Céline Gounder On July 23, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern. It was a contentious decision, with the WHO’s director-general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, making the final call and overruling the WHO’s emergency committee. The advisory committee’s disagreements mirrored debates that have been unfolding among public officials, on social media, and in opinion […]
The pharmaceutical company Teva has reached a $4.25 billion nationwide settlement, potentially resolving thousands of lawsuits over its role in the U.S. opioid crisis. The money will go primarily to state and local governments, pending agreement from all involved parties. The dollar amount also includes $1.2 billion worth of generic Narcan, a drug that can reverse an opioid overdose, over […]
Mayo Clinic and Mercy, both large health systems and early adopters of electronic health records, are teaming up to see if leveraging data and patient outcomes from both institutions can identify illnesses and treatments earlier. The two organizations unveiled their new 10-year alliance Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic Platform Conference. Mayo and Mercy each have large amounts of treatment outcomes […]
The House passed a bill on Tuesday to create a grant program for research into the cognitive effects of COVID-19. The legislation, titled the Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Cognitive Research Act, passed in a 350-69 vote, with all opposition coming from Republicans. Eight Republicans and four Democrats did not vote. The measure calls on the Director of the […]
Covid-19 created a shift in the delivery of clinical trials, allowing for participants to access trials outside of a traditional research site, thus expanding the scope of clinical trials. That was the message shared by Claudia Lucchinetti, director of Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational research, Tuesday at the Mayo Clinic Platform Conference. At the conference, Lucchinetti discussed the […]
RIP to the Choco Taco. Klondike announced Monday it was discontinuing the iconic ice cream treat, taking a bit of our childhoods with it. On Capitol Hill, the Senate Finance Committee chairman wants a longer extension of ObamaCare subsidies in Democrats’ health bill— but it’s not clear if Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) will agree. Welcome to Overnight Health Care, where […]
Digital therapeutics company Pear Therapeutics is making cuts in nearly all areas of its business, a move that buys the company time as it works to grow revenue for its small slate of commercialized products. The corporate shakeup will lead to $28 million in savings over the next 18 months, Pear said in a regulatory filing. Cost reductions are […]
Although it may seem like the federal government is picking on the home health industry in recent weeks, at least they are paying attention to an industry that continues to grow and is in high demand. That was one of the many messages from William A. Dombi, the president of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, at NAHC’s […]
A top official in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) office of tobacco policy is leaving to join Philip Morris International, one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, according to an internal agency memo. Matt Holman, director of the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) Office of Science, will be leaving the agency effective immediately, according to the memo from CTP […]
Nurses have always faced unique and complex challenges. In 2022, these challenges were exacerbated by acute and ongoing staffing shortages, demographic changes, bureaucratic and managerial demands, tight budgets, stress, burnout, and cultural shifts (including an increase in travel nurses and temporary assignments). These factors can put nurses and their patients at considerable risk. To assess nursing vulnerabilities, Coverys evaluated 4,634 […]