First Edition: April 20, 2018
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Nothing In Health Care Ever Goes Away
Congressional Republicans have struck a decidedly different tone when talking about the Affordable Care Act, and the Democrats have introduced a new Medicare expansion bill. Meanwhile, states are talking about Medicaid expansion, and a federal court’s ruling on Maryland’s proposal to battle drug price-gouging sends shock waves nationwide. Both chambers of Congress have been busy introducing legislative fixes for the nation’s opioid epidemic with lawmakers promising that legislation will land this spring. (4/19)
California Healthline:
Calif. Leads Nation In Pushing Back Against Trump Administration Health Policies
These days, when the federal government turns in one direction, California veers in the other — and in the case of health care, it’s a sharp swerve.In the nation’s most populous state, lawmakers and other policymakers seemingly are not content simply to resist Republican efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. They are fighting to expand health coverage with a series of steps they hope will culminate in universal coverage for all Californians — regardless of immigration status and despite potentially monumental price tags. (Ibarra, 4/19)
The Hill:
GOP In Retreat On ObamaCare
Republicans are retreating from calls to repeal ObamaCare ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Less than a year after the GOP gave up on its legislative effort to repeal the law, Democrats are going on offense on this issue, attacking Republicans for their votes as they hope to retake the House majority. (Sullivan, 4/20)
The Washington Post:
Abortion Battles Are Heating Up Ahead Of November Midterms
Mississippi’s governor just signed a law, more restrictive than in any state, banning abortions after 15 weeks. Iowa’s state Senate is trying to go even further and stop abortions at around six weeks. And 20 Ohio legislators have proposed outlawing all abortions, even if the woman’s life is in danger. In many state capitols, Republican lawmakers are backing unusually strict antiabortion laws. Many are emboldened by President Trump, who has been more supportive of their agenda than any president in decades. Conservative lawmakers also are eager to get more restrictions on the books in case November’s elections bring a surge of Democrats hostile to them. (Jordan, 4/19)
The Hill:
Judge Rules Against Trump Administration In Teen Pregnancy Prevention Case
A federal judge in D.C. ruled Thursday that the Trump administration's cuts to the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program were unlawful. Last summer, the administration notified 81 organizations that their five-year grants through the program would end in 2018, rather than in 2020, prompting multiple lawsuits. (Hellmann, 4/19)
The Washington Post:
‘He Knows How To Read A Room Really, Really Well’: How White House Physician Ronny L. Jackson Became Trump’s Nominee To Lead VA
As a White House physician under three presidents, Ronny L. Jackson often went to extra lengths to win over the officials he was on hand to assist. He helped George W. Bush clear brush at his Texas ranch. He supplied Barack Obama with Nicorette gum even as he urged him to quit the nicotine substitute. He once was so eager to deliver a sling to Vice President Richard B. Cheney for a sore arm that his sprint toward the presidential helicopter caught the attention of Secret Service agents, a friend said. That kind of enthusiasm drew ridicule in January, when Jackson said at a news conference that President Trump “might live to be 200 years old” if he had a more healthful diet. But his performance received lavish praise from the president, who shocked Washington a few months later by tapping the former combat surgeon to run the Department of Veterans Affairs — one of the federal government’s largest and most fraught bureaucracies. (Gardner and Crites, 4/19)
The New York Times:
As Opioid Prescriptions Fall, Prescriptions For Drugs To Treat Addiction Rise
The number of new monthly prescriptions for medications that treat opioid addiction nearly doubled over the past two years, according to new data, while prescriptions for opioid painkillers continued to decline. The changing calculus reflects a stepping up of efforts among policymakers and the medical establishment to address the nation’s opioid epidemic, which is killing more than 115 people every day. But it also underscores questions about whether some pain patients are now being undertreated, and whether tightened prescribing over the last few years has contributed to the surge in overdose deaths from heroin and especially fentanyl. (Goodnough, 4/19)
Stat:
In The Throes Of An Opioid Crisis, Prescriptions Fell Dramatically Last Year
“We saw the imposition of new programs by states and a greater focus by the surgeon general and federal government in reducing opioid prescribing,” said Murray Aitken, an IQVIA senior vice president and executive director of the institute. “While we cannot attribute the decline to anything particular, in aggregate, it looks as if those measures are having a market impact.” Indeed, the data suggest that the drumbeat of alarm expressed by a plethora of government officials and policymakers is starting to sway medical practice. The White House declared a public health emergency and Congress is considering legislation that would address a mix of insurance coverage, payment issues, prescription regulations for Medicaid beneficiaries, and prevention strategies. (Silverman, 4/19)
The New York Times:
Prince’s Overdose Death Results In No Criminal Charges
No one will be criminally charged in the 2016 death of Prince by accidental fentanyl overdose, law enforcement authorities in Minnesota announced on Thursday, saying that they could not determine who had provided the powerful drug that killed him. The musician had been struggling with a dependence on painkillers and most likely believed he was taking Vicodin, which does not contain fentanyl, the Carver County attorney, Mark Metz, said in a news conference. Prince actually took a look-alike, counterfeit version of the drug that was far more powerful and dangerous, Mr. Metz said. (Coscarelli and Eldred, 4/19)
The Associated Press:
As Prince's Health Waned, Alarm Grew In Inner Circle
Some of Prince's closest confidants had grown increasingly alarmed about his health in the days before he died and tried to get him help as they realized he had an opioid addiction — yet none were able to give investigators the insight they needed to determine where the musician got the fentanyl that killed him, according to investigative documents released Thursday. Just ahead of this weekend's two-year anniversary of Prince's death, prosecutors announced they would file no criminal charges in the case and the state investigation was closed. (Forliti, 4/20)
The Associated Press:
Virginia To Receive Nearly $10M To Fight Opioid Crisis
Virginia will receive nearly $10 million in federal grant money to help combat the opioid crisis.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday its second year of funding through the Opioid State Targeted Response program. Virginia is getting $9.76 million. A press release says recipients used the first year’s funding to implement medication-assisted treatment, promote prevention strategies as well as the use of the antidote naloxone, and build sustainable recovery support services. (4/20)
The New York Times:
F.D.A. Panel Recommends Approval Of Cannabis-Based Drug For Epilepsy
A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Thursday unanimously recommended approval of an epilepsy medication made with an ingredient found in marijuana. If the agency follows the recommendation, as is expected, the drug would be the first cannabis-derived prescription medicine available in the United States. (Kaplan, 4/19)
The Washington Post:
First Marijuana-Derived Drug Poised For FDA Approval After Winning Support From Advisers
The drug, Epidiolex, would be administered in a syrup form and is made from a purified ingredient in cannabis called cannabidiol, or CBD. It is intended to treat severe seizures in children caused by rare forms of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes. Most patients with those diseases have uncontrolled daily seizures despite treatment, putting them at high risk for developmental disabilities, serious injury and premature death, the FDA staff said in background materials released this week. (McGinley, 4/19)
The Associated Press:
US Experts Back Marijuana-Based Drug For Childhood Seizures
FDA regulators are due to make their decision by late June. Approval would technically limit the drug, called Epidiolex, to patients with hard-to-treat forms of epilepsy. But doctors would have the option to prescribe it for other uses and it could spur new pharmaceutical research and interest into other cannabis-based products. More than two dozen states allow marijuana use for a variety of ailments, but the FDA has not approved it for any medical use. The FDA has approved synthetic versions of another cannabis ingredient for other medical purposes. (Perrone, 4/19)
Stat:
Panel Recommends FDA Approval Of Epilepsy Drug Derived From Marijuana
In sometimes emotional testimony, the parents of children with the conditions urged the panel and FDA to get the drug to the market. They described how they have to watch their children constantly, and the horror of their children’s seizures, which can be so violent they break bones. They explained the developmental setbacks their children faced and the problems with other medications and therapies they had tried. “She couldn’t go outside, she couldn’t do anything that other kids do,” said Stephen Carlin, who showed videos of his daughter, Zora, who has Dravet syndrome, having seizures. (Joseph, 4/19)
The New York Times:
Turning To Marijuana For A Runners’ High And More
The ultramarathoner Avery Collins, among the fastest in the world, , is not shy about appearing in photographs holding a bong. The first time he tried running after using marijuana, he said, he realized “it allowed me to be very present and not to worry as much about overall times and what’s going on with the run.” Mr. Collins, a 25-year-old from Colorado Springs, is one of a likely legion of athletes who use marijuana as part of their training — although he’s one of the few fast enough to get an endorsement deal from an edibles company. (Miller, 4/20)
Stat:
U.S. Spending On Prescription Drugs Rose Less Than 1 Percent Last Year
Amid national turmoil over rising drug costs, a new report finds that spending on prescription medicines in the U.S. last year grew a modest 0.6 percent, to $324 billion, after accounting for rebates and discounts that are paid by drug makers. And real net per-capita spending fell by 2.2 percent, when adjusted for those allowances, as well as for population and economic growth. The rebates and discounts mean that drug makers are realizing less revenue than the stated list prices for their medicines. The difference last year was $130 billion, up from $74 billion, according to data from the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, which is part of the IQVIA market research firm. List prices, meanwhile, rose a modest 1.4 percent. (Silverman, 4/19)
Stat:
For Novartis' CAR-T Therapy, Early Sales Are Weak But Hopes Are Still High
The first CAR-T treatment to win approval from the Food and Drug Administration racked up just $12 million in sales last quarter, a reminder that the therapy has a long way to go if it’s ever going to meet Wall Street’s blockbuster expectations. Analysts expect Novartis’ Kymriah, which costs $475,000 for a one-time dose, to bring in about $159 million this year, according to Evaluate Pharma, meaning the drug maker is going to need to pick up the commercial pace if it hopes to avoid disappointment. (Garde, 4/19)
Stat:
Doctors May Learn Bad Habits At Teaching Hospitals With Safety Violations
Teaching hospitals like Jackson South, located in metro Miami, are where physician trainees get practice treating patients. They prepare the next generation of doctors, and they have a reputation as places of cutting-edge patient care, given their ties to academic institutions. But at some of these hospitals, residents may be learning bad habits. A STAT analysis of federal inspection data finds that there’s a wide gap in the quality of training at teaching hospitals, as shown by how frequently these hospitals are cited for deficiencies by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. While the majority of the roughly 1,200 teaching hospitals received no citations each year from 2014 to 2017, others racked up dozens of safety violations in that time period — putting patients at risk, and compromising the training that students receive. (Blau, 4/20)
The Associated Press:
'60 Minutes' Report Details Progression Of Alzheimer's
Filmed over 10 years, a "60 Minutes" report this weekend shows in startling detail the progression that Alzheimer's disease takes on a patient. CBS medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook began interviewing Mike and Carol Daly of Staten Island, New York, in 2008, shortly after Carol learned of her diagnosis. She was mildly forgetful but functional, although upset at how it had affected her ability to cook, or enjoy books and movies. (4/19)
The Wall Street Journal:
Philip Morris Shares Suffer Biggest Daily Fall In A Decade On Declining Cigarette Volume
Shares of tobacco companies tumbled after Philip Morris International Inc. said cigarette shipments fell more than expected and sales for its cigarette alternative started to stall in a key market—raising wider alarm about the health of the entire tobacco industry.Shares in the New York-listed, Switzerland-based tobacco giant ended down 16%. That was its biggest one-day slide since becoming a public company in March 2008. The disappointing first-quarter results dragged down shares of other giants, like Altria Group Inc., British American Tobacco PLC and Imperial Brands PLC. (Chaudhuri, 4/19)
The New York Times:
When Is It Safe To Eat Salad Again?
For lovers of leafy greens, these are not salad days. A multistate outbreak of E. coli infections has been linked to bags of chopped romaine lettuce, and information from different sources about the risk has been confusing, making many of us scared to eat salad. This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the outbreak has grown to 53 cases in 16 states — that’s 18 more sick people since April 13. Fortunately nobody has died, but nearly 70 percent of those infected have been hospitalized with a nasty toxin-producing strain of E. coli, and several have developed kidney failure. (4/19)
The New York Times:
E. Coli Outbreak Tied To Romaine Lettuce Expands To 16 States
At least 53 people have been sickened by tainted, chopped romaine lettuce in an expanding E. coli outbreak that now spans 16 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday. The contaminated greens have been traced to Yuma, Ariz., but investigators recommended abundant caution because they have not yet identified a specific source. (Chokshi, 4/19)
The Washington Post:
E. Coli: Romaine Lettuce-Linked Outbreak Expands, CDC Says
The CDC said the exact source of the tainted lettuce hasn’t been identified, but that “information collected to date indicates that chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Arizona, growing region could be contaminated ... and could make people sick.” “Consumers anywhere in the United States who have store-bought chopped romaine lettuce at home, including salads and salad mixes containing chopped romaine lettuce, should not eat it and should throw it away, even if some of it was eaten and no one has gotten sick,” the CDC said. “If you do not know if the lettuce is romaine, do not eat it and throw it away.” (McMillan and Phillips, 4/19)
The Associated Press:
California Lawmakers Move To Limit Gay Conversion Therapy
Selling or advertising gay conversion therapy may soon be classified as a fraudulent business practice in California under a bill passed Thursday by the state Assembly. Conversion therapy, the practice of trying to change someone's sexual orientation, has been shown to be ineffective, said Assemblyman Evan Low, who wrote the bill that now heads to the state Senate. (Bollag, 4/19)
Los Angeles Times:
Gay 'Conversion Therapy' Services Would Be Banned Under Measure Advancing In California
“It is harmful and it is unnecessary,” Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), the bill’s author and one of the Legislature’s most vocal LGBTQ members, said of the practice. Low, who told Assembly members that he explored conversion therapy as a teenager and suffered depression over his sexual orientation, insisted that the bill would be limited to efforts that involve the exchange of money. “There’s nothing wrong with me,” he said in an emotional speech on the Assembly floor. “There’s nothing that needs to be changed.” (Myers, 4/19)
Los Angeles Times:
Gavin Newsom Gets Backing From Doctors Group, Despite Differences Over Single-Payer Healthcare
California’s doctors are siding with Gavin Newsom in the governor’s race, even though they don’t see eye-to-eye on a defining issue of the campaign: single-payer healthcare. The California Medical Assn., the state doctors lobby and a political heavyweight, announced its endorsement of the lieutenant governor on Thursday. “Gavin is a lifelong champion for health care in California, and we know he will continue to fight for pragmatic solutions to our most crucial health care challenges, including working to achieve universal access and tackling our state’s physician shortage,” CMA President Theodore M. Mazer said in a statement. (Mason, 4/19)
The Wall Street Journal:
New York City Launches Task Force On Mentally Ill After Shootings
Two weeks after New York Police Department officers fatally shot a mentally disturbed man they thought was armed with a gun, Mayor Bill de Blasio launched a task force aimed at improving city responses to emergencies involving the mentally ill. The task force, made up of city officials, as well as New Yorkers living with mental illness, will over the course of 180 days focus on ways to prevent crises with the mentally ill and increase collaboration between the NYPD and the city’s health agencies, municipal officials said on Thursday. (Kanno-Youngs, 4/19)