Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Juul Seeks FDA Authorization For New Vape That Aims To Curb Underage Use
Juul Labs is seeking U.S. authorization for a next-generation vaporizer, while the e-cigarette maker waits for word on whether its current products can stay on the market. (Maloney, 7/19)
Juul Labs said on Wednesday it was seeking U.S. authorization for a new e-cigarette that has age-verification capabilities and prevents the use of unauthorized refill cartridges. The vaporizer, which has a unique Pod ID chip to prevent the use of counterfeit cartridges and an app to restrict underage access, is already on sale in Britain after its launch in 2021 as JUUL2 System. In its latest premarket tobacco product application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration submitted on Tuesday, Juul Labs said it was seeking to sell tobacco-flavored pods at a nicotine concentration of less than 2%. (7/19)
On health insurance denials for the poor
Private health insurance companies paid by Medicaid denied millions of requests for care for low-income Americans with little oversight from federal and state authorities, according to a new report by U.S. investigators published Wednesday. Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program for the poor that covers nearly 87 million people, contracts with companies to reimburse hospitals and doctors for treatment and to manage an individuals medical care. About three-quarters of people enrolled in Medicaid receive health services through private companies, which are typically paid a fixed amount per patient rather than for each procedure or visit. (Abelson, 7/19)
On other public health matters
After fears of a she-cession during the pandemic, women have returned to the workforce at unprecedented rates. Much of the gain reflects a boom in jobs traditionally held by women, including nursing and teaching. Many good-paying jobs in fields such as construction and tech management are still dominated by men, a continuing challenge for states trying to even the playing field for women workers. (Henderson, 7/19)
As they struggle to reduce drug overdose deaths, policymakers across the United States are embroiled in a heated debate over creating and increasing criminal penalties related to fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid thats up to 100 times more potent than morphine. Legislators pushing the new wave of criminal penalties say the laws will deter drug distributors and hold offenders accountable. But opponents including some public health officials warn of potential consequences such as worsening the opioid crisis and pushing users toward more dangerous synthetic alternatives. (Hern獺ndez, 7/20)
The evolving overdose crisis in the United States is making another lethal turn, federal disease trackers reported Wednesday: Increasingly, people dying from opioids are also using stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine. An analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that between 2011 and 2021, the age-adjusted rate of overdose deaths involving opioids and cocaine nearly quintupled, far outpacing the rate of deaths involving only cocaine. In 2021 alone, nearly 80 percent of the 24,486 cocaine overdose deaths recorded in the United States also involved an opioid. (Ovalle, 7/19)
Even as the nation moves beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, about half of U.S. adults dont get enough aerobic activity and fewer than 1 in 4 adults do enough aerobic and strength exercises. According to the latest fitness ranking of the nation's 100 largest cities, about 51% of adults get American College of Sports Medicine's recommended 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week. Such routine physical activity helps stave off chronic disease and reduces or prevents symptoms of anxiety and depression. (Alltucker, 7/19)
During a national news conference held Tuesday, members of the Water Coalition Against PFAS underscored concerns around the financial realities of remediation, along with the industry's precarious position. They argued that cost estimates from Congress and EPA vastly underestimate the burden on water utilities, which the coalition asserted will wind up being passed to consumers if something is not done to address the issue. (Crunden, 7/19)
