Category: Public Health

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Dealing With Drug Prices

Medicare officials tentatively plan to restrict the use of a controversial Alzheimer’s drug to only those patients participating in clinical trials, while the Department of Health and Human Services looks into lowering the monthly Medicare Part B premium. Meanwhile, covid confusion still reigns, as the Biden administration moves, belatedly, to make more masks and tests available. Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

US to ship 500M additional rapid tests; 2 more national COVID-19 response updates

The U.S. plans to ship 1 billion rapid at-home test kits to Americans, President Joe Biden said during a Jan. 13 update on the nation’s COVID-19 response efforts. 

Record-breaking 15 million global COVID-19 cases reported in 1 week; US sees biggest jump, WHO says

A record-high 15 million new COVID-19 cases were reported worldwide in one week, World Health Organization officials said during a Jan. 12 news briefing. 

Long-Excluded Uterine Cancer Patients Are Step Closer to 9/11 Benefits

More than 20 years after the terrorist attacks, the World Trade Center Health Program is considering covering the most common form of uterine cancer, in what patient advocates say is a key acknowledgment of the women affected by the 9/11 fallout.

White House selects Johns Hopkins epidemiologist as COVID-19 testing director

The White House has selected Tom Inglesby, MD, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, Md., as it’s new COVID-19 testing director. 

Omicron & throat swabs: What type of testing is best?

Early research suggests that the diagnostic tests most commonly used in the U.S. may not be the most effective at detecting the omicron coronavirus variant.  

Hospitals urge US to renew COVID-19 emergency declarations

The American Hospital Association is calling on the federal government to renew two emergency declarations related to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure continued support for hospitals responding to the crisis.

New Jersey governor declares public health emergency

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Jan. 11 reinstated a public health emergency to help health systems experiencing a COVID-19 surge.

Omicron’s spread, severity: 2 new findings

New findings about omicron’s spread and severity are emerging daily, with recent research pointing to a higher rate of asymptomatic spread and lower hospitalization risk.

DC mayor declares limited public health emergency

District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a limited public health emergency Jan. 11 amid the latest COVID-19 surge fueled by the omicron variant.