President Biden's coronavirus likely stemmed from the Omicron subvariant BA.5, currently the most dominant strain of the virus in the U.S., according to a letter from the White House physician on Saturday.
The big picture: BA.5 is responsible for 75%-80% of infections in the U.S., his physician Kevin O'Connor said in a letter on Saturday.
The World Health Organization declared on Saturday that monkeypox, which has spread to more than 70 countries, is a global emergency.
Why it matters: The declaration by the U.N. health agency could lead to investment in treating the disease, but it could also lead to a shortage for already-scarce vaccines, AP writes.
The U.S. has confirmed the first two cases of monkeypox in children, Centers for Disease Control Prevention and Control (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said Friday.
Why it matters: The CDC has said children, especially those under 8 years old, are among those at "especially increased risk" for severe monkeypox disease.
Private equity owners of the country’s leading IVF treatment platforms tell us they are getting educated on state laws and preparing for the aftermath of the June 24 Dobbs ruling.
Why it matters: While Dobbs introduces a new layer of uncertainty in the near term, investors say interest in fertility remains robust with long-term industry tailwinds plentiful.
The demise of Roe v. Wade is prompting intense lobbying from IVF centers to keep the process from getting tangled up in a raft of new abortion bans and restrictions.
Why it matters: It’s another way that the elimination of a federal right to abortion is subsuming other forms of reproductive care.
Favor, the digital pharmacy formerly known as The Pill Club, reversed course when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Why it matters: The company had intended to expand beyond birth control, but it saw demand for emergency contraception spike 5,000% in the 72 hours after the Supreme Court ruling. So it pivoted back to its roots, focusing almost exclusively on birth control and emergency contraception.
A growing number of Democratic-led cities are seeking to protect abortion access and moving to cover costs for out-of-state abortions even in red states that restrict the procedure.
Why it matters: Democratic leaders in red states are eyeing ways around abortion bans amid concern about the expected increase in unsafe abortions after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month.
The national suicide hotline saw a 45% increase in calls in the first week after the introduction of its new 988 number, according to Vibrant Emotional Health.
The big picture: The memorable three-digit number debuted on July 16, with the expectation that there would be an increase in calls and texts to the hotline.
President Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, the White House announced.
Driving the news: Biden's symptoms have improved after his first full day taking Pfizer's antiviral pill Paxlovid, his physician said in a letter on Friday.
President Biden's coronavirus symptoms "have improved" after completing his first full day of taking Pfizer's antiviral pill, Paxlovid, his physician said in a letter on Friday.
Driving the news: Biden was given Tylenol to treat his 99.4 fever overnight, to which he "responded favorably." His symptoms remain a runny nose and cough, and his "pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation remain entirely normal," the letter states.
A new AI tool developed by Johns Hopkins University helped detect early signs of sepsis in real time, reducing the likelihood of death by 20%, according to new research published in Nature Medicine.
Why it matters: Sepsis caused by the body's extreme response to an infection can be easy to miss and accounts for the most in-hospital deaths each year in the United States.
Amazon's latest move to further entrench itself in health care will stoke heated competition by other major retailers to capture new customers by delivering primary care.
Driving the news: Amazon announced Thursday, a $3.9 billion all-cash deal to purchase One Medical, which would add a brick-and-mortar network of clinics to a health portfolio that already includes wearables, an online pharmacy and virtual care.
For all its size and power, people continue to underestimate Amazon by focusing on what the company is already doing, instead of looking where it will go next.
Why it matters: Amazon is never content with just growing its share of markets it's already in. It always has an eye toward what large market it can upend next.
Some Republican senators say they are open to reviewing a House-passed bill protecting access to birth control, potentially teeing up another surprising bipartisan response to fallout from the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Between the lines: Democrats are eager to force Republicans on the record as not supporting birth control in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning the federal right to abortion — and only months before the midterm elections. But there's a chance that a messaging bill could wind up being something more.
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