Axios

Black and Hispanic veterans' access to specialty health care declined during the pandemic, according to a recently published study that also found non-Hispanic white veterans were largely unaffected.

Why it matters: About 12% of vets are Black and 8% are Latino. Those numbers are projected to grow to 15% and 12% respectively by 2045, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The dropoff in cancer screenings during the pandemic didn't result in significantly more breast, cervical and colon cancer cases, or how advanced those cases were, according to a review of nearly 375,000 diagnoses in electronic health records.

Why it matters: The findings from Epic Research could ease concerns about countless hidden cases and more advanced stages of disease stemming from millions of missed screenings during the height of the pandemic.

Two batches of Enfamil ProSobee Simply Plant-Based Infant Formula are being recalled "due to a possibility of cross-contamination with Cronobacter sakazakii," parent company Reckitt announced in a recall notice.

Driving the news: The recall of approximately 145,000 cans of formula comes a year after a massive baby formula recall by Abbott Nutrition led to nationwide shortages.

A group of 20 Democratic members on Tuesday announced they are forming a coalition to protect and expand abortion access in their states as bans continue to be enacted following the fall of Roe v. Wade.

The big picture: The Reproductive Freedom Alliance works as a formal structure for governors to respond together to bans coming from red states and "judges who are advancing their ideological agenda" — particularly the upcoming ruling from a judge in Texas that could end access to abortion pills nationwide.

The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief  — the biggest effort by one nation to address a particular disease — is hitting a milestone anniversary. But advocates worry the U.S. may take its foot off the gas.

Why it matters: 20 years after then-President George W. Bush launched PEPFAR in his 2003 State of the Union address, the $7 billion-a-year program is up for reauthorization in Congress.

Nearly every person that tested positive for fentanyl last year also had signs of other substances including methamphetamine and heroin, according to a new report from Millennium Health. That's a more than 60% increase from 2019 and an all-time high.

Why it matters: Multiple substances in one's body can increase overdose risk and complicate treatment options, researchers told Axios.