30,000 foot view of the Chess Board - MedPage Today

Another great lineup from MedPage Today's Morning Break.

Cheers for AP calling out the latest Red Flag on social media!

To pull up any of these reports in full, just copy and paste that line (including source) into a new browser page.

The AP debunked misinformation about U.S. plans for early pandemic-style lockdowns and masking mandates.

Meanwhile, a report from the Royal Society found that lockdowns and face masking "unequivocally" reduced the spread of COVID-19. (The Guardian)

After receiving backlash, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services tossed out a plan that might have limited breast cancer patients' options for reconstructive surgery. (KFF Health News)

Armed with new or updated vaccines against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), COVID-19, and the flu, U.S. health officials laid out their plans for the upcoming respiratory season. (STAT)

As for the cost of the new fall vaccines, that depends on the virus and people's insurance status. (KFF Health News)

Only 2 weeks into the school year, one Kentucky school district canceled classes for the rest of the week after multiple outbreaks of respiratory illness and strep throat. (NBC News)

Tens of thousands of workers at Kaiser Permanente will soon vote on whether to strike. (Insider)

About 500 patients were potentially exposed to tuberculosis (TB) at an Indiana hospital after a staffer tested positive. (Fox News)

Medicare is taking a closer look into shady hospice practices and fraud. (Axios)

Cigna announced it's dropping prior authorization requirements for nearly 25% of medical services and said it plans to ditch another 500 for its Medicare Advantage plans by the end of the year. (Healthcare Dive)

West Nile virus remains the most common mosquito-borne disease in the U.S., according to a CDC report.

The FDA issued a voluntary correction Class I recall -- not a product removal -- for Draeger's Carina Sub-Acute Care Ventilator because of contaminants in the device's air path. The vents can still be used in adults, but not pediatric patients.

Several phased-out flame retardants and new endocrine-disrupting replacement chemicals were found in the breast milk of mothers. (NPR)

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommended the very first requirements to make nursing pillows safer following many infant deaths. (NBC News)

Midwestern health system Allina Health has ended its practice of denying care to patients in debt. (New York Times)

Health data breaches in the first half of 2023 were fewer compared with 2022, but they were larger. (Fierce Healthcare)

UCLA researchers said they recruited 40 times more research patients than usual by embedding study recruitment into patients' pre-appointment check-in. (Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association)

After surviving acute myeloid leukemia, Tae Butler followed in the footsteps of her pediatric oncologist and is now a fourth-year medical student -- and now they even work together. (People)

Around 40% of Texas medical schools possibly used unclaimed bodies for medical education in recent years, raising "ethical concerns regarding the nonconsensual use of human remains," said JAMA researchers.

Several competitors in a Bay Area "Tough Mudder" race last weekend have fallen ill with possible staph or serious bacterial infections. (ABC7 News)

A pharmaceutical lab agreed to boost protections of South Carolina horseshoe crabs used in medical tests. (Reuters)

A 26-year-old doctor in Japan who died by suicide last year reportedly worked over 200 hours of overtime in just 1 month. (CNN)

The higher rate of complications and deaths Black pregnant women face is "completely preventable," said a public health official. (KFF Health News)

American nurse Alix Dorsainvil opened up about her time held captive for 13 days in Haiti. (CNN)

Great to see progress with generic-equivalents for super expensive cell-based drugs! The first-generation biologics work great (Humira insulin, rheumatoid arthritis meds, etc) but some cost thousands of dollars per year or even per dose.

Called biosimilars, two 2nd generation "interchangeables" received FDA approval this week.

Morning Break announced one in yesterday's headlines, excerpted here for length:

Faculty shortages forced U.S. nursing schools to turn down almost 80,000 applications in 2022. (CNN)

The Arkansas Department of Health identified a locally acquired case of malaria in a state resident.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization's top scientist said dengue fever will become a major threat in southern parts of the U.S. this decade. (Reuters)  [Dengue is no joke - I got it in Nicaragua]

Patients who take GLP-1 agonists for weight-loss have risk of pancreatitis nine times higher as compared with the older combination drug bupropion-naltrexone and a three to four times greater risk of bowel obstruction and gastroparesis. (JAMA)

A Georgia laboratory owner has been sentenced to 27 years in prison and has to forfeit his Ferrari for submitting almost $500 million in false Medicare claims for genetic testing. (CNBC)

Hawaii has accused a pharmacy benefits manager in the state with illegally driving up pricesopens in a new tab or window. (Reuters)

Vegetarianism may be in a person's genes. (NPR)

The cancer drug shortage has eased a bit but appears unlikely to go away anytime soon. (STAT)

Pfizer announced the FDA has granted interchangeability of the company's adalimumab biosimilar (Abrilada) with Humira for all of the biosimilar's currently approved indications. [insulin]

After years of hearing doctors blame her lupus symptoms on her weight, a Florida woman underwent bariatric surgery and lost half of her body weight -- only to find her symptoms worse than ever. (People)

The FDA's vaccine advisory panel endorsed removing an influenza vaccine strain that's no longer circulating in the U.S. (STAT)

Another 32 deaths have been linked to the foam breakdown problem in Philips' CPAP and BiPAP devices, bringing the total to 426 since 2021, according to the FDA.

A jury in Nevada ordered Real Water to pay $228 million in damages over cases of liver illness and death in people who drank the company's bottled water. (USA Today)

https://www.medpagetoday.com/obgyn/generalobgyn/106665

The other biosimilar is in this interesting lineup from Monday.

The GOP's physician lawmakers in Congress say the American Medical Association's "wokeism" is straining its credibility on standard issues like how much Medicare should pay doctors. (Politico)

The Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to scientists whose research helped lay the groundwork for the mRNA COVID vaccines. (Axios)

Speaking of which, about 1.8 million people in the U.S. received the updated COVID vaccines last week. (Reuters)

Helped by climate change, the mosquitoes are winning the battle against malaria's spread, according to a package of articles from the New York Times, with some scientists saying genetically engineered bugs are the answer.

Short bursts of activity can lower a person's risk for heart attack, stroke, or death. (Lancet Public Health)

Hospitals in Appalachia pledged not to drive up prices and to expand charity care if allowed to merge, but data show they're failing to live up to those promises. (KFF Health News)

The FDA rejected lebrikizumab for atopic dermatitis, citing manufacturing concerns, Eli Lilly announced.

But the agency approved tocilizumab-bavi (Tofidence), the first biosimilar to Actemra, for treating adult and pediatric arthritis.

The FDA also warned on the risk for invasive disease with probiotics in preterm infants and about potentially harmful hidden ingredients in supplements promoted for arthritis and pain.

Proponents of birthing centers believe they improve health outcomes, but regulators aren't so sure. (New York Times)

An appeals court ruling has paved the way for Idaho's near-total abortion ban to take effect. (Reuters)

Meanwhile, women in the state are now struggling to find basic maternity care. (NBC News)

COVID-associated sepsis was common during the pandemic. (JAMA Network Open)

The World Health Organization called for ditching the influenza B/Yamagata strain in annual flu shots. (STAT)

Cigna reached a settlement with the U.S. Office of Inspector General over allegations the insurer overcharged for its Medicare Advantage program. (Reuters)

Medicare drug-price negotiation can proceed, a federal judge ruled. (Reuters)

During the first 7 months of the year, drugmakers spent nearly $500 million on ads for obesity and diabetes drugs. (CNBC)

A Chicago mother was diagnosed with acute leukemia after her child's pediatrician noticed the woman's color appeared off. (People)

Most adolescents who quit vaping did so without the support of vaping cessation programs. (Pediatrics)

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield died at age 57, reportedly due to brain cancer. (New York Times)

https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/106581

Shannon Firth reports on breaking healthcare news for MedPage Today's Washington D.C. bureau She is also a member of MedPage Today's Enterprise & Investigative Reporting team. She has written extensively about mental health, addiction and sexual harassment in medicine as well as faulty medical devices. Her other interests include medical ethics, precision medicine and social determinants of health. Shannon earned her master's degree at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.

All kinds of treats in today's edition.

Congress has a new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson (R-La.): here are his views on Medicare, abortion, the Affordable Care Act, and other healthcare issues. (The Hill)

Half of working-age Americans struggle to pay off medical debt, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund.

The FDA is gathering information regarding the death of a young woman with a heart condition who died after drinking a highly-caffeinated lemonade at Panera Bread. (NBC News)

What the research says on whether social media is addictive. (New York Times)

Japan's supreme court struck down a law requiring transgender people to undergo sterilization surgery in order to officially change their gender. (AP)

In other news from the Far East, the best new COVID drug may be an oral named ensitrelvir, developed by an Osaka-based pharmaceutical company. Why don't Americans have access to it? (The Atlantic)

Severe mental health illness was linked with a 50% higher risk of death following COVID infection. (British Journal of Psychiatry)

The Biden administration is asking Congress for $1.55 billion to support addiction treatment and overdose prevention associated with illicit fentanyl. (NBC News)

Former president George W. Bush is stepping up efforts to get Congress to renew a major global HIV/AIDS program he created. (Politico)

A pharmacist and clinic owner in Houston were sent to prison for unlawfully distributing and dispensing opioids, the Department of Justice announced.

About 22 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous activity is enough to balance the harms of sitting for long periods of time. (British Journal of Sports Medicine)

Older adults face exceedingly complex hurdles to getting routine vaccines. (STAT)

Racial disparities in breast cancer outcomes are even observed in controlled clinical trials. (JAMA Network Open)

Vaccine maker GSK says its RSV vaccine could provide protection to people as young as 50. (CNN)

A therapeutic HPV vaccine could help patients with respiratory papillomatosis, an incurable airway disease caused by the virus, phase I data suggested. (Science Translational Medicine)

NIH researchers linked enhanced musculoskeletal health with extended work careers and higher income. (Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research)

Food insecurity increased sharply in the U.S. in 2022. (Reuters and NBC News) [NOTE: great example of how national measurements can be
food is an essentially local issue. Food stamp administrator enjoyed COVID dollars while they lasted.]

A third of chocolate products -- such as brownie mixes, chocolate chips, and hot cocoa -- contain "concerning" levels of lead or cadmium. (Consumer Reports)

The CDC said it's investigating a Salmonella outbreak tied to diced onion products that has so far caused at least 73 illnesses in 22 states.

A teen using "stop the bleed" training was able to save an elderly woman who fell off her four-wheeler and was trapped under the vehicle. (USA Today)

The crisis in the Middle East is creating a "tsunami" of mental health issues. (NPR)

The World Health Organization is considering adding noma -- an orofacial gangrene -- to its list of neglected diseases. (STAT)

https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/107019

A little bit of everything today from MedPage Morning Break: Waste, fraud, abuse... sometimes all in one shot. (See what I did there? 😜 )

Adults 85 and older who received COVID and flu vaccines at the same time appeared to have a very small higher risk of stroke. (CNN)

Only 7% of U.S. adults and 2% of kids received the new COVID-19 vaccine as of two weeks ago, according to the CDC. (AP)

An mRNA-based combination flu-COVID vaccine generated a strong immune response in a mid-stage trial of adults, developers Pfizer and BioNTech said.

A former executive at a South Florida Medicare Advantage organization was charged for her alleged role in a roughly $53 million fraud scheme, the Department of Justice said.

Exela Pharma Sciences issued a nationwide recall of some of its sodium bicarbonate, midazolam, and cysteine hydrochloride injections.

Here are warning signs that America's healthcare workforce is burned out. (Axios)

And here's how burnout is playing out among large retail pharmacists, too. (USA Today)

Republicans delayed more than $1 billion in funding for the PEPFAR HIV program. (The Washington Post)

An audit of the Maryland Heath Departments found $1.4 billion in unaccounted-for funds that the state received during the pandemic. (The Washington Post)

The only medical school on a Native American reservation is preparing students to serve in rural and tribal areas. (CBS News)

While global vaccine coverage for kids improved in past years, they're not back to pre-pandemic levels. (MMWR)

What would happen to developing nations if COVID-related patents were suspended? (The Hill)

Lawmakers are looking for ways to speed up the FDA approval process for new rare disease treatments. (Endpoints News)

Two workers at a Japanese nuclear power plant were hospitalized after being sprayed with liquid laced with radioactive materials. (AP)

Children and adolescents who received mental health counseling or therapy increased from 10% in 2019 to 13.8% in 2022, CDC data showed.

Twice as many parents of kids ages 9 to 15 reported concerns about internet addiction than substance addiction. (JAMA Network Open)

A woman filed a lawsuit against her ob/gyn claiming he secretly used his own sperm to impregnate her during fertility treatments. (The Seattle Times)

Healthcare professionals at D.C.'s Unity Health Care are trying to unionize. (DCist)

Savannah renamed one of its town squares after the first Black Civil War nurse. (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/productalert/107040

Another big week in the shifting landscape of healthcare.

— Health news and commentary from around the Web gathered by MedPage Today staff

MedPage Today November 3, 2023

Note that some links may require registration or subscription.

Idaho prosecutors have charged a woman and her son with kidnapping after they allegedly took the son's teenage girlfriend out of state for an abortion. (AP)

Meanwhile, the Indiana Supreme Court reprimanded the state's attorney general, Todd Rokita, over statements made about Caitlin Bernard, MD, the Indiana physician who performed an abortion on a 10-year-old rape victim. (Reuters)

About one in seven Americans say they've experienced long COVID. (PLOS One)

The "unwinding" of Medicaid has created chaos for states as patients struggle to navigate the changing landscape of coverage in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. (KFF Health News)

Taking a poke at European countries' insect infestations, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the latest round of economic sanctions against his country by saying "less junk" (from Europe) means "less of a chance of bedbugs coming here." (Politico)

Alabama's Supreme Court will allow an execution by nitrogen gas to proceed; it would represent the first U.S. execution by this method. (Reuters)

A federal appeals court rejected the Environmental Protection Agency's ban on chlorpyrifos, an insecticide linked to brain damage in kids, though left the door open for a ban in the future. (The Hill)

Meanwhile, the FDA has proposed a ban on brominated vegetable oil, a common additive in fruity sports drinks and sodas, after studies showed the substance might be hazardous to humans.

And the agency said that healthcare providers should make sure they administer the correct dose of the Moderna COVID vaccine to pediatric patients ages 6 months through 11 years (0.25 mL), as the single-dose vial of the vaccine contains "notably" more than that amount.

Plaintiffs including Tennessee teenagers and doctors have asked the Supreme Court to overturn a federal court ruling upholding a ban on gender-affirming care for minors in Tennessee and Kentucky. (Washington Post)

A California jury ruled that a clothing manufacturer should pay more than $1 million to four American Airlines flight attendants who said that chemicals in their uniforms caused a variety of health problems. (AP via ABC News)

Health officials in Long Beach, California reported a second case of locally acquired dengue in the state.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of Best Buy's Insignia brand of electric pressure cookers because of a potential burn hazard.

Canadian family doctors voted overwhelmingly against adding a third year to residency training, although the College of Family Physicians of Canada are not obligated to honor the nonbinding vote. (CBC)

The CDC detailed widening racial and income disparities in childhood vaccination coverage. (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report)

A bipartisan group of Senators introduced a bill that would permanently extend the COVID-era authorization to prescribe the opioid-addiction drug buprenorphine by telemedicine. (STAT)

Credit scores are rising in America now that medical debt cannot be considered in scoring. (KFF Health News)

Volunteer medical students in Chicago try to fill a rapidly expanding gap in healthcare for the city's migrant population. (AP)

https://www.medpagetoday.com/obgyn/abortion/107136

Charles Bankhead is senior editor for oncology and also covers urology, dermatology, and ophthalmology. His career spans more than 30 years, including a decade with Medical World News, a leading medical trade magazine of its time. He had a long and successful freelance career before joining MedPage Today in 2007. Charles graduated with honors from Texas Tech University, receiving a BA in journalism, and completed a master's degree in mass communication, with specialization in health communication, also at Texas Tech.