The rate of invasive pneumococcal disease in children plummeted by 72% from 2002 to 2021; health care spending in the United States rose 4.1% in 2022 to $4.5 trillion; roughly two-thirds of Americans who have a mental health condition were unable to access treatment in 2021 despite having health insurance.
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What We’re Reading: Childhood Obesity Counseling; Humana Lawsuit; AI Use Concern
December 13th 2023The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that children with obesity receive intensive counseling at age 6 to promote healthy diet and exercise habits; a new survey found that the majority of American patients are wary of their doctors using artificial intelligence (AI); a class-action lawsuit was filed Tuesday against health insurer Humana for using an AI algorithm that systemically denies seniors rehabilitation care recommended by their doctors.
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What We’re Reading: RSV Vaccine Demand; Permanent Contraception; Drug Negotiation Impact
December 8th 2023The Biden administration recently met with manufacturers of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunizations to encourage them to increase access to the vaccine; since the Dobbs v Jackson decision, many patients have been seeking more permanent reproductive health care solutions; a Mathematica analysis showed that Medicare prescription drug price negotiations could have cut seniors’ out-of-pocket costs by nearly a quarter had the program been in effect in 2021.
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Negotiations to extend US global HIV/AIDS relief work are deadlocked; the Biden administration delayed its rule on the proposed menthol cigarette ban until March 2024 after lobbying by civil rights groups; federal agencies have partnered with a digital health company to create an at-home test-to-treat program for flu and COVID-19.
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Data analysis showed that 40% of patients who filled a prescription for Wegovy in 2021 or 2022 were still taking it a year later; both Democrats and reproductive rights organizations are pressuring the Biden administration to ensure health insurers fully cover contraception; CMS implemented Medicare changes in March that limited access to blood tests that help transplant recipients ensure their organs remain healthy.
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Consumers should not eat precut cantaloupe if they do not know the source, as the number of illnesses and recalls tied to a deadly salmonella outbreak grows; the White House and the Department of Education urged schools to take proactive steps to prevent youth drug use; a study published this week found a high prevalence of arrhythmia in patients with long COVID.
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What We’re Reading: ChatGPT in Health Care; Menthol Ban Meeting; Health System Cyberattack Impact
November 30th 2023ChatGPT is changing health care while also raising questions about artificial intelligence's promises and limitations; 24 Biden officials met with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives to discuss the FDA’s proposal to ban menthol cigarettes; a recent hospital cyberattack shows how the vulnerability of health care systems can put patients at risk.
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Provisional CDC data show that US babies gained roughly a year in life expectancy in 2022; study findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly raised the risk of preterm birth for expectant California mothers; New York Attorney General Letitia James said about 4 million New Yorkers were affected by a data breach of the medical transcription company Perry Johnson & Associates.
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Allegations call out restrictions on medically necessary care; CDC data highlight surge in COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations; failure to include additional Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) aid raises concerns over food access.
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What We’re Reading: Rising Flu Cases; RSV Drug Shortage; Forever Chemical Restrictions
November 20th 2023Health officials said that at least 7 states reported high levels of illness, with cases also rising in other parts of the country; a group of Senate Democrats demanded answers about the shortage of nirsevimab, a new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) drug; Pentagon officials told Congress that eliminating per- and polyfluorinated substances would undermine military readiness.
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Governor Kathy Hochul proposed this week that New York become the first state to require health systems to implement cyber defenses; a new report from the World Health Organization and the CDC highlighted a staggering rise in measles cases and deaths in 2022; a study published this week claimed that more than a tenth of fecal immunochemical tests used for routine colorectal cancer screening could not be processed by labs.
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What We’re Reading: Updated Anthrax Guidelines; At-Home STI Test; Veteran Psychedelic Therapy
November 16th 2023The CDC has published updated recommendations for the postexposure prevention and treatment of Bacillus anthracis (anthrax) infection; the FDA has granted marketing approval to an at-home chlamydia and gonorrhea test; lawmakers and Veterans Affairs officials acknowledge the potential for psychedelic drugs to treat veterans’ mental health conditions and prevent suicide.
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What We’re Reading: UnitedHealth Lawsuit; Fentanyl Crackdown; Global Heat Deaths Increase
November 15th 2023A class action lawsuit was filed against UnitedHealth Group and a subsidiary for allegedly using an algorithm to deny rehabilitation coverage for seriously ill patients; US and China officials are finalizing an agreement to crack down on fentanyl; a study published Tuesday projected global heat deaths to increase by 370% if no action is taken against global warming.
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The weight loss drug semaglutide showed significant cardiovascular benefits; Texas and Florida are restricting the promotion of COVID-19 vaccines; some Ohio legislators are seeking to block courts from interpreting the state’s recently passed constitutional amendment that created a right to abortion.
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What We’re Reading: Weight Loss Drug Costs; Young Black Students With ADHD; AI in Health Care
November 10th 2023A senator opposes the Biden drug price negotiation plan and proposes a new model to help manage weight loss drug costs; Black children are underdiagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared with their White peers; lawmakers and witnesses said that policy makers must balance innovation with potential harms when it comes to artificial intelligence (AI) in health care.
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What We’re Reading: New HPV Screenings; Lung Cancer Pills; Migraine Relief Device
November 9th 2023A study suggests that human papillomavirus (HPV) screenings should be updated due to effective HPV vaccines; a new study shows that osimertinib (Tagrisso, AstraZeneca) reduced both the 5-year risk of recurrent cancer and the risk of death in patients with stage 1B to 3A lung cancer; a new smartphone-controlled technology could help those who suffer from migraines.
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