The fiscal 2025 budget will prioritize investments in rapid tests and antimicrobial drugs; women who were pregnant as teenagers are more likely to die before 31 years; leaders push for reform as part of spending bill for federal health agencies.
Ramping Up Biodefense Spending Amid Concerns Over Potential "Disease X" Threat
The Biden administration revealed a significant portion of its fiscal 2025 budget is allocated to enhance biodefense capabilities in response to the looming threat of a hypothetical yet potentially catastrophic "Disease X,” according to Axios. With lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, increased funding will be directed toward early warning systems, diagnostic technologies, and antimicrobial development to strengthen national health security against future pandemics. The 2025 defense budget will designate $42 million to improve early warning of novel and emerging pathogens, which include those that have been deliberately engineered.
Teen Pregnancy Associated With Premature Death, Study Finds
A recent study found that the younger a person was when they became pregnant, the greater their risk of premature death is, according to The New York Times. Women who had carried teen pregnancies to term and those who had miscarried were more likely to die before reaching 31 years, in addition to having an increased chance of dropping out of school and struggling with poverty. Additionally, researchers of this Canadian-based study suggested that this study confirms our intuitive knowledge that there may be an age that is indeed too young for pregnancy.
Bipartisan Effort in Senate Targets Pharmacy Benefit Managers to Tackle Prescription Drug Costs
Bipartisan efforts are expected to include prescription drug cost reform, specifically targeting pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), in the upcoming spending bill for the Department of Labor and HHS, according to the Washington Examiner. The proposed legislation aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and competition within the pharmaceutical supply chain to lower drug prices and improve patient access to affordable medications. With support from industry stakeholders and recognition of the critical role of independent pharmacies in patient care, lawmakers are poised to prioritize patient well-being over corporate profits in their pursuit of meaningful health care reforms.
CMS' 340B Repayment Proposal May Harm Vulnerable Hospitals, Reward Those With Higher Revenues
April 26th 2024The 340B hospitals not receiving an offsetting lump-sum payment from CMS following 2018-2022 cuts later ruled unlawful are disproportionately rural, publicly owned, and nonacademic, according to a new study.
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Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
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Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
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What We’re Reading: FDA Approves UTI Antibiotic; Ozempic, Wegovy Price Investigation; US Births Fall
April 25th 2024The FDA recently approved an antibiotic for the treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women; a Senate committee recently launched an investigation into the prices of Novo Nordisk’s diabetes and weight loss drugs; US births fell last year, resuming a national slide after a previous increase during the pandemic.
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The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) vote to ban most employers from issuing and enforcing noncompete clauses could have varying impacts on the health care workforce; federal regulators vastly under-enforced antitrust laws in the hospital sector during the last 2 decades, resulting in increased health costs; the FDA recently found genetic evidence of the H5N1 bird flu virus in pasteurized commercially purchased milk.
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