Health and dieting trends on TikTok glorify weight loss and may contribute to disordered eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction, particularly in adolescent and young users, according to a University of Vermont study published Tuesday in the journal PLOS One.
Why it matters: It is the first study to assess content related to nutrition and body-image at scale on the the social app for short video.
Medicare will increase payments for discounted drugs provided to safety-net hospitals next year under a policy the Biden administration finalized Tuesday that will affect how the program reimburses other facilities.
The big picture: Hospitals had called on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to boost safety-net drug payments without dipping into other funds, but the agency said it didn't have the authority to do that.
Outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday found "a clear signal" that pulse oximeters are less accurate for people with darker skin after scrutinizing evidence during a daylong meeting.
Why it matters: The expert panel's consensus that inaccuracies pose a distinct clinical risk for dark-skinned patients sets the stage for the FDA to further scrutinize manufacturing standards for the devices, which measure oxygen levels in the blood.
CVS Health and Walgreens announced agreements Wednesday to pay about $5 billion each to settle lawsuits over how its pharmacies handled prescriptions for addictive opioid painkillers.
Why it matters: CVS and Walgreens are the two largest drugstore chains in the U.S. The proposed framework would resolve a series of lawsuits brought by a group of states and Native American tribes.
The Biden administration is trying to jump start a Medicare program that pays health providers based on patient outcomes rather than by how many services they perform.
Why it matters: The alternative payment effort was created through the Affordable Care Act, but participation has plateaued since 2018 amid waning interest from providers.
Employers, patients or taxpayers could be on the hook for hundreds of billions of dollars in additional health spending if providers and insurers successfully shift those inflation-driven costs, according to a recent McKinsey analysis.
Why it matters: The health care sector's profits are severely at risk, per the analysis. But key players could yet dodge the bullet coming their way.
All signs point to a crushing surge in health care costs for patients and employers next year — and that means health care industry groups are about to brawl over who pays the price.
Why it matters: The surge could build pressure on Congress to stop ignoring the underlying costs that make care increasingly unaffordable for everyday Americans — and make billions for health care companies.
[This special report kicks off a series to introduce our new, Congress-focused Axios Pro: Health Care, coming Nov. 14.]
Driving the news: In states with total abortion bans, 62.4% of respondents cited "current abortion restrictions" as a reason for their request after the Supreme Cort decision, compared to 31.4% before.
Driving the news: Lovatos, who is also an author, has partnered with Crest and Oral-B's "Closing America's Smile Gap" campaign to address the oral health crisis among Hispanics in the U.S.
Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday said it's agreed to buy Massachusetts-based heart pump maker Abiomed for around $16.6 billion in cash.
Why it matters: This is J&J's largest acquisition in more than five years, and reflects how the company is expanding its medical devices and medicines efforts ahead of its consumer health unit spinoff.
Fears of a wintertime "tripledemic" have prompted warnings to get flu shots and reformulated COVID boosters — but there are no such options for the third pathogen in circulation: respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. That could soon change.
Driving the news: Pfizer on Tuesday announced promising topline results of a late-stage clinical trial for an experimental RSV vaccine. The vaccine would offer protection to infants from birth by vaccinating women while they're still pregnant.
New research showing racial disparities in regional anesthesia use has major implications for Black women — especially in pregnancy and childbirth, medical experts and reproductive health advocates tell Axios.
Why it matters: Black women have a long history of experiencing medical maltreatment, the legacy of which remains today in implicit biases and systemic inequities that worsen health outcomes. They are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications compared to white women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Open enrollment for Affordable Care Act coverage begins today, with enhanced subsidies that Congress renewed through 2025 expected to cushion the blow of premium increases for millions of Americans.
The big picture: Health costs are steadily climbing due to inflation and a post-pandemic surge of demand for medical services.
Researchers at Princeton University and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) are building the first-ever national database that tracks incidents of threats and harassment against government officials.
Why it matters: Last week's brutal attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was the most dramatic manifestation of the recent rise in threats targeting politicians, candidates and election workers.
/2022/10/31/1667248839393.gif?w=3840)