A handful of public school districts are mandating masks as kids and staff return from holiday breaks, but an Axios review of cities across the country found those orders to be far from the norm.
The big picture: There's little apparent appetite to return to pandemic strategies like masking or social distancing, even in the face of a tripledemic. And the sentiment cuts across red and blue states.
The Food and Drug Administration on Friday granted fast-track approval to a new Alzheimer's drug that clinical trials showed can slow the progression of the disease.
Why it matters: Lecanemab, developed by Japanese drugmaker Eisai and Biogen, is the first treatment shown to delay cognitive decline from Alzheimer's — which affects over six million people in the U.S.
A group of pricey breakthrough prescription drugs are poised to shake up the market this year — including an Alzheimer's treatment that could be approved today by the FDA.
Why it matters: Though the drugs offer hope to patients with hard-to-treat conditions like Alzheimer's or sickle cell disease, or who struggle with obesity, their potentially eye-popping prices are sure to create dilemmas for insurers, government programs and patients themselves.
Walgreens and CVS, two of the largest U.S. pharmacy chains, plan to start offering abortion pills, following the Food and Drug Administration's Tuesday announcement that it will allow retail pharmacies to offer the drug, the companies told Axios.
The big picture: Under the FDA's regulatory change, pharmacies can apply to become certified to dispense mifepristone, which is used in first-trimester abortions.
The Biden administration on Wednesday gave states more leeway to cover services addressing health-related social needs under their Medicaid programs.
Why it matters: Addressing "social determinants" like housing, transportation and food security could reduce hospital admissions and overall health spending. But researchers have questioned whether the cost of such interventions may eclipse the potential savings.
The South Carolina state Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the state's six-week abortion ban, asserting that such a law violates the state's constitution.
Driving the news: The law had been blocked since 2021, but took effect shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Following this decicion, abortion remains legal in South Carolina up until 22 weeks of pregnancy — making it one of the only Southern states where the procedure is legal up until that point.
Everyone agrees that the world needs new antibiotics, as the number of drug-resistant infections continues to soar. But there's little agreement on how to finance their development, and the situation is deteriorating.
What to know: Antibiotics are a bad business, at least based on a current pharma model that's predicated on volume sales.
Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday filed IPO registration papers for its consumer health products business, which is being spun out under the name Kenvue.
Why it matters: This could be the largest U.S. IPO since Rivian went public in late 2021, with Renaissance Capital estimating that Kenvue could raise up to $5 billion. It also encompasses a slew of household brands, including Tylenol, Band-Aid, Johnson's Baby Powder, Listerine, Neutrogena and Nicorette.
Respiratory viruses may come and go, but one constant for frustrated parents this season has been the shortage of children's Tylenol and Motrin.
Driving the news: How did some of the most common pediatric fever and pain remedies become as scarce as Taylor Swift tickets? Unlike last year's baby formula shortage, it's not because of a broken supply chain, but the result of unexpectedly high consumer demand.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted a conditional license for a vaccine that helps protect honeybees from a deadly bacterial disease, U.S. biotech firm Dalan Animal Health announced Wednesday.
Why it matters:Dalan has developed the world's first vaccine for honeybees in an effort to stop the spread of American foulbrood disease, caused by Paenibacillus larvae bacterium, which can weaken and destroy hives, per the Guardian.
First Lady Jill Biden will undergo surgery to remove a small lesion found above her right eye after a routine eye cancer screening, the White House said Wednesday.
The big picture: The procedure, recommended in an abundance of caution, is scheduled for next Wednesday at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. "We will offer an update after the procedure is completed and we have more information," Kevin O'Connor, physician to the president, wrote in a memo.
