First Edition: Jan. 21, 2022
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KHN:
Patient, Beware: Some States Still Pushing Ineffective Covid Antibody Treatments
As the omicron variant completes its sweep across the U.S., states with scarce supplies of monoclonal antibody therapies continue to use two treatments that federal health officials warn no longer work against the highly contagious version of the virus that causes covid-19. The antibody treatment now most recommended is sotrovimab from GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology, and it’s in short supply. Use of the newly ineffective treatments produced by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Eli Lilly and Co. is highest in a dozen states. They include several Southern states with some of the nation’s lowest vaccination rates, but also California, which ranks in the nation’s top 20 for fully vaccinated residents, a KHN analysis of federal data shows. Many hospitals and clinics are still infusing the costly treatments — often charging hundreds of dollars a session — that public health officials now say are almost certainly useless. (Aleccia, 1/21)
KHN:
Fast-Tracked Ruling On Abortion Won’t Wait For ‘Hearts And Minds’ To Change
When he was running for president in 1999, George W. Bush, then governor of Texas, famously fended off the strong anti-abortion wing of his party by suggesting the country ought not consider banning abortion until public opinion shifted further in that direction. “Laws are changed as minds are persuaded,” he said. Bush was no moderate on the abortion issue. As president he signed several pieces of anti-abortion legislation, including the first federal ban on a specific abortion procedure, and used his authority to severely limit federally funded research on embryonic stem cells. (Rovner, 1/21)
KHN:
State Laws Aim To Regulate ‘Troubled Teen Industry,’ But Loopholes Remain
Five days after Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law meant to provide stronger oversight of the more than 100 residential youth treatment programs operating in the state, a 12-year-old boy arrived at one of them, Provo Canyon School. Before long, he was forced into seclusion, denied communication with his family and given antipsychotic medication without parental permission, according to relatives. Trish Leon, aunt of the 12-year-old, Logan, contacted various state agencies, the Utah governor’s office, elected officials and youth rights nonprofits — but soon discovered the law’s limits. Secluding a student from others is still allowed under the new rules, for example, but program operators must now report to regulators when they do so. Leon’s complaints about what happened to her nephew while he was at Provo Canyon School were dismissed as unsubstantiated or hit dead ends. (Evans, 1/21)
KHN:
Biden Administration’s Rapid-Test Rollout Doesn’t Easily Reach Those Who Need It Most
In the past week, the Biden administration launched two programs that aim to get rapid covid tests into the hands of every American. But the design of both efforts disadvantages people who already face the greatest barriers to testing. From the limit placed on test orders to the languages available on websites, the programs stand to leave out many people who don’t speak English or don’t have internet access, as well as those who live in multifamily households. All these barriers are more common for non-white Americans, who have also been hit hardest by covid. The White House told KHN it will address these problems but did not give specifics. (Recht and Knight, 1/20)
KHN:
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Roe V. Wade’s (Possibly Last) Anniversary
Jan. 22 is the 49th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark abortion ruling, Roe v. Wade, and could well be its last. The conservative supermajority on the court seems poised to allow states to severely restrict or even ban the procedure. Also this week, the Biden administration celebrates its anniversary. And while President Joe Biden has accomplished a lot in his first 365 days in office, such as expanding health insurance coverage and implementing a congressional ban on “surprise” medical bills, a big part of his health agenda remains mired in Congress. (1/20)
The New York Times:
Supreme Court Lets Texas Abortion Law Stay In Effect, For Now
The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a request from abortion providers in Texas that a federal judge be allowed to take prompt action on their challenge to a state law that bans most abortions after six weeks. The practical effect of the order, the three liberal justices wrote in dissent, was to let the law stay in place indefinitely. “This case is a disaster for the rule of law and a grave disservice to women in Texas, who have a right to control their own bodies,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent. (Liptak, 1/20)
The Wall Street Journal:
Supreme Court Permits Continued Enforcement Of Texas Six-Week Abortion Ban
“With today’s ruling, the lawsuit will continue in the appropriate venue, and the Texas Heartbeat Act will continue to save preborn lives,” Texas Right to Life, a leading antiabortion group in the state, wrote in a statement on its website. The Texas law, known as SB 8, bans nearly all abortions after about the sixth week of pregnancy, a restriction at odds with current Supreme Court precedent allowing women to obtain abortions prior to fetal viability, which occurs at about 24 weeks. (Bravin, 1/20)
AP:
Montana Seeks To Overturn Court Ruling On Abortion Access
Montana’s attorney general is asking the state Supreme Court to overturn a 1999 opinion that found the state constitution’s right to privacy guarantees a woman’s access to an abortion — the opinion Planned Parenthood is using to challenge three new abortion laws. Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s brief, filed Wednesday, also asks justices to vacate a preliminary injunction that prevented the new abortion laws from taking effect. (Hanson, 1/21)
Billings Gazette:
Attorney General Targets Landmark Montana Abortion Ruling In Court Filings
The Montana Supreme Court should overturn its 1999 landmark decision that found the state constitution’s right to privacy protects access to abortion, the Montana Department of Justice argues in new court filings. The justice department has appealed to the high court a Yellowstone County District Court judge’s preliminary injunction halting several new laws restricting abortion from taking effect. On Wednesday, Attorney General Austin Knudsen filed the department’s opening brief, which among its arguments calls for overturning the 1999 case Armstrong v. State and accuses Supreme Court justices at the time of “judicial activism.” (Kuglin, 1/20)
AP:
Nation's Largest Abortion Protest Could Be Last Under Roe
The largest anti-abortion rally in the U.S. returns Friday with thousands of expected protesters in Washington who feel within reach of their goal for the last 49 years: a sweeping rollback of abortion rights. “My hopes have been dashed many times, but I have never felt like this,” said Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life. (Weber and Pettus, 1/21)
Mississippi Clarion Ledger:
Teen Pregnancy: Mississippi Has Second-Highest Teen Birth Rate In U.S.
Now, as Mississippi awaits a United States Supreme Court ruling looking at a state law making abortion illegal after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a decision that has the potential to overturn Roe v. Wade, many say a robust discussion about the state of Mississippi’s sex education should be had. If abortion access is further restricted in Mississippi, experts say it will cause unwanted teen pregnancies to rise, leading to young women not finishing their education, continued poverty cycles and more tax dollars spent. Better sex education, they say, is one way to prevent the inevitable domino effect. (Haselhorst, 1/20)
Newsweek:
CIA Backtracks On Havana Syndrome After Director Issued Warning To Russian Spies
Advocates for some of the reported Havana Syndrome victims have condemned the agency's interim assessment. "The decision to release the report now and with this particular set of 'findings' seems a breach of faith, and an undermining of the intent of Congress and the president to stand with us and reach a government-wide consensus as to what is behind this," they said in a statement issued to Politico. "This report was neither cleared nor coordinated through the interagency and must stand as the assessment of one agency (CIA) alone." (Dutton, 1/20)
Politico:
Lawmakers Skewer Interim CIA Report On Havana Syndrome
Top senators are downplaying and criticizing a new interim CIA assessment on the mysterious illness known as Havana Syndrome, the latest salvo in a years-long battle for transparency between Capitol Hill and the intelligence agencies. The interim report, detailed to POLITICO on Wednesday by three intelligence officials, assesses that the health incidents aren’t the result of a sustained global campaign by a U.S. foe to harm hundreds of American diplomats posted overseas. But it did not rule out the possibility that a foreign actor or sophisticated weapon is behind the phenomenon in a smaller number of cases that remain unresolved. (Desiderio, 1/20)
The Washington Post:
Unvaccinated Seniors Nearly 50 Times More Likely To Be Hospitalized Than Boosted Peers
Unvaccinated adults aged 65 or older who contracted the coronavirus were 49 times more likely to require hospitalization than seniors who had received booster vaccine doses, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Unimmunized adults in that age group were also 17 times more likely to be admitted to hospital than those who had received either two shots of a mRNA vaccine or one Johnson & Johnson dose. Meanwhile, unvaccinated people between 50 and 64 years of age were 44 times more likely to need hospitalization compared with their boosted counterparts. (Jeong and Francis, 1/21)
NPR:
The Nursing Home Staffing Crisis Right Now Is Like Nothing We've Seen Before
The omicron wave is hitting nursing homes hard, with infections among residents and staff reaching record highs in recent weeks. There were more than 40,000 residents who tested positive last week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost a 10-fold rise since November. Cases for staff hit a record high of more than 67,000 cases the first week of January, but started to decline last week. "What we've learned with the pandemic is that when there are large [numbers] of COVID cases in the general population, COVID finds its way into skilled nursing facilities," says Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of the industry group American Health Care Association. (Chatterjee, 1/20)
AP:
Michigan Nursing Homes Ordered To Offer On-Site Booster Shot
Michigan’s health director on Thursday ordered nursing homes to offer on-site booster shots to residents who are not up to date on the COVID-19 vaccine in a state that lags others in vaccinating people in long-term care facilities. The facilities must comply within 30 days. Nearly 75% of eligible nursing home residents have received a booster dose. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in December set a goal of getting 95% of eligible nursing home residents a booster by the end of January. (Eggert, 1/20)
Cincinnati Enquirer:
COVID Omicron Variant: Ohio National Guard Arrives At Christ Hospital
Twenty Ohio National Guard members have arrived at Christ Hospital Health Network to assist health workers in day-to-day operations amid the region's COVID-19 surge. The guard members arrived in the area this week as it continues to battle rising caseloads of COVID-19, record-setting hospitalizations, and a peak still yet to come. The omicron surge has put growing stress on the region's 40 hospitals, with 4 of every 10 patients now suffering from the novel coronavirus. (Sutherland, 1/20)
The Boston Globe:
COVID-19 Cases Have Peaked In Massachusetts
The latest wave of COVID-19 in Massachusetts has crested, with the number of new cases dropping precipitously since last week, prompting even the most wary prognosticators to see a flicker at the end of the tunnel. The data indicate the state is headed toward a respite, and the United States as a whole also will see cases decline, said Dr. Jacob Lemieux, an infectious disease specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital. But he cautioned that “every expectation with this virus comes with a caveat because it’s always making us look silly.” Data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health show the seven-day average of new cases is now 30 percent lower than the Jan. 11 peak. But even as the fast-spreading Omicron variant beats a fast retreat, experts are watching an Omicron sibling, dubbed BA.2, that is making inroads in parts of Europe and Israel. (Freyer, Lazar and Finucane, 1/20)
Fox News:
COVID-19: Nearly Half Of Virus Hospitalizations In Massachusetts Are For Other Issues
Massachusetts’ Department of Public Health on Thursday—for the first time—made a distinction between COVID-19 patients hospitalized with "primary" and "incidental" cases. Boston 25, citing the newly released data, reported that 49% of the state’s 3,187 patients-- hospitalized on Jan. 18--were there because of another matter and diagnosed with the virus once at the hospital. Medical officials in the state made clear that they have no intention of diminishing the "incidental" cases-- pointing out that they will still require special care--but they hope the numbers will better reflect the virus' impact on the community. (DeMarche, 1/21)
Fox News:
Omicron Slowing In These States, Officials Say
As the omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to spread, officials in several states across the country have reported the surge is showing signs of slowing. In New York, COVID-19 infection data released Wednesday showed the seven-day average of new hospital admissions down 18.4% from the previous week. The seven-day average of new cases is down 43.6% from the prior seven days and the seven-day average of cases per 100,000 people is "declining in all regions." (Musto, 1/20)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Georgia Hospitals Plead For Public To Help Lower COVID-19 Spread
Top doctors at six of metro Atlanta’s largest hospital groups made extraordinary pleas on Thursday for Georgians to get vaccinated and take steps to reduce coronavirus infections to ensure emergency rooms and hospitals can care for people most in need. In an hourlong briefing, the hospital leaders spoke of overflowing emergency rooms, dying patients, and devastated ICU nurses spread too thin. They said they are grappling with a combination of factors, including a high volume of patients, staff shortages and difficulty getting COVID-19 therapeutics. It’s all resulting in them having to ration care for only the sickest of patients. (Trubey and Hart, 1/20)
Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Southern Nevada Public Agencies Hit Hard By Omicron Surge
Southern Nevada’s public agencies have not been immune to the latest variant-fueled surge of COVID-19 cases ripping through the region as employees call out sick in levels some say have been unprecedented. “It hit us just like it hit everybody else — pretty solid,” Clark County Fire Chief John Steinbeck said. The department recently recorded more workers out sick than at any other point in the pandemic. Earlier this month, the Metropolitan Police Department saw more employees test positive for COVID-19 than in any other single week since the public health crisis began. (Johnson and Apgar, 1/20)
Modern Healthcare:
HHS Awards Grants To Tackle Health Worker Burnout, Well-Being
The Health and Human Services Department has chosen the grantees for $103 million to address healthcare worker burnout and improve employees' mental health and well-being, the department announced Thursday. The money, made available through the American Rescue Plan Act and distributed by the Health Resources and Services Administration, will be split among 45 grantees. The grants place a specific focus on programs in underserved and rural communities, according to a HRSA news release. The dollars will fund projects including hiring resiliency trainers to support healthcare staff, establishing health system-wide wellness programs and devising initiatives to overcome the stigma associated with healthcare workers seeking mental health treatment. (Goldman, 1/20)
CBS News:
A Record 9 Million Americans Are Out Sick As COVID Rates Surge
As the Omicron variant rips across the U.S., in early January almost 9 million Americans said they were not working because they had COVID-19 or were caring for someone with the virus — triple the number from a month ago. The surge in sick workers is impacting industries ranging from hospitals to airlines, adding to the nation's labor crunch. (Picchi, 1/20)
Los Angeles Times:
California Kids 12 And Up Could Get COVID Vaccine Without Parent OK
Ani Chaglasian spent much of last year trying to convince her parents that she should be vaccinated against COVID-19. The 17-year-old said she laid out research showing it would safety protect her from being infected or passing the virus to others. She pleaded. She reasoned. She created a slideshow presentation. But, the teen said, her parents remained hesitant and she remained unvaccinated. Under a bill introduced Thursday by a California lawmaker, Chaglasian and other children in the state would be allowed to make their own vaccination decisions. Senate Bill 866 by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) would permit children 12 and older to be vaccinated, including against COVID-19, without their parents’ consent or knowledge. (Gutierrez, 1/20)
Politico:
‘Please, Daddy, No More Zoom School.’: California Leaders Reject Distance Learning
The Omicron surge is depleting California teachers and keeping students home in unprecedented numbers, but political leaders aren't yet willing to broach the most obvious alternative: distance learning. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders who allowed school shutdowns early in the pandemic are holding firm on keeping classrooms open. They've had support from the California Teachers Association despite some educators on the ground saying that working conditions are untenable due to staff shortages. And school districts are going to extreme lengths to keep students in classrooms, pulling retired teachers off the sidelines and recruiting office staff — at times even superintendents — to teach lessons. (Nieves, 1/20)
NPR:
Parents And Caregivers Of Unvaccinated Kids Say They've Hit Rock Bottom
The people who take care of and educate children under 5 years old — both parents and providers — are in a special kind of hell right now. These children are too young to be vaccinated, and it's difficult for them to wear masks consistently. Many child care directors, like Berg, are still following 10- or 14-day quarantines, closing entire classrooms after a single positive test, which has caused nonstop disruptions given the current record numbers of COVID-19 cases. ... Meanwhile, caregivers told NPR that they can't get hold of enough rapid tests and that they're struggling to apply the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's safety guidance. Child care directors say they have few substitutes to cover for those out sick, and early childhood educators typically don't have union protection. Providers say they are spending out of pocket on equipment such as masks and gloves. (Kamenetz, 1/20)
AP:
Oregon Residents Decry Proposed 'Permanent' Mask Mandate
Hundreds of Oregon residents claimed government overreach on Thursday, as officials at the state’s health authority consider indefinitely extending the current indoor mask requirement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Oregon Health Authority held a public hearing about the proposed “permanent” mask rule for public indoor spaces, regardless of people’s vaccination status. Although the word “permanent” is used, officials say the rule can be rescinded when it is deemed “no longer necessary” by health authority officials. (Cline, 1/21)
AP:
San Francisco Subpoenas Unauthorized COVID Testing Operator
San Francisco’s city attorney has issued subpoenas seeking records from an unauthorized COVID-19 test operator and laboratory suspected of trying to scam people out of money or personal information. City Attorney David Chiu announced the legal action Thursday after the companies missed a Monday deadline to provide valid licenses. (1/20)
CBS News:
Scammers Are Selling Bogus Home COVID-19 Tests. Here's How To Avoid Fakes
With home COVID-19 tests at the top of Americans' shopping lists as the Omicron variant continues to spread, scammers are trying to cash by taking advantage of unsuspecting consumers. ... The scams can take different forms. Some fraudsters pretending to be genuine merchants are hawking unauthorized rapid tests, while others have no merchandise on hand and just want to take your money and run. (Cerullo, 1/20)
The Washington Post:
Can I Use An At-Home Test On A Baby?
With omicron exploding throughout the United States, many of the questions that have bedeviled caregivers for the length of the pandemic are taking on a new urgency. If we want our children to stay healthy, and not infect other friends, families and strangers, what should we be doing right now? What shouldn’t we be doing? Because omicron appears to cause less severe illness, does it even matter if a healthy kid catches covid? (Rogers and Joyce, 1/20)
The Washington Post:
Youngkin Covid Action Plan Rejects Vaccine Mandates
Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday doubled down on his opposition to vaccine mandates even as he encouraged Virginians to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. In his covid-19 action plan, Youngkin (R) expanded a limited state of emergency and other measures put in place by his physician predecessor, Democrat Ralph Northam, but rejected actions that public policy experts say curb the spread of the virus. (Portnoy, Schneider and Vozzella, 1/20)
San Francisco Chronicle:
UCSF Scientists Detect Anomalies In People With Post-COVID ‘Brain Fog’
Scientists studying the persistent “brain fog” that plagues many people after a bout with COVID-19 are reporting, for the first time, abnormalities in the clear liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord of several patients. The discovery of elevated protein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid suggests the presence of inflammation, while unexpected antibodies may reveal an abnormally activated immune system, according to small study led by UCSF and published Tuesday in the journal Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology. (Asimov, 1/20)
USA Today:
COVID Vaccine Won't Prevent Pregnancy But Infection Might
Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 won't affect a couple's chances of getting pregnant, but contracting the coronavirus could impair male fertility. Those are the main conclusions of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, refuting a common myth about the vaccine and sending a warning to men who avoid it. Researchers at Boston University studied more than 2,000 couples and found no differences in their chances of conception if either partner was vaccinated compared to unvaccinated couples. But the couples' chances of conceiving decreased slightly if the male partner had contracted the virus 60 days or less before the other partner's menstrual cycle, an indication of diminished male fertility. (Ortiz, Bacon and Stanton, 1/20)
Houston Chronicle:
Former Houston Methodist Doctor Accused Of Spreading COVID Misinformation Seeks Financial Records
A River Oaks doctor whom Houston Methodist Hospital suspended in November for spreading COVID-19 misinformation is turning to the legal system to obtain financial records from the medical institution, according to court records. Dr. Mary Talley Bowden, who resigned her privileges to admit patients after the temporary suspension, announced Monday that she would seek legal action against the hospital. A petition — similar to a records request — was later filed on her behalf to obtain documents related to any revenue the hospital has made in connection to its COVID-19 vaccination program and treatment of patients with coronavirus complications. (Hensley, 1/20)
ABC News:
Peanut Allergy Treatment Effective On Toddlers, Study Finds
A peanut allergy treatment often used on children 4 years old and up in the U.S. appears to be safe for toddlers too, a new study has found. Around 2% of children in the country suffer from the allergy, some to a debilitating degree, which is why the discovery is "extremely exciting," said Dr. David Stukus, professor of clinical pediatrics and director of the Food Allergy Treatment Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital. (Ford, 1/20)
AP:
Early Treatment Could Tame Peanut Allergies In Small Kids
Young children might be able to overcome their peanut allergies if treated at an early enough age, according to a study published Thursday. The researchers gave increasing amounts of peanut protein powder to a group of toddlers to build up their tolerance for peanuts. After 2 1/2 years, close to three-quarters could tolerate the equivalent of 16 peanuts without an allergic reaction. Six months after treatment stopped, one-fifth still had the same tolerance. (Choi, 1/20)
Philadelphia Inquirer:
Eating Too Much Sugar Can Harm Kids’ Brain Development, New Research Shows
Parents often stress about their kids’ sugar intake, but it can be hard to know how much is too much — or what to do about it. Glucose — a simple sugar that forms the basis of most carbohydrate-rich food — is the primary source of energy for the brain. Healthy brains require a continuous source of energy and nutrients to fuel growth, learning and development. However, that doesn’t mean extra consumption of sugar is good for the developing brain. In fact, too much sugar can actually be detrimental to the normal growth of the brain. (Begdache, 1/21)
AP:
US Researchers Test Pig-To-Human Transplant In Donated Body
Researchers on Thursday reported the latest in a surprising string of experiments in the quest to save human lives with organs from genetically modified pigs. This time around, surgeons in Alabama transplanted a pig’s kidneys into a brain-dead man — a step-by-step rehearsal for an operation they hope to try in living patients possibly later this year. (Neergaard, 1/20)
Stat:
After A Flurry Of Firsts, Xenotransplantation Is Back In The Spotlight
In his more than 30 years as a surgeon, Robert Montgomery has transplanted hundreds of kidneys. But at four in the morning September 25, the director of NYU Langone’s Transplant Institute performed one unlike any he’d ever done before. The kidney — six inches long, bean-shaped, and pale pink — was excised overnight from a genetically engineered pig, and flown into New York by private plane and helicopter from hundreds of miles away. The “patient,” lying face-up on the operating table, had died the day before. Machines now kept her body in a state of suspended animation, long enough to undergo the two-hour procedure to attach the organ to blood vessels in the woman’s leg, and to study what happened after. It was the first of a flurry of firsts over the last few months that have suddenly drawn attention to the niche field of xenotransplantation and its potential to solve the shortage of donated human organs. (Molteni, 1/20)
Stat:
Study Casts Doubt On How Combination Cancer Therapies Work In Tandem
Some drugs are thought to be more powerful together: aspirin and coffee, cannabis and alcohol, and the antibiotics ampicillin and gentamicin, to name a few. In the case of cancer drugs, scientists have long thought discovering synergistic drugs, where one agent paves the way for another to target a tumor more aggressively, is the epitome of combination therapy. But a growing line of research is beginning to shatter the idea that “synergy” should be a high priority in cancer treatment. The latest study, published Thursday in Clinical Cancer Research, examined 13 combinations with cancer immunotherapy drugs and found that the benefits of all the pairings seem to come from each drug independently, not how they work together. The finding points to a concession in cancer research: For all the advances made in cancer biology and combination therapy, scientists are still largely in the dark about tumors and the drugs that target them. (Chen, 1/20)
Modern Healthcare:
Florida Providers, Insurers Won't Use Federal Surprise Billing Resolution Process
Healthcare providers and insurers in Florida will use the state's own dispute resolution process for out-of-network bills instead of the controversial methodology in the federal No Surprises Act. About 30 states, including Florida, already had their own laws governing balance billing when the new federal balance billing ban was passed. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is now determining whether those state laws can supersede the No Surprises Act when it comes to issues like payment dispute resolution. This week, the agency disclosed its finding that Florida's methodology will determine payment resolution in most situations. That's on top of about a dozen other states found to have so-called "specified state laws," meaning their own laws will supersede at least some aspects of the federal balance billing law. (Bannow, 1/20)
New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Tulane Medical School Discrimination Lawsuit Settled A Year After Public Battle
A high-profile court dispute between Tulane University's School of Medicine and a former director of its residency program over allegations of racial discrimination was quietly settled last month. The lawsuit, filed by Dr. Princess Dennar in federal court in New Orleans, alleged discrimination going back a decade, unfair rotations for doctors in training in Dennar's program and unsafe conditions for patients. But court records show it was dismissed Dec. 30. Neither party commented on the specifics of the suit or the terms of the settlement, with Tulane spokesperson Michael Strecker confirming only that the lawsuit and its claims "have been resolved." (Woodruff, 1/21)
AP:
Judge To Dismiss 11 Murder Counts Against Ohio Doctor
A judge agreed Thursday to dismiss 11 of 25 murder counts against an Ohio doctor charged in multiple hospital patient deaths, after prosecutors requested the charges be dropped. William Husel is accused of ordering excessive painkillers for patients in the Columbus-area Mount Carmel Health System. He was indicted in cases involving at least 500 micrograms of the powerful painkiller fentanyl, and remains scheduled for trial beginning Feb. 14. (1/20)
USA Today:
Pacifier Recall 2022: Mushie & Co Pacifiers Recalled For Choking Risk
Nearly 334,000 baby pacifiers are being recalled because they could pose a choking risk. According to the recall notice posted on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website, Mushie & Co is recalling its "FRIGG silicone pacifiers" because the "base of the silicone nipple has a fine slit that can cause the nipple to detach from the plastic shield, posing a choking hazard." Two designs of the pacifiers are included in the recall – classic and daisy – and both came in two sizes 0-6 months and 6-18 months. They were sold in more than 40 colors at TJ Maxx, SpearmintLOVE, Lil' Tulips, Olivia & Jade Company stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and Mushie.com. (Tyko, 1/20)
Stat:
Study Shows ‘Saliva Sharing’ Shapes Babies’ View Of Close Relationships
Raising a young child can be a bit … messy. There’s the drool to be wiped, the slobbery feeding and sharing of utensils — and plenty of kisses. But it turns out that all that exposure to family members’ spit — what, in academic parlance, is known as “saliva sharing” — plays a crucial role in how we make sense of the world around us, a new study shows. It helps shape our discernment of social relationships, starting from our first months of life. (Joseph, 1/20)
Bloomberg:
A Quarter Of U.S. Adults Are Too Sedentary, CDC Map Shows
Two years into a pandemic that has normalized work-from-home and moved many social gatherings online, new data from the Centers for Disease Control show that many Americans were couch potatoes long before Covid-19. A quarter of U.S. adults aren’t active enough to protect their health, according to a CDC study conducted from 2017-2020. The agency released a map on Thursday showing that Puerto Rico and states in the South had the highest prevalence of inactivity, followed by the Midwest, Northeast and West. Colorado, Utah, Washington and Vermont were the most-active states. (Muller, 1/20)
AP:
Maine Considers Bill To Allow Recreational Weed Delivery
Maine is considering a bill that would allow recreational marijuana stores to deliver to residents across the state even if a town prohibits recreational marijuana stores. During a hearing Wednesday, a legislative committee heard from the bill’s supporters and sponsor, Democratic Rep. Joe Perry, The Portland Press Herald reported. (1/20)
AP:
Conservative Nebraska Sen. Groene Sponsors Medical Pot Bill
A conservative lawmaker from rural, western Nebraska took a leading role Thursday in the push to allow medical marijuana in the state. Sen. Mike Groene, of North Platte, introduced a legalization bill that would impose tight controls on the drug. (1/20)
The Washington Post:
Former Lawmaker Dies Using Medical Suicide Law He Helped Pass Nearly A Decade Ago
A former Vermont lawmaker died last week using a medical aid-in-dying law that he helped pass nearly nine years earlier, before his terminal diagnosis. Willem Jewett (D), who served two years as House majority leader from 2013 to 2014, died Jan. 12 at his home in Ripton, Vt. He was 58. Jewett’s palliative-care doctor confirmed to the Vermont-based digital news outlet VTDigger that he died using a prescription obtained through Act 39, also known as Vermont’s Patient Choice and Control at End of Life Act. Jewett was diagnosed last year with mucosal melanoma, a rare but aggressive form of cancer, according to his obituary. (Bellware, 1/20)
Reuters:
Sputnik V Shows Higher Omicron-Antibody Levels Than Pfizer In Preliminary Study
Researchers said samples taken three to six months after the second dose of a vaccine have shown that the levels of antibodies in recipients of two doses of Sputnik V were more resistant to Omicron than in those vaccinated with Pfizer. ... The study, that will seek certification by peer review, showed that Omicron-specific neutralizing antibodies were detected in the blood serum of 74.2% of the people vaccinated with Sputnik and in 56.9% of those vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNtech. (1/20)
AP:
100%: Chief Medical Officer Says All US Olympians Vaccinated
The U.S. Olympic team’s top doctor says all of the 200-plus athletes heading to Beijing for the Winter Games next month are fully vaccinated, and not a single one asked for a medical exemption. Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Finnoff told The Associated Press the 21-day quarantine period the IOC is requiring for unvaccinated participants, combined with the education the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee provided, “really resonated with the athletes.” (Pells, 1/21)
AP:
China Mandates 3-Day Olympic Torch Relay Amid Virus Concerns
China is limiting the torch relay for the Winter Olympic Games to just three days amid coronavirus worries, organizers said Friday. The flame will be displayed only in enclosed venues that are deemed “safe and controllable,” according to officials speaking at a news conference. (1/21)
Fox News:
Austrian Parliament Votes To Make Vaccines Mandatory For All Adults
The lower chamber of the Austrian Parliament approved a measure Thursday to make vaccines mandatory for all adults in the country, enforceable by fines of up to 3,600 euros, or approximately $4,000. The MPs voted 137 to 33 to approve the mandate after seven hours of debate. Austrian residents aged 18 and over are required to be vaccine under the bill, with exceptions carved out for pregnant women, people with medical exemptions, and those who have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months, according to The Associated Press. About 72% of the 8.9 million people in Austria were considered fully vaccinated as of Thursday. (Brown, 1/20)
Politico:
France To Lift COVID-19 Restrictions In February
French Prime Minister Jean Castex announced Thursday that the government will lift most of its COVID-19 restrictions in February, although the need for a vaccine pass and indoor mask-wearing will remain. (Bermingham, 1/20)
Bloomberg:
Studies Warn New Covid Variant In South Africa After Lions Infected By Staff
Lions and pumas at a private zoo in South Africa got severe Covid-19 from asymptomatic zoo handlers, raising concerns that new variants could emerge from animal reservoirs of the disease, studies carried out by a local university showed. A 2020 study of feces from two pumas that had had diarrhea, nasal discharge and anorexia showed the animals had Covid-19 and made a full recovery after 23 days, the University of Pretoria said in a statement on Tuesday. A year later, in the midst of South Africa’s delta-variant-driven third wave, three lions, one of which had pneumonia, tested positive for the coronavirus. (Sguazzin, 1/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
Medical Glassmaker Schott To Increase Spending Amid Boost From Covid-19 Vaccines
Schott AG’s finance chief plans to increase spending this year as the specialty glass and materials manufacturer sees growing demand for its products, including syringes and vials for Covid-19 vaccines. The Mainz, Germany-based company intends to invest €450 million, equivalent to about $510 million, this fiscal year. That is up from the €340 million it spent during the year ended Sept. 30. (Trentmann, 1/20)