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What We're Reading: Gottlieb Calls for THC Vape Ban; Tackling Drug Shortages; Air Pollution and Miscarriages
Former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb called for the ban of THC-based vaping products; machine learning tested to prevent drug shortages; study finds link between air pollution and miscarriages in China.
Former FDA Commissioner Calls for Ban of THC-Based Vaping Products
Machine Learning Tested by Drugmaker to Prevent Drug Shortages
Study Links Air Pollution to Miscarriages in China
Yesterday, former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb called for the ban of THC-based vaping products, due to its correlation to the vaping-related illness epidemic occurring nationwide. The Hill reports that Gottlieb additionally proposed a new approach to regulate marijuana, noting that a blanket ban on marijuana was no longer possible. The CDC reported that a majority of affected people in the epidemic reported vaping THC products, particularly those who bought products from informal sources. So far, public health officials have not conclusively linked the vaping disease to THC, warranting further analyses into the vaping epidemic.Germany-based pharmaceuticals company Merck KGaA announced plans to use analytics and machine learning to predict and prevent drug shortages, according to The Wall Street Journal. The move, which can additionally save the company money, will aim to ease the stockpiling of medications that can cause some supplies to expire before they are used. The company’s healthcare division plans to start testing a cloud-based software designed by TraceLink Inc. later this year. TraceLink Inc., based out of North Reading, Massachusetts, can analyze data points in real time from various organizations within Merck’s supply chain, including pharmacies, hospitals, and wholesale distributors.A study conducted by researchers in China has found a significant link between air pollution and the risk of miscarriage, reported the The New York Times. The Chinese government has been trying to increase the national birth rate amid a rapidly aging population, however, rates reached its lowest level last year since 1949. Air pollution has long plagued Chinese cities, with issues such as respiratory diseases, strokes, and heart attacks attributed to heightened exposure. Lead author Zhang Liqiang noted that further research is needed to ascertain the exact link between different pollutants and the risk of miscarriage, but outside experts nevertheless agree that the findings highlight the negative effect of air pollution on the health of pregnant women and their fetuses.
The Pivotal Role of Payers in Improving Health Equity, Maternal Health Care in the US
March 26th 2024A presentation at the Greater Philadelphia Business Coalition on Health's 2024 Women’s Health Summit discussed how payers, including employers and public entities, can strategically influence health care purchasing to prioritize maternal health and equity.
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Addressing Maternal Mortality in Medicaid by Focusing on Mental Health
February 15th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Inland Empire Health Plan, a managed care plan serving more than 1.4 million residents on Medi-Cal in California, about a new maternal mental health program aimed at supporting new mothers, both before they give birth and afterward.
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For National Women’s Health Week, One Company Emphasizes Cardiovascular Risk Management
May 10th 2022On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Joanne Armstrong, MD, MPH, vice president and chief medical officer for Women’s Health and Genomics at CVS Health, on the distinct pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease in women and how her own health experiences have influenced her perspective on cardiovascular disease management.
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What We’re Reading: Historic Low of Uninsured; Youth Gender Treatments; Birth Control Recall
August 4th 2023A record low of 7.7% of Americans had no health insurance at the start of 2023; the American Academy of Pediatrics renewed its backing of gender care for children while requesting a research review; 2 lots of an oral contraceptive were recalled for possible reduction in effectiveness.
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Lawyers were questioned in a federal lawsuit intending to overturn approval of a drug used for medication abortion; during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, US maternal mortality increased for the third year in a row; the Alzheimer’s Association is lobbying Congress to push for Medicare coverage of new Alzheimer drugs under early access.
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