What We’re Reading: Paying for COVID-19 Vaccines; High Court Retains Abortion Pill Access; HIV Goal May Fall Short

US, Drug Makers Look at Ways to Ensure COVID-19 Vaccine Coverage

While Americans with insurance are still expected to be able to get vaccinated for COVID-19 free of charge, it is unclear how the process will work for those without coverage. As the public health emergency for COVID-19, ends, the Biden administration and manufacturers are looking at different ways to ensure free access, according to The Hill. Pfizer and Moderna are expecting the prices of their shots to increase by as much as 4-fold.

Supreme Court Halts Restrictions on Mifepristone

Although the Supreme Court has temporarily preserved access to a medication used in abortion, mifepristone, advocates for reproductive health care are gearing up for a long fight, according to Reuters. The Supreme Court did not rule on the merits of the case, meaning mifepristone could still be restricted or banned at a later stage. Providers welcomed the news but said they are still stockpiling both drugs used in medication abortion—mifepristone and misprostol—just in case access is lost in the future.

Initiative to Reduce HIV Infections May Fall Short of Reaching Goal

The US government has a national initiative to reduce the number of new HIV infections by 75% by 2025 and 90% by 2030 by funding new community-specific strategies to deliver care to marginalized groups, but some question if the target will be reached, according to Kaiser Health News. Launched in 2016, the program practices a new approach to treating and preventing HIV infections that combines telehealth with direct outreach. But people living with HIV, doctors, infectious disease experts, community groups, and some HIV officials say the initiative could miss its main 2030 goal due to complications arising from the pandemic, workforce shortages, anti-LGBTQ+ messaging from some politicians in conservative states, and bureaucratic adversaries.