The defeat of a closely watched Ohio ballot measure that would have made it more difficult to preserve abortion rights in the state will likely embolden efforts to safeguard access to the procedure in other conservative strongholds.
Driving the news: By a wide margin, Ohio voters Tuesday night rejected an initiative that would have raised the threshold for amending the state's constitution from a simple majority to 60%. Though the measure known as Issue 1 did not specifically mention abortion rights, it was largely seen as an effort to prevent a proposed amendment protecting abortion access from succeeding in another ballot initiative set for November.
Black pregnant people and pregnant individuals below the poverty line are less likely to access medication abortion, according to surveys of more than 4,700 patients by the Guttmacher Institute.
Why it matters: It's evidence of how race and economic status can disadvantage some groups, especially in areas where medication abortion is the only option available.
The Pentagon is turning to the independent testing lab Valisure to assess the quality and safety of generic drugs given to service members and veterans amid supply chain issues and shortages of certain treatments.
The big picture: The contract stems from a directive in the fiscal 2023 defense authorization act to size up risks to the military's drug supply chain.
The approval of the first-ever pill treating postpartum depression on Friday was hailed as a significant milestone, but it was quickly tempered by questions around how much the drug will cost.
Why it matters: The price of zuranolone will ultimately affect how widely it may be prescribed.
