First Edition: Dec. 2, 2022

KHN:
The Business Of Clinical Trials Is Booming. Private Equity Has Taken Notice

After finding success investing in the more obviously lucrative corners of American medicine — like surgery centers and dermatology practices — private equity firms have moved aggressively into the industry’s more hidden niches: They are pouring billions into the business of clinical drug trials. To bring a new drug to market, the FDA requires pharmaceutical firms to perform extensive studies to demonstrate safety and efficacy, which are often expensive and time-consuming to conduct to the agency’s specifications. Getting a drug to market a few months sooner and for less expense than usual can translate into millions in profit for the manufacturer. (Pradhan, 12/2)

KHN:
The Disability Tax: Medical Bills Remain Inaccessible For Many Blind Americans

A Missouri man who is deaf and blind said a medical bill he didn’t know existed was sent to debt collections, triggering an 11% rise in his home insurance premiums. An insurer has suspended a blind woman’s coverage every year since 2010 after mailing printed “verification of benefits” forms to her California home that she cannot read, she said. The issues continued even after she got a lawyer involved. (Weber and Recht, 12/2)

KHN:
Watch: The Politics Of Health Care In California

KHN senior correspondent Angela Hart joined the nonpartisan group Democracy Winters on Nov. 19 to discuss the politics of health care in California. She focused on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s major health care initiatives, including a transformation of the state Medicaid program that will bring nontraditional, social services to some enrollees — with a focus on homeless patients. (12/2)

KHN:
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Medicaid Machinations 

The lame-duck Congress is back in Washington with a long list of bills it would like to pass and a short time to do it before Republicans take over the House majority in January. How many health-related items can be accomplished depends largely on how much money Congress agrees to spend overall, as it hashes out the annual federal spending bills. Meanwhile, some of the remaining states that have not yet expanded the Medicaid program may be warming up to the idea, particularly North Carolina and Kansas, which have Democratic governors and Republican legislatures. (12/1)

WHIO TV:
988 Mental Health Hotline Back Online After Widespread Outage

The nation’s new 988 hotline, intended to help anyone experiencing a mental health emergency, was out of service for several hours Thursday, the Associated Press reported. The hotline is now back up for those in crisis. Those who were trying to reach the line for help with suicide, depression, or other mental health crises were greeted with a message that says the line is “experiencing a service outage.” (12/2)

AP:
Widespread Outage Shuts Down 988 Mental Health Hotline 

Intrado, the telecommunications provider for the service, could not immediately be reached for comment. In a statement on its website, the company said it [was] “experiencing an incident that is impacting production across numerous systems” and is “working diligently to restore service.” (12/1)

NBC News:
4 Navy Sailors Assigned To Same Facility Die By Apparent Suicide Within Weeks, Amid Growing Concerns Of Mental Health Crisis

At least four U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the same facility in Virginia died by suicide in the last few weeks, including one as recently as Saturday, military officials and family members said. It is the latest cluster of Navy suicides this year to spark concerns of a fleetwide mental health crisis. (Chan, 12/1)

Bloomberg:
Holiday Stress Is Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s Next Challenge

Murthy on Dec. 1 announced a series of online sessions in partnership with Calm, a mindfulness app. Called “Mindfulness Tools,” the series of five YouTube videos are designed to target holiday stress and loneliness, among other sources of chaos and instability.  Murthy said stressors such as loneliness and instability far predate the Covid-19 pandemic, which only exacerbated existing pain points. (Adegbesan, 12/1)

The Washington Post:
Teen Brains Aged Faster Than Normal From Pandemic Stress, Study Says 

The stress of pandemic lockdowns prematurely aged the brains of teenagers by at least three years and in ways similar to changes observed in children who have faced chronic stress and adversity, a study has found. The study, published Thursday in Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science, was the first to compare scans of the physical structures of teenagers’ brains from before and after the pandemic started, and to document significant differences, said Ian Gotlib, lead author on the paper and a psychology professor at Stanford University. (Lewis, 12/1)

USA Today:
During COVID, Teen’s Brains Aged Faster From Stress, Study Finds

Scans also showed structural changes in the brain, researchers noted, as well as changes to parts of the brain responsible for memory, concentration, learning, emotion, reactivity and judgment. They found adolescents assessed after the pandemic had larger hippocampal and amygdala volume, and reduced thickness of cortex tissue. The hippocampus and amygdala control access to memories and help modulate emotions, experts say, while cortex tissues involve executive functioning. (Rodriguez, 12/1)

San Francisco Chronicle:
Long COVID May Cost The U.S. Economy $3.7 Trillion

About 23 million Americans are living with long COVID, which could cost the U.S. economy trillions of dollars, according to estimates by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed by CNBC. Up to 30% of Americans who have gotten COVID-19 have developed long-haul symptoms, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Vaziri and Kawahara, 12/1)

CNBC:
Long Covid Costs Patients An Average $9,000 A Year In Medical Expenses

Long Covid has affected as many as 23 million Americans to date — and it’s poised to have a financial impact rivaling or exceeding that of the Great Recession. By one estimate, the chronic illness will cost the U.S. economy $3.7 trillion, with extra medical costs accounting for $528 billion. (Iacurci, 12/1)

FedScoop:
VA Admits To Improperly Disclosing COVID-19 Vaccine Data For 500,000 Staff

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has admitted that it failed to adequately protect COVID-19 vaccination status data for about 500,000 of its employees. Following an internal investigation by the VA’s Data Breach Response Service, the agency removed a spreadsheet containing personal details including vaccination status, according to a notice sent to the agency’s bargaining unit employees that was obtained by FedScoop. Federal Times first reported about the data breach. (Krishan, 11/30)

Axios:
Exclusive: HHS Partners With U.S. Men’s Soccer Team To Promote Updated COVID Vaccines

The Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with the U.S. national men’s soccer team to promote vaccinations with the updated COVID-19 shot, which are currently at a low. (Gonzalez, 12/1)

CIDRAP:
COVID-19 Infection Associated With Liver Stiffness, Damage 

COVID-19 infection is associated with increased liver stiffness, a sign of possible long-term liver injury, according to the results of a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. (12/1)

The Washington Post:
China Pledges To Slowly Exit ‘Zero Covid’

China’s coronavirus czar said that the country would take “baby steps” in extricating itself from a three-year pursuit of “zero covid,” after authorities stepped up censorship efforts following rare mass protests, and ahead of a state funeral for a popular former leader. (Li, 12/2)

WAVY.Com:
Virginia Reports First Monkeypox Death; Patient Was From Eastern Part Of Va. 

A person in the eastern part of Virginia is the first to be diagnosed with monkeypox to die from the disease in the commonwealth, the Virginia Department of Health reported Thursday. VDH is not releasing additional information surrounding the case, citing patient confidentiality, but said the person was an adult resident of the region. … 8,641 people in Virginia had received both doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine for the disease as of Dec. 1, mostly in Northern Virginia. (Reese, 12/1)

AP:
African Continent Finally To Receive 1st Mpox Vaccines 

Africa’s top public health body says the continent is set to receive its first batch of mpox vaccines as a donation from South Korea. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday the 50,000 doses will be used first for health workers and people living in the hardest-hit areas. No timing was given for the doses’ arrival. (Musambi, 12/1)

Houston Chronicle:
Fall Creek ER Reopens As RSV, COVID Surge In Kingwood, Humble

HCA Houston ER 24/7 Fall Creek resumed operations this week after a year-long closure. The reopening comes at a critical time as hospital ERs are flooded with patients suffering from respiratory illnesses. (Taylor, 12/1)

AP:
7 Die From Flu In Washington State, Activity ‘Very High’ 

Flu activity in the state is now considered very high, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Seven people in the state have died so far this season from the flu, including one child, according to health officials. (12/2)

The Washington Post:
Parents Looking For Children’s Tylenol, Ibuprofen Find Empty Shelves

People seeking over-the-counter medication for their sick children are often finding sparse or empty shelves, as a spike in respiratory illnesses pushes pediatricians and emergency rooms to the limit. Usual supplies of fever- and pain-reducing medicines, such as liquid acetaminophen and ibuprofen recommended for children with RSV, flu or the coronavirus, have not kept up with demand in recent weeks in pockets of the country hit hardest by surging illnesses. (Portnoy, Gilbert, Silverman and Shepherd, 12/1)

The Washington Post:
‘Zombie’ Viruses Are Thawing From Melting Permafrost In Russia

The thawing of the permafrost due to climate change may expose a vast store of ancient viruses, according to a team of European researchers, who say they have found 13 previously unknown pathogens that had been trapped in the previously frozen ground of Russia’s vast Siberian region. (Birnbaum and Francis, 12/2)

Stateline:
Funeral Aid Is Available — But Untapped — In Many States

Many states offer payments to families to help them cover the cost of funerals, and some of the amounts are on the rise. The funds are only available to people with low incomes, and sometimes the amount isn’t enough to cover the full cost of funerals. But the money can be a help — if families know about it. Too often, they don’t. (Povich, 12/1)

Bloomberg:
NJ Moves To Require Some Insurance Companies To Cover Abortions

New Jersey regulators took a step to require a swath of health insurers to cover abortion costs in the wake of the US Supreme Court ruling that struck down a constitutional right to the procedure. (Young, 12/1)

NBC News:
Georgia Senate Runoff Tests The Staying Power Of Abortion In American Elections

The high-stakes Senate runoff in Georgia next week will be the first major test of abortion politics since the 2022 general election, when a backlash to the Supreme Court’s decision galvanized proponents of abortion rights and boosted Democrats. (Kapur, 12/1)

The 19th:
House Family Building Caucus To Work On Fertility Treatment Access

A new bipartisan caucus in the U.S. House has launched to bring attention to fertility challenges faced by millions of Americans and take up a decades-long fight for expanded access to fertility treatments for military families, veterans and federal workers. (Barclay, 12/1)

AP:
Minnesota Nurses Authorize Second Strike, Starting Dec. 11

Nurses at 16 hospitals in the Twin Cities and Duluth areas have authorized workers to go on a second strike, which union leaders said Thursday will begin on Dec. 11 if a contract deal is not reached in coming days. The Minnesota Nurses Association said the walkouts will last until Dec. 31 at most hospitals; nurses at St. Luke’s hospitals in Duluth and Two Harbors will stay on strike until a deal is reached. Leaders of the association hope the vote will motivate hospital leadership to improve offers on pay, workplace violence prevention and staffing levels. (12/1)

Stat:
Gilead Wins Key Battle With CDC Over Patents For Truvada HIV Pill

Gilead Sciences won a key round in its battle with the U.S. government over allegations that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention breached several contracts and “secretly” obtained patents stemming from research that led to the groundbreaking Truvada pill for preventing HIV. (Silverman, 12/1)

Stat:
With Early Data And New Angle, Amgen Enters Obesity Drug Race

Amgen released detailed data on Thursday suggesting an early-stage drug can induce significant weight loss in patients with obesity, with less frequent dosing than current treatments but a safety profile that remains unclear. (Mast, 12/1)

Becker’s Hospital Review:
Maine Pharmacy Board Fined Walgreens 15 Times For Staffing Issues

Walgreens has been fined 15 times and CVS four times so far in 2022 for violating Maine’s staffing and operating hours laws, Bangor Daily News reported Nov. 30. For failing to have a pharmacist in charge or reducing operation hours without notice at 10 locations, Walgreens owes $68,000 in fines, and CVS owes $13,500. Shrinking hours of operation landed the pharmacy chains heavier fines, with each violation amounting thousands of dollars. (Twenter, 12/1)

The Boston Globe:
Startup’s Headset To Treat Alzheimer’s Will Undergo Wide Trial With Patients

Cognito Therapeutics became the latest company to secure a large-scale trial to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Unlike most other remedies in development today, this one involves a device rather than medicine. The late-stage trial will enroll around 500 US participants. They will wear a headset for an hour a day for a year. (McBride, 12/1)

Stat:
Troubled Recall Of Philips CPAP Machines Shows Flaws In Oversight

The ongoing recall of millions of breathing devices made by Philips has been botched and belabored at nearly every turn: It took more than a decade after users first reported the soundproofing foam in their CPAP and BPAP machines breaking down for Philips to issue a recall. (Trang, 12/1)

The Hill:
HHS Allows Those Living With Hep B, HIV To Join Public Service

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Thursday announced it will be expanding eligibility for the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps to include people who have chronic hepatitis B and HIV. (Choi and Weixel, 12/1)

USA Today:
Pediatric Surgery Is Less Common For Children Of Color, Study Finds

Latino, Black and Asian children are less likely to undergo elective surgeries compared to white children, according to a recent study. The study, published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, analyzed data on more than 200,000 children from a national health survey of parents. Roughly 10,000 of those children reportedly underwent surgery. (Hassanein, 12/2)

Modern Healthcare:
MyChart Messaging Bills Pose Questions For Hospitals, Payers

Cleveland Clinic of Ohio began charging patients for some MyChart messaging with providers this month, such as replies that require “medical expertise … typically taking five or more minutes for your provider to answer.” That includes conversations regarding medication changes, new symptoms or checkups on chronic conditions. (Hudson and Tepper, 12/1)

Becker’s Hospital Review:
30% Of Providers Unsatisfied With Patient Payment Platforms

Most healthcare providers have implemented a new patient payment platform in the past five years, but only 58 percent said they were highly satisfied with their current system, according to a survey from Bank of America. In addition, 30 percent said their patient payment platform integration was unsuccessful. (Cass, 12/1)

Axios:
Year-End Package Could Increase Access To Addiction Treatment

A bipartisan bill to increase access to treatment for opioid addiction has a good chance of being rolled into a year-end package during the lame-duck session, congressional aides tell Axios. Advocates point to federal data showing only one in 10 people with opioid use disorder receive medication for it. (Sullivan, 12/2)

San Francisco Chronicle:
S.F. Baby’s Reported Fentanyl Overdose Is ‘Astonishing,’ But Experts Say It’s Not Impossible

Medical experts across the Bay Area and country weighed in Thursday on the report that a 10-month-old baby overdosed on fentanyl at a public park in San Francisco, saying they were stunned and describing such an incident as “very rare,” “unlikely” and “astonishing.” But, they added, possible. (Tucker and Moench, 12/1)

Stat:
‘Tranq’ Is Leaving Drug Users With Horrific Wounds. It’s Spreading.

The volunteers were handing out the staples of harm reduction: safe injection and smoking kits, condoms, and Narcan, the opioid overdose reversal medication. Down the line, they were distributing hats, socks, coats, and blankets to the people who use drugs who came to this outreach event on a recent Saturday, a bright, cold morning a few days before Thanksgiving. Just before the final table, where two mothers who had lost children to overdoses were passing out sandwiches, was evidence of the latest evolution in the increasingly dangerous U.S. drug supply. A wound care station. (Joseph, 12/2)

Los Angeles Times:
10 Students Treated For Suspected Overdoses At Van Nuys Middle School

LAFD Capt. Erik Scott said the students possibly ingested “edibles” but added that the investigation was ongoing.“It was not opioids; we didn’t have to administer Narcan,” Scott said outside the school. (Martinez, Solis and Molina, 12/1)

The Texas Tribune:
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Supports Decriminalizing Fentanyl Testing Strips

Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday said he supports decriminalizing fentanyl testing strips, reversing his previous opposition to the idea as he tries to fight an increase in opioid overdoses in the state, which he has made a point of emphasis heading into January’s legislative session. (Barragan, 12/1)

The Boston Globe:
Public Advised To Avoid Boston Harbor Following Sewage Overflow

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority advised the public Thursday to avoid a section of Boston Harbor for at least 48 hours following an overflow of sewage related to Wednesday’s rainstorm. The area of concern is part of the inner harbor, upstream of North Washington Street Bridge, the authority said. Interacting with affected waters can cause illness and creates a potential public health risk, it said. (Mogg, 12/1)

The Washington Post:
Young Kids Who Breathe Polluted Air In High-Poverty Areas Can Fall Behind In School, Study Finds

Young children living in neighborhoods with high rates of poverty are more likely to be exposed to many different air pollutants, and that can harm their development during early childhood, according to a study published Wednesday. The children’s increased exposure to air toxins during infancy can reduce reading and math abilities and cause them to fall behind — for some, the effect is equivalent to losing an entire month of elementary school. (Ajasa, 11/30)

AP:
Denver Gets Go-Ahead From EPA After Progress On Lead Pipes

The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday approved a nearly $700 million plan to remove all lead water pipes in the Denver region, saying the local water utility’s approach for reducing lead levels is succeeding and making swift progress. It’s a recognition that cities can effectively address the lead pipe crisis if they try. (Phillis, 12/1

AP:
Judge OKs Federal Intervention In Struggling Water System 

The U.S. Justice Department has won a federal judge’s approval to carry out a rare intervention to improve the precarious water system in Mississippi’s capital city, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Wednesday, months after the system’s partial failure. The department filed the proposal for intervention on Tuesday and U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate approved it later that day in Mississippi. The move authorized the appointment of a third-party manager to oversee reforms to Jackson’s water system, which nearly collapsed in late summer and continues to struggle. (Goldberg, 11/30)

AP:
Airbnb Urged To Require Carbon Monoxide Devices After 3 Die 

Family members of three tourists who died while staying at an Airbnb in Mexico City, apparently of carbon monoxide poisoning, urged the short-term rental company Thursday to require detectors in properties it lists to prevent future tragedies. (Rodrigue, 12/1)

The Washington Post:
Why Falling Asleep With The Lights On Is Bad For Your Health 

Many of us are surrounded by light at night — from streetlights streaming through our windows to televisions and smartphones by our beds. And now research shows that exposure to light at night in the hours before bedtime and even during sleep can be detrimental to our health. (Sima, 12/1)