The FDA is updating mammography guidelines in a move that could protect people at higher risk of developing breast cancer but also drive up demand for more tests and screenings.
Why it matters: The agency's new rule requires mammogram providers to notify patients about breast density, which can make it harder to detect cancer and as a result, puts some at increased risk of the disease. 38 states already have such reporting requirements.
President Biden's fiscal 2024 health budget contains few bombshells. But it's a useful guide to what he sees as accomplishments to build on — and likely previews key parts of a prospective 2024 campaign platform.
The big picture: With a divided Congress and little chance of major legislation, Biden's best bet may be drawing contrasts with Republicans on pocketbook issues like drug costs and to portray the GOP as intent on cutting voters' health care and retirement benefits.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) and state Attorney General Letitia James are pressuring the nation's largest pharmacy chains to commit to making abortion pills available in the state.
Driving the news: In a letter sent Thursday to theCEOs of Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS Health, the state's top officials asked for a commitment to dispense mifepristone to patients with a doctor’s prescription, calling it an "essential medication."
California will not renew a $54 million contract with Walgreens over the chain's decision to not dispense abortion pills in some states where abortion remains legal, Gov. Gavin Newsom's (D) office announced on Wednesday.
The big picture: Walgreens said that it would not be dispensing mifepristone — used in medication abortions — in some states where abortion remains legal in response to a letter from Republican attorneys general saying the pharmacy chain could face legal consequences for distributing the drug.
Community health centers are joining forces with drug manufacturers today to call for changes to the government's discount drug program and take aim at hospitals and pharmacy benefit managers they say are milking it.
Why it matters: The health centers' involvement couldamplify PhRMA's messaging with Congress by arguing they need an intervention soon to keep clinic doors open.
The rise of AI in mental health carehas providers and researchers increasingly concerned over whether glitchy algorithms, privacy gaps and other perils could outweigh the technology's promise and lead to dangerous patient outcomes.
Why it matters: As the Pew Research Center recently found, there's widespread skepticism over whether using AI to diagnose and treat conditions will complicate a worsening mental health crisis.
President Biden's push to let Medicare negotiate the prices of more drugs sooner after they come to market won't become law any time soon. But some experts say even raising the topic could scare off investment into new treatments.
Why it matters: The possibility of Medicare having even more negotiating power increases uncertainty around future returns on today's R&D, and some economists argue that may ultimately make some investments too risky.
After recoveringfrom a "mild" COVID case in November, I developed long COVID, with debilitating symptoms that included persistent shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and insomnia.
At one point, I counted 23 symptoms.
As my symptoms grew worse, I was admitted to the hospital, where I underwent numerous tests. Thankfully, no major organ damage was found — apart from an obstruction in my lungs, which is still being treated.
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