types of clinics that can dispense methadone and make it easier for patients to get take-home doses of the drug. Assembly Member Matt Haney, D-San Francisco, called the measure his “most important bill of the year.” Dr. Christy Soran, a deputy medical director at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, said she sees the legislation as a key tactic to address fentanyl overdoses in the city. (Bollag, 4/16)
CBS News: Santa Monica Protestors Say LA County's Park Needle Distribution Program Is Unsafe
Santa Monica community advocates gathered at Reed Park Tuesday morning to protest the Los Angeles County needle distribution program. While the county says the program saves lives and protects public health, the Santa Monica Coalition says handing out needles in three of the city's public parks attracts drug users to the parks and is a safety issue as needles are discarded throughout the parks. (Sharp, 4/16)
KFF Health News: To Stop Fentanyl Deaths In Philadelphia, Knocking On Doors And Handing Out Overdose Kits
On a narrow street lined with row houses and an auto body shop in the Kensington neighborhood of North Philadelphia, Marsella Elie climbs a home’s front steps and knocks hard on the door. A middle-aged man appears with a wary look on his face. “Hello, sir, how are you doing today?” asked Elie, wearing a royal-blue jacket embroidered with the city government’s Liberty Bell logo. “My name is Marsella. I’m working with the city. You heard about the overdoses that are going around in the neighborhood, right?” (Leonard, 4/17)
CNN: Small Gift Cards Can Be A Key Tool To Stop Stimulant Addiction, But Stigma Stands In The Way
Clyde Davis battled a methamphetamine and heroin addiction for over nine years. He tried various treatment programs, but none worked for him before he reached his insurance maximum and was forced to discharge. “I was trying to die; just putting myself through torture because I didn’t feel like I deserved to live and be happy,” Davis said. (Cheng, 4/16)
Health Industry
Elevance Health Partners With Private Equity For New Primary Care Company
The insurer has partnered with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice to build a new company that's focused on primary health care. Meanwhile, the FTC's effort to block Novant Health's $320 million acquisition of two hospitals is backed by North Carolina.
Modern Healthcare: Elevance Health, CD&R To Form Primary Care Company
Elevance Health has entered a definitive agreement with private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice to form a company focused on primary care, the insurer said Monday. The unnamed organization would combine services from Elevance's Carelon Health and Clayton, Dubilier's Millennium Physician Group and its digital health company Apree Health. Terms of the deal were not disclosed but Elevance said it is investing cash and Carelon Health assets into the partnership. (DeSilva, 4/16)
Reuters: North Carolina Backs FTC Bid Against $320 Million Health System Deal
North Carolina has backed the U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit seeking to block Novant Health’s $320 million acquisition of two hospitals in the state, a deal the agency said would lead to higher prices and reduced innovative care. North Carolina’s state treasurer on Monday filed a “friend of the court” brief urging, opens new tab U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell in the Western District of North Carolina to preliminarily stop Novant from buying the hospitals from Community Health Systems. (Scarcella, 4/16)
Modern Healthcare: Pacs Group Closes IPO, Raises $450M
Pacs Group, an operator of skilled nursing facilities, closed its initial public offering after raising about $450 million. The company, which has more than 200 skilled nursing facilities and other post-acute operations in nine states, sold 21.4 million shares of stock Wednesday at $21 per share. Underwriters also exercised the option to purchase an additional 3.2 million shares from selling stockholders at $21 per share, Pacs Group said Tuesday. (DeSilva, 4/16)
WUSF: Tampa General Hospital Breaks Ground On Tower For Surgery, Neuroscience And Transplants
Tampa General Hospital broke ground Monday on a 12-floor medical tower for surgery, neuroscience and transplant services, a flagship effort of a $550 million master plan. The 565,000-square-foot building, adjacent to Tampa General’s main campus on Davis Islands, will include 144 beds, 32 operating suites and an expanded intensive care unit. There will also be space for education and two floors reserved for future growth. (Colombini, 4/16)
Chicago Tribune: Walgreens Embarks On Another Round Of Layoffs
Walgreens confirmed Tuesday a new round of layoffs, the latest in a string of job cuts over the past year as the retail pharmacy giant aims to slash costs. Walgreens spokesman Fraser Engerman said the company is not disclosing the number of people it’s laying off. Most of the positions are Chicago-based, he said in a statement. (Schencker, 4/16)
Modern Healthcare: Why CVS’ Oak Street Is Opening Retail Clinics As Others Shutter
CVS Health is opening Oak Street Health primary care clinics at its retail pharmacy stores — a move that hasn’t always worked out for competitors. CVS acquired primary care provider Oak Street last May for $10.6 billion and announced plans to add 50 to 60 Oak Street clinics in 2024. Most of those clinics are expected to be standalone locations, including some located in closed CVS stores. But CVS also is piloting a setup that replaces much of the retail space in existing stores with clinics. (Hudson, 4/16)
Axios: CVS Pharmacy Workers Move To Unionize
Pharmacists at CVS stores are moving to join a new union as part of a growing backlash to what they say are unsafe work conditions. The new unionization effort comes months after pharmacy workers at major retailers staged walkouts — dubbed "pharmageddon" — in response to understaffing and growing workplace demands that they warn are putting patients' health at risk. (Goldman, 4/17)
Lifestyle and Health
Mine Safety Group Sets Stricter Rules To Guard Against Black Lung Disease
The Mine Safety and Health Administration acted, NPR reports, after investigative reporting exposed a "once-hidden epidemic" of severe, deadly black lung disease affecting miners. Other research shows that younger adults are aging faster than ever, and that trend is linked to early-onset cancers.
NPR: Finally, Tough New Safety Rules Are Out To Prevent Severe Black Lung
"No miner should ever have to sacrifice their health or lungs in order to provide for their family," said Chris Williamson, the assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. The Mine Safety and Health Administration acted after joint investigative reporting by NPR, Ohio Valley ReSource, Public Health Watch, Mountain State Spotlight and Louisville Public Media exposed: a once-hidden epidemic of severe, incurable and fatal black lung disease. (Berkes and Hicks, 4/16)
CBS News: Study Finds Adults Are Aging Faster. How To Slow The Process
Younger adults are aging faster than ever, according to a new study from the U.K. To make matters worse, researchers also found a connection between accelerated aging and the early onset of cancers. Dr. Nidhi Kumar is On Call for CBS New York to discuss the study and what can be done to slow the clock down. The researchers found people who are born after 1965 face an increased risk of accelerated aging and early onset cancers – about a 4% increased risk of early onset lung cancer, 20% increased risk of gastrointestinal cancer and 35% risk of uterine cancer. (4/15)
KFF Health News: Native Americans Have Shorter Life Spans. Better Health Care Isn’t The Only Answer
Katherine Goodlow is only 20, but she has experienced enough to know that people around her are dying too young. Goodlow, a member of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, said she’s lost six friends and acquaintances to suicide, two to car crashes, and one to appendicitis. Four of her relatives died in their 30s or 40s, from causes such as liver failure and covid-19, she said. And she recently lost a 1-year-old nephew. (Zionts, 4/17)
Los Angeles Times: She Died After Liposuction By A Pediatrician. Doctors Warn Of Cosmetic Surgery’s ‘Wild West’
Inside a clinic wedged next to a smoke shop in a South Los Angeles strip mall, Dr. Mohamad Yaghi operated on a 28-year-old woman who had traveled from Las Vegas to have fat trimmed from her arms and stomach. Yaghi had been offering liposuction for roughly seven years when he started making incisions that day in October 2020, but he was trained as a pediatrician, according to a formal accusation later filed by state regulators. (Reyes, 4/16)
NBC News: FDA Winds Down Part Of Lead-Contaminated Applesauce Probe
The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it’s winding down some of its U.S. response to lead-contaminated cinnamon applesauce pouches, which have sickened hundreds of children across the country. The FDA will continue to actively investigate how WanaBana’s apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches, which were recalled in late October because of high lead levels, became contaminated. However, much of the work the agency has done to ensure no one else buys the applesauce pouches has ended. (Lovelace Jr., 4/16)
KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
“Health Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from the KFF Health News newsroom to the airwaves each week. (4/16)
State Watch
For Now, Transgender Children In Ohio Can Access Care After Ban Is Blocked
Franklin County Judge Michael J. Holbrook ordered a hold on the law for at least two weeks, pending a possible longer-term order to stop the ban from being implemented. Also: How Idaho's ban on youth gender care has affected families.
The Washington Post: Ohio Judge Temporarily Blocks Ban On Gender-Affirming Care For Minors
An Ohio judge temporarily blocked a law Tuesday that would have banned gender-affirming care for minors, a week before it was set to take effect — the latest juncture in the state’s months-long battle over the issue. Franklin County Judge Michael J. Holbrook’s restraining order lasts for two weeks or until a hearing to consider a longer-term order blocking the law, whichever is sooner. Families of transgender children can continue accessing gender-affirming medical treatments, like puberty blockers and hormone therapy, until then. (Kaur, 4/17)
AP: Idaho's Ban On Youth Gender-Affirming Care Has Families Scrambling For Solutions
Forced to hide her true self, Joe Horras’ transgender daughter struggled with depression and anxiety until three years ago, when she began to take medication to block the onset of puberty. The gender-affirming treatment helped the now-16-year-old find happiness again, her father said. A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court late Monday allowing Idaho to enforce its ban on such care for minors could jeopardize her wellbeing once again. Horras is scrambling to figure out next steps and is considering leaving Idaho, where he’s lived his whole life, to move to another state. (Rush, 4/16)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
Iowa Public Radio: Iowans With Disabilities Say House Bill Doesn't Go Far Enough To Ensure They Can Work, Get Married
More Iowans with disabilities who work could qualify for government-funded health coverage through Medicaid under a bill in the Iowa House of Representatives. But those who have been pushing for changes say it wouldn’t go far enough to ensure disabled Iowans can continue to receive services if they get a job promotion or get married. (Sostaric, 4/16)
CBS News: Bone Marrow Donor Recruitment Program Bill To Be Introduced In Harrisburg
Many people with blood cancers don't have suitable bone marrow donors in their family and are desperately waiting to find a stranger who's a match. Several Pennsylvania lawmakers are hoping to change that. They're introducing legislation to create a public health education program to shine a light on the need for bone marrow donors. It can be tough for Pennsylvanians with leukemia and other blood cancers to find a bone marrow transplant match. For many, finding a donor is their only hope for a cure. (Guay, 4/16)
KFF Health News: Paris Hilton Backs California Bill Requiring Sunshine On ‘Troubled Teen Industry’
Celebrity hotel heiress Paris Hilton is backing California lawmakers’ push to increase the transparency of residential teen therapeutic centers by requiring these programs to report the use of restraints or seclusion rooms in disciplining minors. “We shouldn’t be placing youth in facilities without knowing what these children will be subjected to,” Hilton testified Monday to the Senate Human Services Committee in Sacramento. (Castle Work, 4/17)
The Boston Globe: Citing Rise In Child Fatalities, Coalition Of Advocates Urges R.I. Leaders To Take Action
The Rhode Island Coalition for Children and Families is calling on Governor Daniel McKee and the General Assembly to immediately respond to a rise in child fatalities and near fatalities in Rhode Island. The state Department of Children, Youth, and Families announced on Monday that it was seeing an increase in the deaths and near-deaths of children, and leaders of the state departments of Health and Human Services implored families to take advantage of resources to help keep children safe. (Milkovits, 4/16)
CBS News: California Has A New Youth Suicide Prevention Campaign. Here's What To Know
When it comes to youth, suicide continues to be one of the leading causes of death. It's so serious that the California Department of Public Health has launched a new campaign to fight it. Shailen Dawkins knows suicide is a huge problem, so when he heard about the Never A Bother campaign, he was all in on its mission. Dawkins is one of the more than 400 young Californians who shared their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives on how to best reach the younger generation with the campaign. (Garcia, 4/15)
If you need help —
Dial 988 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free and confidential.
Pharmaceuticals
Obesity Drug Is Promising For Patients With Sleep Apnea, Eli Lilly Reports
In other news, a trade association issued new labeling guidelines for melatonin following a CDC report that children were requiring medical care after taking the dietary supplement.
The New York Times: Sleep Apnea Reduced In People Who Took Zepbound, Eli Lilly Reports
The pharmaceutical manufacturer Eli Lilly announced on Wednesday that its obesity drug tirzepatide, or Zepbound, provided considerable relief to overweight or obese people who had obstructive sleep apnea, or episodes of stopped breathing during sleep. The results, from a pair of yearlong clinical trials, could offer a new treatment option for some 20 million Americans who have been diagnosed with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. (Kolata, 4/17)
USA Today: Melatonin New Packaging Guidelines Seek To Protect Kids From Overdose
The Council for Responsible Nutrition announced new melatonin packaging guidelines Monday, but it will be up to manufacturers of the supplements to implement them. The action taken by the council, a leading trade association for the dietary supplement industry, comes after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put out a report last month stating that nearly 11,000 U.S. children ended up in the emergency room from 2019 and 2022 after ingesting melatonin they took without supervision. (Coblentz, 4/16)
KFF Health News: FDA Announces Recall Of Heart Pumps Linked To Deaths And Injuries
A pair of heart devices linked to hundreds of injuries and at least 14 deaths has received the FDA’s most serious recall, the agency announced Monday. The recall comes years after surgeons say they first noticed problems with the HeartMate II and HeartMate 3, manufactured by Thoratec Corp., a subsidiary of Abbott Laboratories. The devices are not currently being removed from the market. In an emailed response, Abbott said it had communicated the risk to customers this year. (Chang and Hacker, 4/16)
On cancer —
The Washington Post: A Blood Test To Detect Cancer? Some Patients Are Using Them Already.
When her husband was undergoing cancer treatment, Cindy Perez of Southwest Ranches, Fla., learned about a new blood test that could help find early cancers. The 50-year-old said she felt fine, but her husband urged her to take the test anyway. To her surprise, the blood test — called Galleri — came back positive. Scans revealed a small tumor in her groin and a diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer. She was treated and now, two years later, she’s in remission. “For me, the test was a miracle,” she said. “A real big miracle.” (Cimons, 4/16)
AP: Weedkiller Manufacturer Seeks Lawmakers' Help To Squelch Claims It Failed To Warn About Cancer
Stung by paying billions of dollars for settlements and trials, chemical giant Bayer has been lobbying lawmakers in three states to pass bills providing it a legal shield from lawsuits that claim its popular weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Nearly identical bills introduced in Iowa, Missouri and Idaho this year — with wording supplied by Bayer — would protect pesticide companies from claims they failed to warn that their product causes cancer, if their labels otherwise complied with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations. (Fingerhut and Lileb, 4/16)
On cigarettes —
Fox News: Watchdog Group Sues Biden Admin For Docs Related To Menthol Cigarette Crackdown
A government watchdog group is suing the Biden administration over documents it has sought via information request related to proposed regulations targeting menthol cigarettes. Protect the Public's Trust (PPT) filed a federal lawsuit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), alleging that the agency has violated its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). (Catenacci, 4/17)
The Washington Post: U.K. Lawmakers Pass ‘Smoke-Free Generation’ Bill, One Of World’s Strictest
Britain is poised to launch a world-leading project to create a “smoke-free generation,” after the House of Commons passed a bill Tuesday banning the sale of cigarettes to anyone born in 2009 or later. For years, antismoking health experts have relied on education campaigns and higher taxes to snuff out the habit. Now Britain is going all in on a ban that could spell the end of tobacco here — though wily companies are quickly striving to deliver their nicotine via less harmful delivery systems. (Booth, 4/16)
Prescription Drug Watch
HIV Drugs May Also Be Effective Alzheimer's Treatment; Antibiotics May Make Cough Last Longer
Read recent pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News' Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
ScienceDaily: Common HIV Treatments May Aid Alzheimer's Disease Patients
Scientists have identified promising real-world links between common HIV drugs and a reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease. (Sanford-Burnham Prebys, 4/16)
CIDRAP: US Study Finds Antibiotics Don't Reduce Duration, Severity Of Cough
New research conducted at US primary and urgent care sites shows that antibiotics didn't provide any benefit for patients with a cough caused by an acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). In fact, the findings, published yesterday in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, show that receipt of an antibiotic was associated with a small but significant increase in the duration of cough overall compared with those who didn't receive an antibiotic. Even for those patients with a confirmed bacterial infection, the time until illness resolution was the same whether or not the patients received an antibiotic. (Dall, 4/16)
Reuters: Bausch Wins US Appeal To Block Alvogen Generic Of Diarrhea Drug
A U.S. appeals court on Thursday affirmed a decision, opens new tab for Bausch Health that barred rival drugmaker Alvogen from marketing a proposed generic version of Bausch's diarrhea treatment Xifaxan until 2029. A Delaware federal court had determined that Alvogen subsidiary Norwich Pharmaceuticals' generic would infringe patents owned by Bausch's Salix Pharmaceuticals. It blocked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from approving the generic until the last Xifaxan U.S. patent expires in October 2029. (Brittain, 4/11)
CIDRAP: FDA Approves New Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic For Use In Cattle, Swine
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday approved the antibiotic pradofloxacin for treating respiratory diseases in cattle and swine. Marketed under the name Pradelex, pradofloxacin is a third-generation fluoroquinolone, which is considered a medically important antibiotic class. It was approved for use in cats and dogs by the European Medicines Agency in 2011. (Dall, 4/10)
Editorials And Opinions
Viewpoints: Missouri Must Put Abortion Up To Voters; Kids Online Safety Act Is A Necessity
Editorial writers tackle abortion, safety rules for social media, viral hepatitis, and more.
The Washington Post: Missouri Should Be Allowed To Vote On Abortion
Abortion has been on the ballot in some form in seven states since the Supreme Court struck down Roe. In all of them — from blue Vermont and California to deep-red Montana and Ohio — voters have said loud and clear: Bans off women’s bodies. Many other states will hopefully have their say on abortion rights in November. One is Missouri, my home state. (Karlie Kloss, 4/17)
Stat: Kids Can't Wait Any Longer For Social Media Safety
When my son Conall took his life at age 17, it was devastating to me and our entire family. Conall was a caring, empathetic, and bright young man, but he had also struggled for many years with anxiety and depression. Like many kids his age, much of his life revolved around social media. While I understand that suicide is complex, with many different factors contributing to someone’s risk for it, I know that social media intensified and fueled Conall’s insecurities and ultimately had a significant impact on his decision to die by suicide. (Molly O'Shea, 4/17)
Stat: To Eliminate Viral Hepatitis, A Silent Killer, It Must Be Tracked
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, viral hepatitis killed more people in the United States than all 60 other reportable infectious diseases combined, including HIV, pneumonia, and tuberculosis. Which doesn’t really make sense, since effective vaccines are available for hepatitis A and B, there are successful therapies for hepatitis B, and there’s a treatment that can cure hepatitis C. (Heather Bradley, 4/17)
Stat: Practicing Medicine At A Predominantly Black Institution Gave Me The Gift I Didn't Realize I Needed
“You have a big voice, Dr. Grubbs,” the clinic manager said. I flinched. The last time I heard similar words, they were part of a common refrain that I had encountered often. “You’re too direct.” “Too outspoken.” “Intimidating.” Peers who looked like me encouraged me to put my head down, make myself smaller, endure — and never, ever call out racism. This, they insisted, was the pathway to success in a predominantly white, academic medicine institution like those where I spent most of my medical career. Until now. “No,” the clinic manager said, “that’s a good thing.” (Vanessa Grubbs, 4/16)
Modern Healthcare: Medicare Advantage Backlash Demands Repairs, Accountability
As the CEO of a senior health company, I believe Medicare Advantage is the best chance taxpayers and consumers have had in decades to transform medicine from sick care to health care. The idea is to offer incentives for private businesses to improve overall health — and reduce overall costs — by focusing on wellness and prevention over traditional fee-for-service medicine for doctors and heads in beds for hospitals. (Joel Theisen, 4/16)
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