First Edition: May 16, 2019
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
How To Find And Use New Federal Ratings For Rehab Services At Nursing Homes
For the first time, the federal government is shining a spotlight on the quality of rehabilitation care at nursing homes — services used by nearly 2 million older adults each year. Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare website now includes a “star rating” (a composite measure of quality) for rehab services — skilled nursing care and physical, occupational or speech therapy for people recovering from a hospitalization. The site also breaks out 13 measures of the quality of rehab care, offering a more robust view of facilities’ performance. (Graham, 5/16)
Kaiser Health News:
Trump’s Talk On Preexisting Conditions Doesn’t Match His Administration’s Actions
Delivering remarks on surprise medical billing, which is a concern that has drawn bipartisan interest, President Donald Trump waded into another high-profile health issue: making sure insurance protects people who have preexisting health conditions. “We will always protect patients with preexisting conditions, very importantly,” Trump said on May 9.It’s natural Trump would want to make this claim. (Luthra, 5/16)
Kaiser Health News:
Listen: Abortion Laws Could Have Unexpected Consequences
Julie Rovner, Kaiser Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, talks with Robin Young on “Here and Now” about the possible ramifications of strict abortion limits passed by Alabama’s legislature or other laws recently enacted in certain conservative states. The Alabama bill would outlaw all abortions except those to save a woman’s life and would establish long prison terms for doctors who violate it. (5/15)
Reuters:
Alabama Governor Signs Strictest U.S. Abortion Ban Into Law
Governor Kay Ivey, a Republican, signed the measure a day after the Republican-controlled state Senate approved the ban and rejected a Democratic-backed amendment to allow abortions for women and girls impregnated by rape or incest. "To the bill’s many supporters, this legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God," Ivey said in a statement. (Gorman and Trotta, 5/15)
The New York Times:
Alabama Governor Signs Abortion Bill. Here’s What Comes Next
The bill that the Republican-controlled Legislature overwhelmingly passed sought to prohibit abortions at every stage of pregnancy. It includes an exception for cases where a woman’s health is at “serious” risk, but lawmakers rejected a proposal to add exceptions for cases of rape or incest. Women who have abortions will not be prosecuted under the measure, but, if the courts allow the law to stand, doctors could be charged with a felony and face up to 99 years in prison for performing the procedure. (Blinder, 5/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
Alabama Governor Signs Abortion Ban Into Law
Ms. Ivey, a Republican, conceded in signing the law Wednesday that “we can all recognize that, at least for the short term, this bill may…be unenforceable.” But, she added, “the sponsors of this bill believe that it is time, once again, for the U.S. Supreme Court to revisit this important matter.” (Campo-Flores, 5/15)
Politico:
Alabama Governor Signs Bill Banning Nearly All Abortions
The state Senate debated the legislation for several hours Tuesday evening, though the outcome was never really in doubt. Democrats tried to force votes on amendments such as one that would force the chamber's Republicans to bear the cost of expected litigation and another on adding exceptions for rape and incest. All of the efforts failed. (Goldberg, 5/15)
NPR:
Alabama Governor Signs Abortion Ban Into Law
Sponsors insist they wanted to limit exceptions because the bill is designed to push the idea that a fetus is a person with rights, in a direct challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision that established a woman's right to abortion. (Elliott and Wamsley, 5/14)
The Washington Post:
Governor Signs Alabama Abortion Ban, Which Has Galvanized Support On Both Sides, Setting Up A Lengthy Fight
As a crop duster with a banner saying “Abortion is okay” hummed above the capitol, circling back and forth around the governor’s mansion, a group of women below let out a cheer. “Just another day in Alabama,” said Mia Raven, director of People Organizing for Women’s Empowerment and Rights (POWER) House. “We knew this would pass and we got ready.” Amanda Reyes, who works with an abortion fund, was wearing an “I’m on the pill” T-shirt, complete with instructions printed on the back detailing how to get a medical abortion. She also looked skyward: “Here it comes again! That’s just the coolest thing.” (Wax-Thibodeaux and Brownlee, 5/15)
The New York Times:
Alabama Aims Squarely At Roe, But The Supreme Court May Prefer Glancing Blows
Abortion rights are at risk at the Supreme Court, but the short-term threat may not come from extreme measures like the one passed by Alabama lawmakers. The court led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. is more likely to chip away at the constitutional right to abortion established in 1973 in Roe v. Wade than to overturn it outright. It will have plenty of opportunities to do so. As soon as Monday, the court could announce whether it will hear challenges to three provisions of Indiana abortion laws on issues like the disposal of fetal remains and an 18-hour waiting period after state-mandated ultrasound examinations. (Liptak, 5/15)
Reuters:
Roe V. Wade At Risk: Key Facts On Legal Challenges To U.S. Abortion Rights
Before reaching the Supreme Court, the Alabama law would need to be challenged in federal district court. The judge's decision would be appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The 11th Circuit is currently split 6-6 between Republican- and Democratic-appointed judges. Trump has made three recent appointments to that court. Both those courts are bound to follow existing Supreme Court precedent. Only after those two rulings, which could take more than a year, would an appeal reach the high court. (5/15)
Reuters:
U.S. Anti-Abortion Groups Plot Course From State Capitals To Supreme Court
Anti-abortion advocacy groups have pushed hard in recent months for the passage of bills to restrict or even ban the procedure outright at the state level, inspired by the perception that the U.S. Supreme Court has tilted in their favor. (Trotta, 5/15)
Los Angeles Times:
Supreme Court Is Not Eager To Overturn Roe Vs. Wade — At Least Not Soon
The Supreme Court justices will meet behind closed doors Thursday morning and are expected to debate and discuss — for the 14th time — Indiana’s appeal of court rulings that have blocked a law to prohibit certain abortions. The high court’s action — or so far, nonaction — in Indiana’s case gives one clue as to how the court’s conservative majority will decide the fate of abortion bans recently passed by lawmakers in Alabama and Georgia. Republican Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama signed her state's ban into law on Wednesday. (Savage, 5/15)
The New York Times:
In Abortion Fight, 2020 Female Candidates Lead Call To Arms
For Senator Elizabeth Warren, the moment brought up memories of “back alley butchers” and “desperate women.” Senator Kamala Harris compared it to “a scene from ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’” And Senator Kirsten Gillibrand warned about a “war on women,” calling for Americans to “fight like hell.” Female presidential candidates have charged into the battle over the new Alabama law that would, barring legal challenges, effectively outlaw abortions in the state, condemning it just minutes after the State Senate’s passage and continuing to sound the alarm as Gov. Kay Ivey signed it on Wednesday. (Lerer and Glueck, 5/15)
The Associated Press:
Alabama Law Moves Abortion To The Center Of 2020 Campaign
The furor over abortion quickly took over on the Democratic campaign trail. Rallying supporters in New Hampshire, Sen. Kamala Harris said she would back a legal challenge to Alabama and Georgia's restrictive abortion laws. She also vowed to make a commitment to upholding the Roe decision a "significant factor" in any Supreme Court nominees she might choose as president, though she declined to go as far as presidential rival Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who has promised to only nominate judges ready to preserve the 1973 ruling that established a woman's constitutional right to an abortion. (Schor, Miller and Weissert, 5/15)
The Hill:
2020 Dems Condemn Alabama Abortion Bill: 'This Is A War On Women'
Democratic presidential hopefuls decried the Alabama Senate’s passage on Tuesday of a measure that would outlaw almost all abortions in the state, accusing Republicans of carrying out a brazen attack on women’s rights in a bid to overturn decades of legal precedent. The legislation, which would outlaw abortions at every stage of pregnancy with few exceptions, is the latest flashpoint in the national debate over abortion rights and the fate of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court case that recognized a woman’s right to the procedure. (Greenwood, 5/15)
Politico:
2020 Dems Scramble To Denounce Alabama Abortion Bill
Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who announced last week that she would only appoint judges who would uphold Roe, called the legislation an “outrage” in an interview on MSNBC Wednesday. “It's nothing short of an attack on women's basic human rights and civil rights, and it's something women in America will have to fight against with everything they've got,” she said, promoting her planned trip to Georgia to hold round-table meetings on its bill. (Oprysko, 5/15)
The Washington Post:
Abortion Ban Reaction: Democrats Erupt, Republicans Stay Quiet As Both Sides See An Impact In The 2020 Election
Republicans leaders, by contrast, spent much of the day avoiding questions about the Alabama law, wary of being dragged into a debate over whether to refuse rape and incest victims the option of abortion following forced pregnancies. Trump left the topic of the Alabama law unaddressed on Twitter, the White House offered no comment about the measure, and several Republican senators such as Martha McSally (Ariz.) and Thom Tillis (N.C.), who are facing tough reelection fights, avoided the issue as best they could. (Scherer and Sonmez, 5/15)
The New York Times:
‘The Time Is Now’: States Are Rushing To Restrict Abortion, Or To Protect It
In April, Indiana placed a near-total ban on the most common type of second-trimester abortion in the state. Days later, Ohio passed a bill banning abortion in the very early weeks of pregnancy after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Now on Wednesday, Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama signed a bill effectively banning the procedure altogether. States across the country are passing some of the most restrictive abortion legislation in decades, deepening the growing divide between liberal and conservative states and setting up momentous court battles that could profoundly reshape abortion access in America. (Tavernise, 5/15)
Reuters:
U.S. Anti-Abortion Groups Plot Course From State Capitals To Supreme Court
Anti-abortion advocacy groups have pushed hard in recent months for the passage of bills to restrict or even ban the procedure outright at the state level, inspired by the perception that the U.S. Supreme Court has tilted in their favor. Anti-abortion campaigners have been seeking to overturn a woman's constitutional right to an abortion ever since the U.S. Supreme Court found they had that right in the 1973 decision Roe v. Wade. (5/15)
The New York Times:
7 States Have Passed Bills This Year To Narrow The Window For Abortion
Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio stopped short of outright bans, instead passing so-called heartbeat bills that effectively prohibit abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, when doctors can usually start detecting a fetal heartbeat. Utah and Arkansas voted to limit the procedure to the middle of the second trimester. Most other states follow the standard set by the Supreme Court’s Roe decision in 1973, which says abortion is legal until the fetus reaches viability, usually at 24 to 28 weeks. The latest bans are not yet in effect (Kentucky’s was blocked by a judge), and all are expected to face lengthy court battles — indeed, their proponents are hoping they will reach the Supreme Court. (Lai, 5/15)
The Associated Press:
Wisconsin Assembly Approves 'Born Alive' Anti-Abortion Bill
The Wisconsin Assembly passed a so-called born alive anti-abortion bill Wednesday that President Donald Trump has touted, a move that comes as conservatives across the country push to end the constitutional right to abortion. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has promised to veto the measure, which was one of four anti-abortion bills up for passage in the Republican-controlled Assembly. (Bauer, 5/15)
The Associated Press:
Louisiana 'Heartbeat' Abortion Ban Nearing Final Passage
A proposal to ban abortions in Louisiana as early as the sixth week of pregnancy continued to speed through the state legislature Wednesday, the same day Alabama's governor signed the nation's most restrictive law against the procedure. Without objection, the Louisiana House Health and Welfare Committee backed legislation to prohibit abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, similar to laws passed in several conservative states that are aimed at challenging the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 decision that legalized abortion. (DeSlatte, 5/15)
Reuters:
ACLU, Planned Parenthood File Lawsuit Challenging Ohio Anti-Abortion Law
The American Civil Liberties Union, its Ohio branch and Planned Parenthood on Wednesday filed a lawsuit challenging an Ohio law that they say could ban abortion as early as six weeks into a woman's pregnancy. The law, which was passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature in April, bans abortions if doctors can detect a heartbeat, which can occur as early as six weeks into pregnancy. (6/16)
The Washington Post:
Missouri Senate Passes Bill To Ban Abortions At 8 Weeks
Missouri’s Republican-led Senate passed a bill to ban abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy. Senators approved the legislation 24-10 early Thursday with just hours left before lawmakers’ Friday deadline to pass bills. It needs at least another vote of approval in the GOP-led House before it can go to Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who supports it. Parson on Wednesday had called on state senators to take action on the bill, the latest GOP-dominated state emboldened by the possibility that a more conservative Supreme Court could overturn its landmark ruling legalizing the procedure. (Ballentine, 5/16)
The Associated Press:
Utah Prosecutor Says He Won't Enforce Strict Abortion Law
As Utah defends its strict new abortion ban against a court challenge, the chief prosecutor overseeing the county with the state's only two clinics has said he won't enforce the measure. Democratic Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill's decision marks the latest example of an official resisting such laws passed by states around the country. (Whitehurst, 5/15)
The Associated Press:
Hollywood's Big Players Stay Quiet On Georgia Abortion Law
Georgia and Hollywood are worlds away from one another, physically and culturally, but irresistible tax incentives have turned the state into a filming powerhouse dubbed "Hollywood of the South." Productions as big as Marvel Studios' superhero blockbusters and shows like "Stranger Things" and "The Walking Dead" call the state home base, and some have not shied away from throwing their weight around when values clash with proposed laws. (5/16)
The New York Times:
How ‘You Know Me’ Became #YouKnowMe
On Tuesday, after the Alabama Senate voted to pass a bill that would ban almost all abortions in the state, the actress Busy Philipps felt compelled to take action. “Women deserve compassion and understanding in their personal health choices,” Ms. Philipps, 39, said on Wednesday. “This is something a lot of people experience and go through in their lives, and it’s a health care decision like many health care decisions.” (Safronova, 5/15)
Wired:
The Trump Admin Is Scrubbing Obamacare From Government Sites
According to a new report, the Trump administration has been systematically wiping crucial information about the ACA from government websites over the past two years. Unlike changes to funding, these modifications often happen with little fanfare or government oversight, but they can still have a dramatic impact on Americans' access to health care resources. The report was published Wednesday by the Sunlight Foundation, an open government group whose Web Integrity Project monitors some 30,000 government pages for updates and alterations. Looking at sites administered by the Department for Health and Human Services, it documents 26 instances in which information related to the Affordable Care Act was substantially altered or removed. Some of the changes were subtle. Others, including the disappearance of an 85-page website devoted to the ACA, were sweeping. Taken together, the researchers argue, the modifications are tantamount to government censorship and point to an increasing need for oversight of government websites. (Lapowsky, 5/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
White House Wants Patients To Know Health-Care Prices Up Front
The Trump administration has been working behind the scenes for months on a strategy to force greater price disclosure across much of the $3.5 trillion health-care industry. The push relies on existing administrative tools, according to people familiar with the discussions. Those include Labor Department powers under the law that sets minimum standards for private-industry health plans and current hospital-payment rules under Medicare. (Armour, 5/15)
The Hill:
Work On Surprise Medical Bills Goes Into Overdrive
Days after President Trump called for action last week, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) and ranking member Greg Walden (R-Ore.) on Tuesday released a draft bill to tackle the problem, a sign of momentum on the issue. A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the upper chamber, led by Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), plan to release their own legislation this week. (Sullivan, 5/15)
The Washington Post:
The Costliest Drug On The Planet: New Treatment For Spinal Muscular Atrophy Sparks Rivalry
Until three years ago, infants diagnosed with a rare disease known as spinal muscular atrophy were doomed to death or heartbreaking disability. If babies survived, many parents were forced to build virtual ICUs in their homes. Then gene science brought a drug to market in 2016 that gave afflicted children a strong chance at life, maybe even freedom from a wheelchair. Now, the Food and Drug Administration is poised to approve a second gene treatment for infants with SMA, and with a price tag of $1.5 million to $5 million, it will be the most expensive drug on the planet. (Rowland, 5/15)
Stat:
In Washington, A Partisan Approach To Lowering Drug Costs Leaves Democrats Doubting Their Own Party Leadership
Two top Democratic lawmakers are questioning Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s strategy to couple legislation to lower prescription drug costs with far more contentious Obamacare bills, saying the tactic nixes potential for a bipartisan win. Democratic leadership plans to hold a floor vote Thursday on the combined package of health care bills — effectively rebuking the Trump administration for its attempts to roll back the Affordable Care Act and simultaneously daring Republicans to vote against drug pricing reforms that are increasingly popular. (Facher, 5/16)
Stat:
Gilead CEO To Testify Before A House Committee About Pricing For Its HIV Prevention Pill
Gilead Sciences (GILD), which is already the subject of red-hot attention for its business practices, is about to come under still more scrutiny when a House committee holds a hearing on Thursday about pricing for its Truvada HIV prevention pill. And Gilead chief executive Daniel O’Day will be among those testifying. AIDS activists have increasingly lambasted the company for pricing they claim has caused access issues and have implored the federal government to pursue royalties on a key patent that was filed by researchers whose work was funded, in part, with taxpayer dollars. (Silverman, 5/15)
Stat:
Shaped Like A Tennis Ball, This Cancer Protein Was Thought ‘Undruggable.’ Amgen Found A Way To Target It
Scientists have long known that a mutant form of the cell-signaling protein called KRAS causes cancer, but discovering drugs capable of blocking KRAS has proven difficult. The protein is spherical and nearly featureless — its structure has been compared to a tennis ball — leaving potential drugs with few, if any, effective attachment points. On Wednesday, Amgen (AMGN) is reporting early but potential progress in an effort to block mutant KRAS and kill cancer cells. The Amgen drug, a small molecule pill called AMG 510, caused tumors to partially shrink in 30% of patients with lung tumors that tested positive for a particular kind of KRAS mutation. (Feuerstein, 5/15)
The Washington Post:
Federal Judge Blocks New U.S. Policy For Distributing Livers For Transplant
A federal judge temporarily blocked a new policy for distributing scarce livers for transplant Wednesday, deciding that patients and hospitals in less-populated areas will suffer if the new rules remain in effect. The decision by U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg in Atlanta came just a day after the policy was implemented. On Monday, she had declined to intervene but had asked the government to voluntarily delay it until the Supreme Court decided a case on relevant issues in coming weeks. (Bernstein, 5/15)
USA Today:
Hospital Ratings: D And F Hospitals Have Twice Death Risk From Error
Patients' risk of dying from medical mistakes, deadly infections and safety lapses have gotten much worse at the lowest ranked U.S. hospitals, underscoring Americans' need to check ratings of their local hospitals, new research released Wednesday shows. The new analysis is based on data gleaned from about 2,600 U.S. hospitals since 2016. What the findings reveal is that some of the nation's most dangerous medical centers have become even riskier for patients. (O'Donnell, 5/15)
The New York Times:
The Met Will Turn Down Sackler Money Amid Fury Over The Opioid Crisis
The Metropolitan Museum of Art said on Wednesday that it would stop accepting gifts from members of the Sackler family linked to the maker of OxyContin, severing ties between one of the world’s most prestigious museums and one of its most prolific philanthropic dynasties. The decision was months in the making, and followed steps by other museums, including the Tate Modern in London and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, to distance themselves from the family behind Purdue Pharma. On Wednesday, the American Museum of Natural History said that it, too, had ceased taking Sackler donations. (Harris, 5/15)
The Associated Press:
Met Museum: No More Money From Family Connected To OxyContin
The Sackler family overall has a multi-decade history with the Met and other cultural institutions, and there is a wing named for them at the museum that houses the well-known Temple of Dendur. But there has been increasing criticism over institutions accepting money from the branches of the Sackler family that are connected to Purdue Pharma, which makes OxyContin. (5/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
The Met Stops Taking Gifts From Purdue Pharma’s Sacklers
Purdue, which manufactures prescription pain pill OxyContin, and other drug companies are facing lawsuits from more than 1,600 municipalities and states in the U.S. alleging the companies helped spark the country’s addiction crisis. Some of the lawsuits allege certain Sackler family members played a pivotal role in OxyContin’s marketing and growing sales. The Sackler family and company have broadly denied the allegations. The families of Raymond and Mortimer Sackler, brothers who started Purdue Pharma, said in a statement they remain committed to supporting the missions of institutions like the Met. (Hopkins, 5/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
Opioid Makers Draw Scrutiny From Hedge Funds
At an investor lunch in late March, the chief executive of drugmaker Mallinckrodt PLC, one of the largest generic oxycodone producers in the U.S., said he expected the company would bear no liability for its alleged role in the opioid crisis, according to people familiar with the meeting. Some investors are betting otherwise. (Chung, Randazzo and Grant, 5/15)
The Associated Press:
North Dakota To Appeal Ruling In Suit Against Opioid Maker
North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said the state will appeal the dismissal of the state's lawsuit against the maker of OxyContin over opioid abuse. South Central District Judge James Hill on Friday threw out the state's claim that Connecticut-based Purdue Pharma minimized risks and overstated benefits of long-term use of narcotic opioids including OxyContin. (5/15)
The Detroit News:
Rapid Opioid Detoxification Helps Turn Around Pontiac General Hospital
A controversial procedure that claims to help turn around opioid addicts' lives is helping turn around Pontiac General Hospital. The independently run, for-profit hospital that has gone through at least four bankruptcies since its establishment in 1910 is under new ownership and has left the red since exiting its latest Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2016. It is due to the hospital's emphasis on the needs of the community, CEO Sanyam Sharma says, which includes drug rehabilitation — specifically, advanced rapid opioid detoxification, a fairly new procedure that has gone through little testing and has earned a bad reputation among some addiction experts. (Nobel, 5/6)
The Associated Press:
North Carolina Sues E-Cigarette Maker JUUL Over Marketing
North Carolina's attorney general is suing a popular e-cigarette maker, asking a court to limit what flavors it can sell and ensure underage teens can't buy its vaping products. Josh Stein, the top law enforcement official in the traditionally tobacco-friendly state, said Wednesday he's the first state attorney general to take the maker of Juul to court. The Massachusetts attorney general last year announced an investigation into Juul's sales and marketing. (5/15)
The Washington Post:
Juul Lawsuit: North Carolina Tries To Ban Most Sales And Marketing In The State
The suit, filed in state court, alleges that Juul caused addiction in consumers by “deceptively downplaying the potency and danger of the nicotine” and employed advertising campaigns that targeted people under the legal smoking age. Several of the state’s requests overlap with existing Food and Drug Administration policies, including prohibiting the sale of Juul and other e-cigarette products to minors. But the state’s complaint goes further: FDA guidelines restrict the sale of fruit or candy flavors in stores, allowing menthol, tobacco and mint to be sold. North Carolina’s request would bring mint off the market in that state, in addition to the popular flavors like mango and cucumber. (Paul, 5/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
North Carolina Accuses Juul Of Targeting Teens In Lawsuit
“Juul’s business practices are not only reckless, they’re illegal,” Mr. Stein said Wednesday in a statement. “And I intend to put a stop to them. We cannot allow another generation of young people to become addicted to nicotine. ”Juul said in a statement that the company shares the concerns about youth vaping and noted it had been working with Mr. Stein’s office and taken aggressive actions to combat underage use. (Armental, 5/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
Reynolds, With An Eye On Juul, Wades Into Social Media
One of the biggest U.S. tobacco companies has started marketing its e-cigarettes on Twitter and Instagram, seeking to regain market share lost to upstart Juul Labs Inc. The ads and social-media accounts for Vuse e-cigarettes, from Camel and Newport maker Reynolds American, launched Wednesday. They come less than a year after Juul pulled back its U.S. social-media marketing amid concerns that it had targeted teenagers. (Maloney, 5/15)
The Associated Press:
Judge Orders FDA To Speed Up Review Of E-Cigarettes
A federal judge is siding with public health groups suing the Food and Drug Administration to begin reviewing thousands of e-cigarettes on the U.S. market. The ruling handed down Wednesday in district court states that the agency shirked its legal duty when it postponed reviewing all U.S. vaping products by several years. (5/15)
The New York Times:
A Rival To Botox Invites Doctors To Party In Cancun, With Fireworks, Confetti And Social Media Posts
Top plastic surgeons and cosmetic dermatologists gathered at the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun one weekend this month to learn about a wrinkle-smoothing injection, Jeuveau, that goes on sale this week. Jeuveau’s manufacturer, Evolus, billed the event as an advisory board meeting. But it also appeared to double as a lavish launch party for Jeuveau, which the company is hoping will compete against Botox in a crowded market that also includes two other products. (Thomas, 5/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
CVS Health To Require Third-Party Testing Of Vitamins, Supplements
CVS Health Corp. said its pharmacies will require third-party testing on all of the vitamins and supplements sold online and in its stores. CVS said Wednesday that the third-party testing would seek to verify the accuracy of the ingredients listed on the supplement facts panel of vitamins and supplements and to ensure the products are free from certain additives and ingredients. (Chin, 5/15)
The Wall Street Journal:
Nestlé Enters Exclusive Talks To Sell Skin-Health Business
Nestlé SA has entered exclusive talks to sell its skin-health business to private-equity firm EQT and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority for $10.1 billion, its latest move to reshape its sprawling portfolio and revive sluggish growth. The Swiss consumer goods giant said in September it was exploring options for the unit as part of a broader effort by Chief Executive Mark Schneider to reinvigorate Nestlé’s portfolio and focus more on coffee, pet care and consumer health. (Blackstone and Dummett, 5/16)
NPR:
Vaccines For Adults: What You Should Know
Amid one of the largest measles outbreaks in the U.S. in recent history, vaccines are on the minds of many Americans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week that the number of measles cases this year has climbed to 839 in 23 states, affecting mostly unvaccinated people. Most people in the U.S. are vaccinated against measles when they're children as part of the routine immunizations they get in primary care. (Gordon, 5/15)
Boston Globe:
This Doctor Posted Online In Favor Of Immunization. Then Vaccine Opponents Targeted Her
Dr. Monique Tello was attending a medical conference last fall when a speaker on social media suggested the physicians search themselves on Google. Why not, thought Tello, an internist at Massachusetts General Hospital. She was stunned by what she found. More than 100 negative one-star reviews and derogatory comments had been posted about her on popular physician rating websites. “Ignorant, and could care less about her patients,’’ she recalled one poster writing. (Kowalczyk, 5/11)
The Associated Press:
Less Fat, More Fruit May Cut Risk Of Dying Of Breast Cancer
For the first time, a large experiment suggests that trimming dietary fat and eating more fruits and vegetables may lower a woman's risk of dying of breast cancer. The results are notable because they come from a rigorous test involving 49,000 women over two decades rather than other studies that try to draw health conclusions from observations about how people eat. (5/15)
The Washington Post:
Lower-Fat Diet Reduces Women’s Risk Of Dying From Breast Cancer, Study Says
The conclusions, from the latest analysis of the federally funded Women’s Health Initiative, provide the first randomized clinical-trial evidence that diet can reduce postmenopausal women’s risk of dying of breast cancer, the researchers said. Past observational studies, which do not measure cause and effect, have had inconsistent findings. The results “are exciting and empowering for the patient,” said Elisa Port, chief of breast surgery at Mount Sinai Health System in New York, who was not involved in the study. “This is a wake-up call for women — there’s something they can do, rather than just waiting for the shoe to drop.” (McGinley, 5/15)
The New York Times:
Where Should A Child Die? Hospice Homes Help Families With The Unimaginable
Children dressed as superheroes skidded over the hardwood floors of a toy-filled living room. Local police officers and firefighters pretended to give chase. The birthday boy, a month shy of 1, wore a Superman T-shirt and a red cape with a yellow lightning bolt. His 3-year-old sister, in a Batgirl costume, was cheering in the open kitchen as she heaped sprinkles onto cookies straight from the oven. Parents and grandparents laid out green-and-blue-frosted slices of cake on the communal dining tables. Balloons floated overhead, adding splashes of color to the cathedral ceiling. Through skylights, the early winter sun beamed down onto the gas fireplace. A photographer circulated through the room. It was noon on a Thursday last December, and the 50 or so guests all knew that the birthday boy, Parker Graf, was going to die the next day. (Ouyang, 5/15)
The New York Times:
Was It An Invisible Attack On U.S. Diplomats, Or Something Stranger?
The piercing, high-pitched noises were first heard by a couple of recently arrived United States Embassy officials in Havana in late 2016, soon after Donald Trump was elected president. They heard the noises in their homes, in the city’s leafy western suburbs. If they moved to a different room, or walked outside, the noise stopped. The two officials said they believed that the sound was man-made, a form of harassment. Around the same time, they began to develop a variety of symptoms: headaches, fatigue, dizziness, mental fog, hearing loss, nausea. (Hurley, 5/15)
Reuters:
For Some Trauma Doctors, Clash With NRA Proves Therapeutic
A recent clash with the National Rifle Association (NRA) has shown some doctors who treat gunshot victims a way to heal their own trauma: through activism against gun violence. With rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on par with that of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, trauma surgeons have found that speaking out helps them cope with the hopelessness and anger that come from seeing gunshot victims repeatedly wheeled into the trauma bay. (5/15)
The Associated Press:
Schools Turn To Technology To Reduce Toll During Shootings
Efforts to combat school shootings are shifting toward software and other technology to reduce the number of victims. Security experts say gunshot detection systems, apps and artificial intelligence are becoming more common because school attacks, while relatively rare, have been among the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. The technology is often used in combination with mental health and anti-bullying programs. (5/16)
Reuters:
'Hidden Health Crisis' Of Snakebites Gets $100 Million Funding Injection
A global health trust is to inject 80 million pounds ($102 million) into finding more modern and effective treatments for snakebites - a "hidden health crisis" that kills 120,000 people a year and maims thousands more. The project, launched by Britain's Wellcome Trust global health charity on Thursday, aims both to improve the world's supply of antivenoms - the only current treatment for snakebites - and to develop new and more effective drugs for the future. (5/15)