Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday doubled down on the state's recommendation against vaccinating young children, saying that Florida does not plan to offer vaccines for toddlers or infants through state programs.
Why it matters: Florida is the only state that hasn't pre-ordered COVID vaccines for children under five as states wait for federal regulators to authorize the shot for the littlest Americans.
The race and ethnicity data Medicare collects on its beneficiaries is less accurate for such groups as American Indians, Asian-Pacific Islanders and Hispanics, limiting the program's ability to assess health disparities, according to a federal audit.
Why it matters: Inaccuracies can undercut efforts to address inequities and measure results.
A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court sided with hospital groups on Wednesday in a closely watched dispute over whether the federal government had the authority to cut facilities' payments for outpatient drugs.
Why it matters: The case, brought by the American Hospital Association and other hospitals, involved billions of dollars in payments and tested how much deference courts should give federal agencies when laws are vague.
The nation's biggest physicians group is joining calls for the FDA to make birth control pills accessible over the counter.
Why it matters: With abortion rights in flux, physicians are joining reproductive health advocates in urging increased access to oral contraceptives, which could join already approved emergency contraceptives, like Plan B, on pharmacy shelves.
The Florida Department of Health said Wednesday that it has not pre-ordered COVID vaccines for children under 5 because it does not recommend the shot for all children.
Why it matters: Every other state has pre-ordered vaccine supply for the age group as they wait for federal regulators to authorize the shot, per McClatchy.
A key FDA advisory committee on Wednesday voted unanimously to recommend both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccines receive emergency use authorization for kids as young as 6 months old.
Why it matters: Children younger than 5 are the last group without access to the shots. The vote means these littlest Americans are another step closer to getting their COVID vaccinations.
The monkeypox outbreak "poses a real risk" to public health, said the World Health Organization's European chief Wednesday.
Driving the news: "The magnitude of this outbreak poses a real risk; the longer the virus circulates, the more it will extend its reach, and the stronger the disease’s foothold will get in non-endemic countries," said Dr. Hans Henri Kluge, the WHO regional director for Europe, in a statement.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, the National Institutes of Health said in a statement.
Driving the news: "He is fully vaccinated and has been boosted twice. He is currently experiencing mild symptoms," per the NIH.
More than 92% of Americans live in a region with unsafe air pollution, which could lead to reduced life expectancy, according to the latest University of Chicago Air Quality Life Index.
Why it matters: Some Americans could add more than a year to their lives if they lived in a place with cleaner air.
New Omicron strains capable of evading immune protections and causing breakthrough infections now account for more than 21% of total COVID cases in the U.S., according to updated CDC figures.
Why it matters: The virus continues to evolve, with the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages accounting for a bigger proportion of the approximately 105,000 new daily cases.
The Federal Trade Commission ordered JAB Consumer Partners to divest 16 veterinary clinics that JAB had acquired via a portfolio company's $1.1 billion purchase of SAGE Veterinary Partners.
Why it matters: The accompanying press release suggests that the FTC is looking hard at private equity activity in the healthcare sector, particularly when it comes to roll-ups that it's traditionally ignored.
The big picture: The number of abortions in the U.S. had been in decline for about 30 years until 2017, when national abortion figures were at their lowest since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973, but the new data shows that they have been increasing since.
With almost half a million people potentially getting Lyme disease in the U.S. each year, it seems surprising that there is no vaccine available for the illness.
Flashback: The only vaccine previously marketed in the U.S. for the disease was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1998, but the manufacturer discontinued it in 2002 due to "insufficient consumer demand," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Inflation is changing the way we eat, shop and spend our leisure time.And the cost spiral is influencing how Americans weigh health care against other necessities.
The big picture: During the pandemic, Americans aged 50 to 64 said they've been skipping medications, cutting back on food and utilities to cover their medical needs. And they're increasingly worried about covering their future bills, according to newly released Gallup polling.
