Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed - Morning Briefing (++)

Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/longer-looks-interesting-reads-you-might-have-missed-276/ Viewpoints: Onlookers Have Made Up Their Minds About Cornell Sex Assault Case; 340B Policy Must Adapt For Drugs With Multiple Uses https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-onlookers-have-made-up-their-minds-about-cornell-sex-assault-case-340b-policy-must-adapt-for-drugs-with-multiple-uses/

Doctors Without Borders Worker Evacuated To Netherlands After Contracting Ebola - Morning Briefing

Doctors Without Borders Worker Evacuated To Netherlands After Contracting Ebola The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that about 254 health workers have been infected and 50 have died since the outbreak began in May. Separately, as flu season picks up, San Francisco reports its first death. California health data show 26 people have died from flu so far this season. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/public-health-100226/

Medicare Advantage Plans Will Cost More And Cover Less In 2027 - Morning Briefing

Medicare Advantage Plans Will Cost More And Cover Less In 2027 According to federal data released this week, the 2027 plans will eliminate broad networks of doctors and hospitals, cut benefits, and raise out-of-pocket costs for seniors. Insurers' press releases, however, are presenting their plans as robust, Healthcare Dive noted. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/health-industry-100226/

Arizona Prison Healthcare Takeover Will Continue After Supreme Court Blocks State Appeal - Morning Briefing

Arizona Prison Healthcare Takeover Will Continue After Supreme Court Blocks State Appeal While asking the courts to delay the takeover, Arizona's attorneys claimed that the corrections department was not given enough time to make progress and argued that the official appointed to run healthcare operations wouldn’t be politically accountable, AP reported. On Thursday, Justice Elena Kagan denied the state’s request. Arizona's prison healthcare system has received complaints for the past 14 years and was found to have exposed prisoners to harm and preventable deaths. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/from-the-states-100226/

21 Drugs Are Cleared For Back-End Payments In Revised Pilot Of 340B Program (+++) Morning Briefing

21 Drugs Are Cleared For Back-End Payments In Revised Pilot Of 340B Program Come Jan. 1, 10 pharmaceutical companies will pay rebates to providers only after it's been established that qualifying drugs were dispensed to eligible patients. Drugmakers have expressed concern that there is waste and fraud in the program, an allegation that hospitals say is overblown. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/administration-news-100226/ Senate Committee Looks For Ways To Block White House Interference In Medical Research Grants Bipartisan Senate appropriators are looking for language that could be added to the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill that lawmakers hope to pass before stopgap funding expires Dec. 11, Roll Call reported. Meanwhile, STAT reported that NIH grants around race and health disparities saw cuts this year. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/capitol-watch-100226/ After Botched Execution, Questions Swirl As Tennessee Inmate Receives Lifesaving Care At Vanderbilt Facility Christa Pike told the execution team that she felt burning and pain while they were trying to deliver the lethal drug into her system. Joel Zivot, a professor at Emory University School of Medicine who previously was retained by Pike's legal team as a medical expert, offered a theory that the IV lines failed during the procedure, causing pentobarbital to leak outside the veins rather than fully entering Pike's circulation, Newsweek wrote. Pike's prognosis is unclear. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/execution-100226/

Should You Pick Up That Extra Shift? It May Not Pay Off

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/should-you-pick-extra-shift-it-may-not-pay-2026a10010hg?src= For the first 4 years of his career in emergency medicine, Alex Mohseni, MD, occasionally took on extra shifts at the Virginia hospital where he worked. He might cover for a colleague whose child was sick or work a shift that didn’t have an assigned doctor at all. “I was young and had some medical school debt,” said Mohseni. “I didn’t realize doctors were selling shifts to me because they were burnt out. Seven or 8 years later, I was the one handing off my shifts to other people.”

Florida Attorney General Sues Pfizer and CEO Over COVID-19 Vaccine Claims

https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/florida-attorney-general-sues-pfizer-and-ceo-over-covid-19-2026a10010t8?src= Oct 1 (Reuters) - Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Pfizer and its CEO, Albert ⁠Bourla, accusing the drugmaker of misleading consumers about the safety and effectiveness of its COVID-19 vaccine. Here are more ⁠details:

Rheumatology Groups Push Back on Proposed Physician Pay Cuts Scott Harris

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/rheumatology-groups-push-back-proposed-physician-pay-cuts-2026a10010p3?src= The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is responding to proposed federal payment cuts its leaders say could undermine rheumatologists’ ability to care for patients — and even imperil practices. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) called in July for a 50% payment cut when physicians provide a separately identifiable evaluation and management (E/M) visit on the same day as most procedures are performed. The proposal applies to visits billed as modifier 25 when performed on the same day as a procedure with a 0-, 10-, or 90-day global period.

UnitedHealthcare, Aetna Say 2027 Medicare Advantage Plans to Offer More Limited Provider Networks Amina Niasse

https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/unitedhealthcare-aetna-say-2027-medicare-advantage-plans-2026a10010sf?src= NEW YORK, Oct 1(Reuters) - US health insurers including UnitedHealthcare and CVS Health's Aetna will shift to offer more Medicare Advantage plans that limit provider access for ⁠enrolled users, the companies said on Thursday. "We can't ignore the realities facing the healthcare system," said Bobby Hunter, president at UnitedHealthcare. "Funding pressures, rising medical costs, rising ⁠drug costs, and increased utilization are affecting every part of healthcare."

Trump Medicare Drug Pricing Model May Apply to Only Four Companies After Exemptions

https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/trump-medicare-drug-pricing-model-may-apply-only-four-2026a10010tb?src= NEW YORK, Oct 1 (Reuters) - A Trump administration rule to cut hospital drug prices for Medicare patients ⁠may apply to as few as four drugmakers after exempting companies that signed separate "most favored ⁠nation" pricing agreements with the administration, according to the finalized rule. According to ⁠the rule published on Wednesday ‌evening, Medicare's regulator plans to waive the requirement manufacturers that have signed separate deals with the White House participate in the price-setting model, called GLOBE.

What AI Could Change in Pharmacoepidemiology Research Interviewer: Cristina Ferrario; Interviewee: John Diaz-Decaro, PhD

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/what-ai-could-change-pharmacoepidemiology-research-2026a1001085?src= MILAN — At the 42nd annual meeting of the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology (ISPE), held in Milan from August 29 to September 2, 2026, AI was among the major topics discussed. John Diaz-Decaro, who leads ISPE’s Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence Special Interest Group, spoke with Univadis Italy, part of the Medscape Professional Network, about some aspects of the increasingly frequent and highly practical interaction between pharmacoepidemiology and AI.

Medscape Private-Payer and Government Insurance Report 2026: Medicare, Medicaid, and More Tony Stasiek

https://www.medscape.com/p11/medscape-private-payer-and-government-insurance-report-2026-2026a1000zwy Healthcare affordability reached a 5-year low in 2025, according to a Gallup poll, with less than half of US adults saying they can afford access to care, doctor visits, and medications. Insurance plays a large role in this, with premiums increasing and care plans routinely falling into buckets of "what can be covered." For doctors, this also means weighing treatment and care vs insurers will authorize and reimburse.

Consent Not Needed for Brain Death Testing, Says Ethicist Arthur L. Caplan, PhD

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/consent-not-needed-brain-death-testing-says-ethicist-2026a1000zaj

Medscape RN/LPN Compensation Report 2026: Where Did the Growth Go? Tony Stasiek

https://www.medscape.com/p11/medscape-rn-lpn-compensation-report-2026-where-did-growth-go-2026a1001055 After several years of gains, compensation for registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) stalled in 2026, compared to Medscape's 2025 RN/LPN Compensation Report. Our survey of 3253 RNs and 1337 LPNs in the United States showed that compensation also may vary by setting, location, and employment arrangement. And by and large, a good number of nurses haven't necessarily considered their pay to match the value they provide.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION (+++++) (+++++)

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION Fierce Healthcare: HHS Awards Nearly $250M In Addiction Treatment, Overdose Prevention Grants The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded nearly $250 million in grants Friday aimed at expanding access to mental health services and addiction treatment across the nation. The $247.9 million in funds were distributed through HHS’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The projects receiving the highest amount of grant money are Medication-Assisted Treatment – Prescription Drug and Opioid Addiction ($69.4 million); Project AWARE ($54.9 million) National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative – Category III Community Treatment and Service Centers ($41.8 million) and First Responders - Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act ($34.6 million). (Gleeson, 10/1) https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/hhs-awards-nearly-250m-addiction-treatment-overdose-prevention-grants?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_yclzMzdfOzAzOwoVtLyroXFWwXFoKFoa-7vAK8el0SdQ-hPMsU72Kq_RvfoFqLr4zP1Nk44cB8gHkME9DbZjE2krY-A&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email Healthcare Dive: HRSA Discloses Manufacturers Approved For Revised 340B Rebate Pilot The Trump administration has released a highly anticipated list of 10 drugmakers that it will allow to shift discounts on drugs from upfront savings to back-end rebates in a controversial federal program. Starting Jan. 1, major pharmaceutical companies including AbbVie, Merck and Pfizer will only have to pay savings to providers participating in the 340B drug discount program after they verify the transaction qualifies, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration, the HHS subagency that oversees 340B. (Parduhn, 10/1) https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/340b-rebate-program-approved-drugs-hrsa/831913/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--cQ0b4zxmM-AiCkVXhBTlMz1xkXRYLrDkjR5UsYvZpOvnAUJKZymGhUWljb3KJTNRmm5HosrDb_-YEF3Vki2z_x5Y4ww&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email Stat: As CDC Redesigns Annual Health Survey, It Removes Questions About Disabilities A proposed redesign of the federal government’s annual health survey would result in significant undercounting of Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to advocates for the vulnerable population. (Broderick, 10/1) https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/01/cdc-health-survey-redesign-removes-questions-about-disabilities/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ZFqcL7YfZgMpLsxLVZul2HCIBm9zeGIbthV_5XOjV0XIvtZuEZ-rJ0KW8mSThnL8b3GDZ2gOnr6dooEIikYqSU3nCAA&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email The New York Times: Housing Official, Who Targeted Trump Foes, Cuts Watchdog Office Bill Pulte, President Trump’s director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, moved this week to slash the inspector general’s office that scrutinizes his actions, prompting calls from congressional Democrats for his resignation. It was the second time that Trump administration officials have taken steps to limit scrutiny of the federal regulatory agency run by Mr. Pulte, who has become one of the administration's most contentious figures because he prides himself on carrying out investigations into Mr. Trump’s rivals. (Broadwater, 10/1) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/us/politics/bill-pulte-trump-inspector-general.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Ge0vvwbsShj80Cl4AWS3wZo6N8dK2pFxrhomjkELgQ-3IAI8fv9_6cE2BBFlE8tTboX_hyarimnCNE1i_KaIpNzjj-w&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email The Washington Post: TSA Officers Must Now Stand Up On The Job The agency announced this week that it is removing chairs at this position in airports throughout the country, requiring staff members to stand for their shift. In a statement, TSA explained the reason as twofold: to ensure its employees meet its fitness standards and to create an amiable environment for travelers. In a Facebook post, the American Federation of Government Employees TSA Council 100, the union that represents the officers, expressed concern over the agency’s “consequential decision.” The ergonomic chairs, the union argued, provide safety and support for officers who stand and walk on hard surfaces for extended periods. (Sachs, 10/1) https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2026/10/01/tsa-officers-must-now-stand-up-job/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_-kyuWkq5xWtF3sZmEx3RHjmabjKl9tPb3lFak8R6CfDdfSK2IN2p2M4Ui2zsSNYOG6WwL_QtytLfuYW0du58NWNL-gw&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email ON CAPITOL HILL The New York Times: Congress Leaves With A Whimper, As The G.O.P. Braces For Midterm Pain Republicans lined up a series of doomed votes in their final hours, hoping to portray Democrats as obstructionists. But some conceded that their party was more likely to be punished. (Gold and Hulse, 10/1) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/us/politics/republicans-congress-midterm-elections-trump-affordability.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-90uB8nMUDsgmpv3dx1c45hPp9BCcMpz9XErIgsREwIiDd4hO4p4xk0irBlQ71t9zPAqHrl3pPuXNuTJO9a9ZU4b-xvlA&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email Roll Call: Bill Easing Seniors’ Wheelchair Upgrade Costs Clears Senate Legislation reversing a decade of Medicare payment policy that made it too expensive for many seniors to buy ultra-lightweight manual wheelchairs is on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk after the Senate quietly cleared it late Wednesday night. (Cohn, 10/1) https://rollcall.com/2026/10/01/bill-easing-seniors-wheelchair-upgrade-costs-clears-senate/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Gr6m9S2qBgF6OwIbWFQZ7EK5QhKu51Y6UO9EpAJUtmk81ca2hEdGa4UI0p2Xt2v4bWpnTp4MbFUuOu1Ew2D3wtgTYQg&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email Roll Call: Lame-Duck Effort Brewing To Protect NIH Grantmaking ​Senate appropriators from both parties are workshopping language that could be added to a spending bill to prevent the White House from exerting political influence on medical research grants. The provision would go into the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill that lawmakers hope to pass before stopgap funding expires Dec. 11. (Cohen, 10/1) https://rollcall.com/2026/10/01/lame-duck-effort-brewing-to-protect-nih-grantmaking/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-839zlfPwJQWf7_cVcvYCnKSwdTSgnm5ZeFhl_8cd2vwVBdE7qbhI3r8SuBUBTArcuT8yK3XldF6Vf92rPv7mOAs9X8hQ&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email The Hill: GOP Senators Call For DOJ Probe Into Chinese Role In Illegal Hemp, Cannabis Networks Four GOP senators who opposed the delay of a ban on intoxicating hemp products are calling on the Justice Department to investigate the role of Chinese criminal networks in America’s cannabis and intoxicating hemp markets. In a Wednesday letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche, the senators said Chinese criminal networks “are exploiting vulnerabilities in federal law to operate expansive illicit drug enterprises that threaten our communities and national security.” (Weixel, 10/1) https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6124215-gop-senators-probe-chinese-cannabis-markets/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--3h62wzAYsD6K-ZvRMwKE9aZmumXd5XUNhaPczOcMrk_PsoVGLSXjGERT7w9un2DPi2zAVn_tHVZHeJaE9FGig4pTKpQ&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email NBC News: Abdul El-Sayed Tries To Woo MAHA Voters As Democrats Seek Inroads With RFK’s Supporters A Democrat in one of the most competitive Senate races is making a play for the MAHA vote as some in the party seek to win over supporters of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s movement in the run-up to November’s elections. (Smith, Bendix and Tsirkin, 10/1) https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/abdul-el-sayed-woo-maha-voters-democrats-rfk-rcna600508?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8w0iriV-xzTIPDrtUFYK8c4xRLGME-vqmTpDKG1A_j2ejCyCkFsg1L1jINJdR4cFIdHWS17-cKOjHhMVvMvyjKVx9o7w&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email

BOTCHED EXECUTION (++++)

BOTCHED EXECUTION NBC News: Christa Pike Is In Critical Condition After Failed Execution In Tennessee, Her Lawyers Say Nearly 24 hours after Christa Pike was set to be put to death for a murder she committed when she was 18, she remains alive but in a critical condition and is receiving care, her lawyers said Thursday afternoon. Her prognosis is unclear, said Randall Spivey, one of her lawyers. Neither he nor another lawyer, Stephen Ferrell, who spoke with reporters, said he had seen her in the hospital. “We may never know what all she was suffering through, either because she can’t remember it, she can’t tell it, or it overwhelms her in such a way that, you know, sometimes pain and suffering affects people that way,” Ferrell said. (Cohen and Ortiz, 10/1) https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/christa-pike-critical-condition-failed-execution-tennessee-lawyers-say-rcna600992?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_wMeP20xohRoaXmvEfOUc_RrLFEX0guInrsBy9KcPt9dEcC-VCx0C8at2UufiaGx_-jBsSDMTupskpo1LINGvuE1TI1g&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email The New York Times: How Did Christa Pike Survive Two Lethal Injections Of Pentobarbital? The execution team went through at least seven needles trying to find a vein suitable for delivering doses of a lethal drug to Tennessee inmate Christa Pike, her lawyers said on Thursday. Ms. Pike, who survived the botched execution on Wednesday night, was left with blistering and burning around the intravenous insertion sites that the execution team ultimately used to deliver the drug, the lawyers added. (Mueller and Dewan, 10/1) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/science/pike-execution-pentobarbital.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9rVQWccMg0MV1rN_amco_tEuaNUL-OMwfeyRGFYYTXhR5ZTLeNMXq21TkehAN-tA0GNNQjkqhfbNj0I-zNzxlRrXj71A&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email The New York Times: Tennessee Botches One Execution After Another, Despite Repeated Warnings The failed attempt with Christa Pike has intensified bipartisan concerns about Tennessee’s ability to effectively carry out lethal injections. (Rojas, 10/2) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/02/us/tennessee-failed-executions-history.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--j5K08Ve9H0BSfTv-a5tp4lT2Kb1smTFsB33-khIpz76777DCaW6ZOYNMGlYyFTqmQlGuGIzHi5c1L8MDs7MN5hJJbzA&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email The Hill: Sen. Marsha Blackburn Calls On Tennessee To ‘Bring Back’ Electric Chair After Botched Christa Pike Execution Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Thursday called on Tennessee to reintroduce the electric chair for executions after death-row prisoner Christa Pike survived two lethal injections the day before. Blackburn, who is the GOP nominee in the Volunteer State’s gubernatorial race, called the botched execution “tragic” and said it prolonged the grief process for victims in this case. (Davis, 10/1) https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/6124214-marsha-blackburn-christa-pike-botched-execution-tennesseee/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9iIs3jhfcp3hNB2tAnzQIV3ad7YvpBa7SdokqZCVR5uNW1JK7bkRNO2YXUAxx1hf-Pp2iEUWr0Nw5W9O82DZ6FZTi1wQ&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email

The MAHA Metamorphosis Episode 465 • October 1, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/podcast/what-the-health-465-maha-movement-rfk-jr-trump-hhs-spending-october-1-2026/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--vVbTrRvrLyAmbjPPgzKVcnciXwMb6uKlOJBAsrcz_2GSpkFB3b-Uzt63Adr-RK9GAASC9WATtk1m7R96AiOwrEgTK6Q&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘What The Health?’: The MAHA Metamorphosis The big “Make America Healthy Again” summit at a glitzy Washington, D.C., hotel this week highlighted a split in the movement between moms who want pesticides and artificial ingredients out of their kids’ food and wellness entrepreneurs who want to promote their products to government regulators. Meanwhile, as the new fiscal year begins, the Trump administration is refusing for the second year in a row to spend hundreds of millions of dollars Congress approved for the Department of Health and Human Services — and daring lawmakers or the courts to try to do something about it. (Rovner, 10/1)

Midterms Have Revived Universal Healthcare Debate. These States Are Ahead of Everyone. By Markian Hawryluk Oct. 2, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/elections/single-payer-universal-healthcare-debate-midterms-oregon-proposal/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--iO6IvWsA3isGcZvwYFHQucfWM-krBHRtmcZsVjgW6PZQfDDEDnd4xrC4gWS8dvDipz5eWWnpz_yd84j7dPnGJ1NmP6w&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Midterms Have Revived Universal Healthcare Debate. These States Are Ahead Of Everyone Democratic congressional members and candidates are already planning to use any midterm election gains to expand health coverage, including boosting Affordable Care Act subsidies, reversing Medicaid cuts, and lowering the Medicare eligibility age. But Democratic strongholds across the country — including Oregon, California, New York, and Washington — have more ambitious goals: single-payer, universal healthcare systems. (Hawryluk, 10/2)

Patient Dies by Suicide After ‘Insurance Issue’ Delayed Medicine for Lung Disease Flare-Ups By Lauren Sausser Oct. 2, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/insurance-issue-delayed-copd-prescription-breathing-problems-suicide-texas/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9vK96QpXno9-ofNXYNfEa1u_uRbVHpATUveP0OjQcLM2_92w3R3KGNCJM31Q1Nc4Yry_QoRqAx-WOFaaqz1_tYzvxPrQ&_hsmi=442215183&utm_content=442215183&utm_source=hs_email KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES KFF Health News: Patient Dies By Suicide After ‘Insurance Issue’ Delayed Medicine For Lung Disease Flare-Ups Kenney Blewett was diagnosed with lung disease more than a decade ago but started experiencing flare-ups this year that made him feel like he couldn’t breathe. Blewett described those flare-ups as “the scariest thing in the world,” said his wife, Cindy, adding that while the episodes typically lasted no more than a few minutes, they had become more frequent. (Sausser, 10/2)

Another Win for HCT/P Manufacturers: Court Vacates and Remands FDA’s AXIOFILL Determination October 2, 2026 By Steven J. Gonzalez & Peter G. Dickos & Adrienne R. Lenz, Principal Medical Device Regulation Expert —

Another Win for HCT/P Manufacturers: Court Vacates and Remands FDA’s AXIOFILL Determination October 2, 2026 By Steven J. Gonzalez & Peter G. Dickos & Adrienne R. Lenz, Principal Medical Device Regulation Expert — On September 21, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia handed the regenerative medicine industry a significant win, vacating two key FDA determinations regarding MiMedx Group, Inc.’s wound-care product AXIOFILL. The decision, MiMedx Group, Inc. v. FDA, No. 1:24-cv-01287 (N.D. Ga. Sept. 21, 2026), addresses foundational questions about how FDA evaluates whether a human cell, tissue, and cellular and tissue-based product (HCT/P) is “minimally manipulated,” and whether the Agency can classify a product as a biological product when it has treated materially similar products as medical devices. Especially because FDA recently lost a similar case before a different district court, Vitti Labs, LLC v. FDA, No. 25-cv-011 (W.D. Mo. Mar. 18, 2026), motion to alter or amend judgment denied (Aug. 28, 2026), the ruling carries potentially broad implications for manufacturers of HCT/Ps, particularly those derived from placental tissue, as it would constrain FDA’s analytical framework and demand consistency in the Agency’s biologic vs. device classification decisions. https://www.thefdalawblog.com/2026/10/another-win-for-hct-p-manufacturers-court-vacates-and-remands-fdas-axiofill-determination/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=another-win-for-hct-p-manufacturers-court-vacates-and-remands-fdas-axiofill-determination

After Failed Execution, Health Workers Say State’s Rules Flout Medical Ethics By Catherine Sweeney, WPLN Sept. 29, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/death-penalty-lethal-injection-execution-doctors-tennessee-carruthers-christa-pike/

Viewpoints: Childhood GLP-1 Use Is A Way To Ward Off Future Health Problems; PCPs Charging For Emails Is Counterproductive

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-childhood-glp-1-use-may-prevent-future-organ-transplants-pcps-charging-for-emails-is-counterproductive/

Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/research-roundup-the-latest-science-discoveries-and-breakthroughs-80/

Clairity Breast Is The New AI Tool Helping Women Assess Breast Cancer Risk

Clairity Breast Is The New AI Tool Helping Women Assess Breast Cancer Risk The tool, which will be offered by digital health company Everlywell, will assess a woman's five-year breast cancer risk using a single mammogram image. The test will not be covered by insurance and will cost $249. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/reproductive-health-100126/

Gastroenterologists Top Specialty Starting Salaries This Year

Gastroenterologists Top Specialty Starting Salaries This Year While most physician specialties saw an increase in their average starting salary this year, the specialty that had the greatest year-over-year salary increase was urology, with a 22.5% increase, while gastroenterology had the highest average starting salary, according to an AMN Healthcare analysis. Also in the news: Luminis Health's MyChart is restored after a cyberattack; Epic Systems uses AI to help safeguard medical records; and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/health-industry-and-pharma/

High Cancer Rates In Iowa Due Mostly To Known Risk Factors, Report Shows

High Cancer Rates In Iowa Due Mostly To Known Risk Factors, Report Shows According to Iowa Public Radio, the state-funded report showed that 76% of the state's excess cases could be explained when controlled for risk factors like age, race, and alcohol and tobacco use, among others. This suggests that "prevention efforts targeting modifiable risk factors would reduce the number of excess cases of cancer in Iowa," the state with one of the highest rates of cancer in the country. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/state-watch-100126/

Students Across US Would Have To Part With Devices At School Under Proposed Legislation

Students Across US Would Have To Part With Devices At School Under Proposed Legislation Cellphone bans, intended in part to improve students' mental health, are already in place in most states. This bipartisan legislation would provide money for states to add secure storage spots to enforce bans. Students with special education or medical needs would be able to keep their devices. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/government-policy-100126/

Pennsylvania Logs Fifth Measles-Related Death Of A Person Who Wasn't Vaccinated

Pennsylvania Logs Fifth Measles-Related Death Of A Person Who Wasn't Vaccinated As the Keystone State copes with an expanding measles outbreak, health officials in California are monitoring a mumps outbreak at San Diego State University that has sickened 14 people. Meanwhile, Vaccines.gov, a website operated by the CDC that helps people find nearby places to get shots, is not working. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/outbreaks-and-health-threats-100126/

As Clock Hits Zero, Trump Wins Fight To Cancel $810M In Health-Related Funds; 100K Legal Immigrants Lose Medicaid

As Clock Hits Zero, Trump Wins Fight To Cancel $810M In Health-Related Funds; 100K Legal Immigrants Lose Medicaid On Wednesday, a single Republican senator successfully blocked Democrats' efforts to stop President Donald Trump's so-called pocket rescission. Trump can now slash congressionally approved funding for several programs that focused on immigrant services, gender transition, carbon emissions, and more, The Washington Post reported. In related news: Refugees, asylum seekers, and some immigrants with legal status lose Medicaid coverage as of today, Bloomberg reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/coverage-and-access-100126/

Woman On Tennessee Death Row Survives Two Lethal Injections

Woman On Tennessee Death Row Survives Two Lethal Injections Convicted murderer Christa Pike received two syringes of pentobarbital Wednesday night but did not lose consciousness, legal filings show. Pike still had a heartbeat and was snoring before she was taken to a hospital, The New York Times reported. Her medical condition was unclear this morning. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee ordered an investigation and postponed the state's one remaining execution scheduled for this year, USA Today reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/botched-execution-100126/

In Shanghai’s ‘Science City,’ China’s ascendant biotechs make their pitch to the world Inside Jefferies’ first investors conference in the metropolis: ‘It’s really blowing like everyone’s mind, right?’

https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/01/china-biotech-boom-jefferies-conference-shanghai/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--YBqppQ5TYrEwP46mLxsgueQlt-qThe9KBznjplpHrVddVI-uMdww6mGIYn-X1JvgZksst3f-PdJQj9bdigoe0oCzcBA&_hsmi=441959965&utm_content=441959965&utm_source=hs_email By Jason MastOct. 1, 2026 General Assignment Reporter A gaggle of investors. A shimmering “Science City.” And a surefire confidence that drug development in China is faster, cheaper, and more efficient than anywhere else in the world — including the United States. STAT’s Jason Mast flew to Shanghai to witness a two-day biotech summit that featured a frenzy of dealmaking as everyone tried to cash in on Chinese-designed drugs, which now make about a third of the world's pipeline and draw more than half of all licensing or collaboration deals. The Chinese Communist Party is confident that its drug developers will have at least five blockbuster drugs by 2030. Given all this, does the U.S. still have the scientific edge?

Trump administration appeals ruling blocking limits on international student visas

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.305059/gov.uscourts.mad.305059.53.0.pdf?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9MFeDAjICBPegzoh0Vj8Ld8Qdx8Lr4AYxlS3kN24BOV8-Wi2t0QYdz0cy9aKGVZv0z6makQ7FXdzlraG0YKtBFgx2Fxg&_hsmi=441959965&utm_content=441959965&utm_source=hs_email Trump administration appeals ruling blocking limits on international student visas The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday appealed a court ruling blocking it from restricting how long international students and postdoctoral researchers can remain in the United States. DHS is seeking to implement a four-year cap on how long these researchers can stay in the country, arguing that a longstanding policy that allowed them to remain for the length of their training promoted fraud. A coalition of academic groups sued the Trump administration, alleging that the policy violates federal law concerning the implementation of new regulations and would jeopardize the nation's scientific preeminence. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing DHS from implementing its four-year cap while the lawsuit moves forward. The administration is hoping that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit will overturn this injunction. — Jonathan Wosen Visa time limits on foreign Ph.D. students and postdocs will harm U.S. science, experts warn New rule would require Homeland Security approval for stays longer than four years https://www.statnews.com/2026/07/28/dhs-visa-policy-change-international-students-scientific-research-impact/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--HO74HiFUU2yUyqCm_bJNWXr66gpn72YpBu_KHEP4eramRuEZn86A6YLDyrUOmO5ssk2V25J5e8mrz7yhrlWWHRwCKXw&_hsmi=441959965&utm_content=441959965&utm_source=hs_email By Jonathan WosenJuly 28, 2026 West Coast Biotech & Life Sciences Reporter

Can a top Republican from a bygone political era fix pharma’s woes in Washington? Eric Cantor once led a GOP revolution. Now he’ll guide PhRMA through Trump’s

https://www.statnews.com/2026/10/01/eric-cantor-phrma-populist-drug-policy/ In the television show “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” there’s a recurring gag where the main characters destroy a cabbage seller’s cart, causing the heads to spill everywhere. It happens a lot. I wonder if Eric Cantor might relate to that cabbage seller right now, at least a little bit. The drug industry lobbying group PhRMA has tapped the former GOP House majority leader as pharma’s top voice in Washington, just as calls for lower drug prices and a change to the status quo reach a fever pitch. Cantor has tangled with populism before. He was seen as effective as the party’s “chief political strategist” during his time in Congress, but he couldn’t survive his brush with an insurgent, right-wing Republican, who unseated Cantor in 2014. Can he navigate better this time on behalf of pharma? By Daniel PayneOct. 1, 2026 Washington Correspondent

BOTCHED EXECUTION (++)

BOTCHED EXECUTION The New York Times: Tennessee Death Row Inmate Christa Pike Still Alive After Attempts To Execute Her, Lawyers Say A Tennessee woman convicted of murder survived two doses of lethal injection on Wednesday night before state officials suspended the execution and had her taken to a hospital for medical care, her lawyers said. It was the second botched execution in the state this year. ... It was not immediately clear what went wrong with the administration of the drugs, or what Christa Pike's medical condition was. In a statement late Wednesday, her lawyers said that she was at a nearby hospital but that they did not know her condition. Tennessee officials confirmed to a federal judge late Wednesday that Ms. Pike was receiving medical care. (Cochrane and Marimow, 10/1) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/us/christa-pike-stay-execution-tennessee.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9-MbYscZRnG44R3ZN5a94OqN1eVvWQ701ouHjcc6_a08IGUT9r0GCluj1DUkxm8QKoWr8G03NUoPV5vS6rwJOq9Gb2tQ&_hsmi=442015843&utm_content=442015843&utm_source=hs_email NPR: Tennessee’s Failed Execution Ignites A Medical Ethics Debate In May, a group of healthcare workers spent about an hour trying to establish complete IV access so they could inject Tony Carruthers, an inmate at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, with a lethal dose of sedative. Maria DeLiberato, an attorney for Carruthers, was in the room. She said the workers stuck his arms and feet with needles, to no avail. A doctor then tried to insert a central line through his collarbone and shoulder. That didn't work, either. (Sweeney, 10/30) https://www.npr.org/2026/09/30/nx-s1-5981250/tennessee-execution-tony-carruthers-christa-pike-medical-ethics-lethal-injection?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8LnqWZaLrsRmuTOuAJOddAvSaZgZmInI6azV4DD08y6I3vg_KQY12y8AiSm0wACrHooED2DF97HECg_vfVNMM_Jgv75Q&_hsmi=442015843&utm_content=442015843&utm_source=hs_email

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES (+++)

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES KFF Health News: Hospitals Have A Little-Known Tool To Prevent Medical Debt. Here’s How It Works If you have medical debt, there’s a good chance you owe money to a hospital. One way patients can avoid medical debt is through hospital financial assistance, also known as charity care. Most of the nation’s hospitals offer free or discounted medical care to patients with very high medical debt or low incomes. Getting financial assistance, however, can be challenging. Many patients don’t know that hospitals offer financial help, surveys show, and complex application forms leave others stymied. (Evans, 10/1) https://kffhealthnews.org/health-care-costs/medical-debt-hospital-bills-presumptive-eligibility-explainer-charity-care/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8a2_ox803KGU3pXBblWUVhE0H9FTehEHVsdiirtWjl3dk5sknuTy4PME8K2aMT7bLL574uCGPhsSrlu3vwhtjLMjPlwg&_hsmi=442015843&utm_content=442015843&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Healthcare Is Scary. Channel Your Fears Into A Haiku Something wicked this way comes, and it’s 5-7-5. Our annual Halloween haiku contest is back, and we’re once again summoning readers to turn the horrors of healthcare into three tiny lines of poetry. Surprise us with a verse about medical bills, insurance, hospitals, health policy, or whatever else keeps you up at night. Whether you’re inspired by a botched surgery, a ghastly charge, or insurance-induced existential dread, we want to read about it. Our newsroom’s panel of judges will choose their favorites, which we’ll share on our social channels. Winning haikus will be announced on Friday, Oct. 30. (10/1) https://kffhealthnews.org/news/halloween-haiku-contest-2026-scary-healthcare/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--QVUw3YdLKbrrZgrD03NEiI8i8NNpk6qED59HahH0o7XfwNj6W-agU4UdShgXMh2sUbXDBCdLR0XFqcQiGHe4bXwKYAg&_hsmi=442015843&utm_content=442015843&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’ Arielle Zionts reads the week’s news: If you’re an older patient taking a long list of medications, consider reviewing them with a primary care provider to make sure they’re helping more than hurting. Plus, states are experimenting with Medicaid meal deliveries to cut costs and improve patients’ health. (10/1) https://kffhealthnews.org/news/listen-to-the-latest-kff-health-news-minute/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9loCEPyz-bmSobcQDxFD2JTM8o8DRK7XdCmxJNSc8rx9EyxSxHmDz7H-uE2UDiKYNwdw9TiIkbiM0LSEYeuKkNlP3RKw&_hsmi=442015843&utm_content=442015843&utm_source=hs_email

Study Links Type 2 Diabetes With Higher Risk Of Cancer (++)

Study Links Type 2 Diabetes With Higher Risk Of Cancer A Danish study looked at 27 years of data and found an increase of cancers related to obesity, like colorectal cancer and postmenopausal breast cancer, in people with Type 2 diabetes, Newsweek reported. Between 2010 and 2022, obesity-related cancers were 45% higher in men and 30% higher in women with Type 2 diabetes than those without. Plus: birth control for men, BuzzBallz, peripheral artery disease, and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/public-health-093026/ Viewpoints: The Current State Of The World Is Wearing Down Our Health; Coal's Real Comeback? Black Lung Disease https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-the-current-state-of-the-world-is-wearing-down-our-health-coals-real-comeback-black-lung-disease/

GAO: Trump Can't Void Millions That Congress OK'd Spending On HHS Programs (+++)

GAO: Trump Can't Void Millions That Congress OK'd Spending On HHS Programs Following President Donald Trump's Friday announcement that he'd use a “pocket rescission” to cancel more than $800 million in spending approved by Congress for immigrant services and diversity-focused initiatives, the Government Accountability Office let lawmakers know that he's not allowed to withhold funds beyond the end of the fiscal year ending Wednesday, AP reported. Most of the cuts are aimed at Health and Human Services programs that serve refugees and unaccompanied minors accused of being in the country illegally. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/immigration-and-race-093026/ Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor Takes Helm At Powerful Pharma Lobby Group The trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has tapped Cantor, a Republican, as its next president, Politico reported. Also: Lawmakers urge the Trump administration to rethink a new federal rule that could keep Americans from getting Canadian meds. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/pharma-and-tech-093026/ Despite Safety Claims, Six Flags Shuts Down Thrill Ride Some Allege Caused Brain Injuries The X2 roller coaster at California's Magic Mountain was retired a week after three people sued Six Flags and S&S Worldwide, The New York Times reported. The companies previously settled lawsuits with the families of two people who died after riding the X2. Plus, an Ohio woman has sued Selby General Hospital and her doctors for gross negligence, battery, and reckless conduct after the wrong leg was amputated during surgery. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/state-watch-093026/

Health Secretary RFK Jr. Says AI Will 'Free Us From Medical Tyranny' (++)

Health Secretary RFK Jr. Says AI Will 'Free Us From Medical Tyranny' On Tuesday at a MAHA conference, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that artificial intelligence is "better informed than any doctor in the country." He also allegedly agreed with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who claimed it would be malpractice for a doctor to make a diagnosis without consulting AI, The New York Times reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/artificial-intelligence-093026/ Preventive Services' Guidance On Cervical Cancer Screening Was Quashed, Ex-Chair Says "Despite the efforts, the task force has been blocked from publishing even a single recommendation since July 2025," Michael Silverstein wrote in the Annals of Internal Medicine. "This means that primary care providers across the country may be following cancer, heart disease, or other prevention guidelines that are based on outdated evidence, and Americans are possibly being denied insurance coverage for highly effective services." https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/more-administration-news-093026/

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES (++++)

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES KFF Health News and AP: Rural MAHA Followers Say Trump Health Policies Haven’t Reached Their Communities President Donald Trump has championed sprawling health policy changes under the Make America Healthy Again movement, but a KFF-Associated Press survey of rural voters found people aren’t seeing the initiatives reach their communities. (Swenson, Tribble, and Sanders, 9/30) https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/kff-ap-poll-rural-voters-maha-make-america-healthy-again-local-impact-midterms/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--mCZg8wNam2KKOdNMSat2ew-bSh9dX9XSGK9RCrY0sdgOT70NMWBgORssX8AkQRY05v7FOhLdXs3V4WBCdPre-mXHN6w&_hsmi=441803617&utm_content=441803617&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Drugs Are Widely Used To Sedate Dementia Patients. Her Sons Wanted To Keep Her Off Them In December 2024, Marjorie Tingley’s adult sons received an urgent email from the dementia care unit at Vista Grande Villa, a Michigan senior living community. They were told that their 85-year-old mother was a major safety threat. On at least 10 days the previous month, Tingley had hit, kicked, or elbowed aides when they were trying to help change her briefs, get dressed, bathe, or go to the bathroom, according to Vista Grande behavior logs. Vista Grande wanted permission to sedate her. (Rau, 9/30) https://kffhealthnews.org/aging/dementia-drugs-antipsychotic-dangers-memory-care-seniors-alzheimers-michigan/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8amkn8j2btRbpAT64xxlhn7pfHY613va06Rq_24qHB2sgFRda2Hl9OQgrruAiWWY4qRZxMigg2akaEWC8KC4Vd2w_P1A&_hsmi=441803617&utm_content=441803617&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: US Poised To Boot Legal Immigrants From Medicaid, Including Refugees And Sex-Trafficking Victims Hundreds of thousands of immigrants with legal status are at risk of losing government health coverage starting Oct. 1, state data shows, signaling that the impact of Medicaid changes in President Donald Trump’s signature legislation from 2025 may be greater than anticipated. Many lawfully present immigrants will be among the first people to lose Medicaid coverage under congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is expected to cut spending by more than $900 billion through 2034 for the state-federal health program for people with low incomes or disabilities. The law will strip many more immigrants of their Affordable Care Act plan subsidies and Medicare coverage next year. (Galewitz, Jones and Boyd-Barrett, 9/30) https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/immigrants-kicked-off-medicaid-refugees-asylum-seekers-trump-big-beautiful-bill-cbo-2/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--eb3Ur0WyJ1q9CvijtiooQrlqVlKLhf-72KGeB-3WE6z8HDCobCItrgSnFGqGSM_O-ojlzDkdI_hlwzkBR28K60KEjuw&_hsmi=441803617&utm_content=441803617&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: These 100 Nursing Homes Face Perilous Flood Risk. Minnesota Shows What Can Happen Floodwater seeped through the nursing home’s front door just before sunrise. Inside the New Richland Care Center, staff members rushed to move 36 residents out of the building on Sept. 19 while they still could. They pushed elderly residents in wheelchairs through 4-inch-deep water to buses waiting in the parking lot, said nursing home administrator Robert Johannsen. (Kelman, Hacker, Chang, McLister and Rantala, 9/30) https://kffhealthnews.org/public-health/nursing-home-flood-risk-analysis-minnesota-evacuation/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-83DCLRY6Yd1K5dm0qNsKxjOjqCy9trXwZG5kv0X4LikRcnbjESAciPVgwgAro8C3WxMeQO9ZvCGBzCCf5ap_KVHMnFDw&_hsmi=441803617&utm_content=441803617&utm_source=hs_email

Advancing Regulatory Science (+++++) INFORMATION ABOUT FDA'S REGULATORY SCIENCE RESEARCH

Advancing Regulatory Science https://www.fda.gov/science-research/science-and-research-special-topics/advancing-regulatory-science?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Regulatory Science is a field of scientific research focused on developing the tools, standards, and approaches needed to generate the data and information on which FDA assesses the safety, efficacy, quality, and performance of FDA-regulated products. Advances in regulatory science are critical to support regulatory decision-making and to help enable the translation of discoveries in science and technology into safe and effective medical products. FDA: Overview of our Role Regulating and Approving Drugs | Video Series https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-consumers-and-patients-drugs/overview-our-role-regulating-and-approving-drugs-video-series?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA oversees prescription, generic, biosimilars, and over-the-counter drugs. Learn more. CDER Office of New Drugs- Regulatory Science Research https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/cder-offices-and-divisions/office-new-drugs-regulatory-science-research The Office of New Drugs (OND)-led regulatory science research projects are designed to address knowledge gaps identified during regulatory review of investigational or new drug applications. Learn more. CDER Office of Generic Drugs- Science and Research https://www.fda.gov/drugs/generic-drugs/science-research?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery The Office of Research and Standards within the FDA's Office of Generic Drugs (OGD) supports the Science and Research program established under the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments (GDUFA). In collaboration with industry and the public, FDA creates an annual list of its regulatory science initiatives on generic drugs. Learn more. Research Tools and Resources https://www.fda.gov/drugs/science-and-research-drugs/research-tools-and-resources?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Developing and sharing knowledge and scientific resources with researchers in the public and private sectors is at the heart of what CDER scientists do. Learn more.

A Novel Stratum-Specific Trial Design Improves Statistical Power for Rare Diseases with Heterogenous Clinical Symptoms September 22, 2026

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/regulatory-science-action/impact-stories?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery A Novel Stratum-Specific Trial Design Improves Statistical Power for Rare Diseases with Heterogeneous Clinical Symptoms Clinical trials for rare diseases face significant statistical challenges: small patient populations limit enrollment and the heterogeneous clinical presentations common to many rare diseases further reduce statistical power by making it difficult to identify a single primary endpoint applicable to all participants. Traditional trial designs either enroll all patients using uniform endpoints regardless of their symptoms or restrict enrollment to patients experiencing all symptoms under investigation — both approaches can substantially limit a trial's power. To address these challenges, CDER statisticians developed a novel stratum-specific trial design in which patients are grouped into subpopulations based on the symptoms they experience at baseline, and treatment efficacy is evaluated using only the endpoints relevant to each patient's subpopulation. Using computer simulations, researchers compared this design against traditional global test approaches and found substantial gains in statistical power for a given subpopulation size — meaning fewer total patients are needed to achieve the same level of evidence as a traditionally designed trial. When followed by the Hochberg method for multiple testing correction, the design also maintained reasonable power to draw conclusions about treatment effects on specific symptoms. The stratum-specific design has important limitations, including a weaker interpretation of significant global test results compared to traditional trials, and an assumption of well-defined, accurately categorized subpopulations at baseline that does not account for patient misclassification or post-randomization symptom changes. Despite these limitations, CDER researchers suggest this framework offers a valuable and flexible paradigm for rare disease drug development, with the potential to support more efficient clinical trials and strengthen the evidence base for regulatory approval of effective therapies. Sponsors are encouraged to explore this design further through FDA's Complex Innovative Trial Design Meeting Program and the LEADER 3D initiative. Advancing Regulatory Science https://www.fda.gov/science-research/science-and-research-special-topics/advancing-regulatory-science?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

C3TI Demonstration Program CDER Center for Clinical Trial Innovation (C3TI) (+...)

https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/cder-center-clinical-trial-innovation-c3ti/c3ti-demonstration-program?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery CDER Center for Clinical Trial Innovation (C3TI) Demonstration Program Fosters Early Engagement with Drug Developers on Innovative Clinical Trial Approaches The CDER Center for Clinical Trial Innovation (C3TI) Demonstration Program provides an opportunity for drug developers to test and scale the integration of innovative approaches to clinical trial design and conduct. In this program, clinical trial sponsors can engage early with CDER review teams and subject matter experts in a structured and direct manner on innovative trial elements. A key objective of the C3TI Demonstration Program is to share insights related to the innovative elements of selected trials with the broader clinical trial community. To support this goal, participating sponsors and FDA will agree on what aspects of the development program can be shared publicly. Generally, participating sponsors will be expected to share select details of their clinical trials and the implementation of innovative approaches as the trials progress. This may include updates and insights that focus on general principles and innovative aspects while maintaining the necessary confidentiality of proprietary or sensitive information. The Demonstration Program accepts projects on a rolling basis and is open to selected sponsors conducting innovative clinical trials under a pre-investigational new drug application (pre-IND) or IND with CDER. These trials should be intended to support new drug approvals or changes to approved drug labeling. C3TI currently has three demonstration project areas: Bayesian Statistical Analysis Selective Safety Data Collection Streamlined Trials Embedded in clinical Practice More information about C3TI and its demonstration program, including eligibility criteria and how to submit a proposal, is available on the C3TI webpage. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/cder-center-clinical-trial-innovation-c3ti?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

April - June 2026 | New Safety Information or Potential Signals of Serious Risks Identified by the FDA Adverse Event Monitoring System (AEMS) [Formerly FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)]

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fda-adverse-event-monitoring-system-aems/april-june-2026-new-safety-information-or-potential-signals-serious-risks-identified-fda-adverse

FDA Launches Nationwide Effort to Expand Scientific Expertise and Consumer Voices to Advisory Committees

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-launches-nationwide-effort-expand-scientific-expertise-and-consumer-voices-advisory-committees?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA Launches Nationwide Effort to Expand Scientific Expertise and Consumer Voices to Advisory Committees The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced a broad, nationwide recruitment effort to expand the range of qualified voices and perspectives on its advisory committees— the independent bodies that inform some of the most consequential decisions in American public health. As part of an effort to broaden and strengthen participation on its advisory committees, the FDA is publishing two Federal Register notices: one seeking qualified scientific, technical, and professional voting members across all committees with current or anticipated vacancies, and a companion notice seeking consumer representatives to ensure the public’s voice is at the table. “FDA advisory committees bring together leading scientific minds to engage with the most difficult questions in public health. We are actively inviting people from across the country who are on the forefront of their fields — clinicians, researchers, and community voices who can bring the latest science, real-world experience, and fresh perspectives to the FDA’s deliberations,” said Acting FDA Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Kyle Diamantas, J.D. “These panels provide independent expertise and rigorous scrutiny as the FDA navigates complex and rapidly evolving areas of science. The Trump Administration is deeply committed to strengthening the partnership between the FDA and the nation’s brightest minds. Advisory committees are a cornerstone of the FDA’s science-based, transparent regulatory process. These committees and panels bring together scientific experts such as physicians, researchers, biostatisticians, along with patient advocates and consumer representatives to evaluate the evidence on drugs, vaccines, biologics, medical devices, and other FDA-regulated products — providing independent recommendations that help the FDA make well-informed decisions on behalf of the American public. The FDA is recruiting qualified candidates for vacancies spanning multiple scientific domains — from oncology and cardiovascular medicine to neurology, genetics, and medical devices. Interested candidates — whether applying as scientific experts or as consumer representatives — are encouraged to begin the process through the centralized FDA Advisory Committee Membership Nomination application portal. Nominees for scientific and technical voting member positions must demonstrate subject-matter expertise relevant to one or more FDA advisory committees, the ability to interpret complex scientific and technical information, an understanding of the public health significance of issues before the committee, and the capacity to provide objective, independent advice. Nominees for consumer representative positions should have demonstrated affiliation with or active participation in consumer or community-based organizations, and the ability to analyze technical data, discuss benefits and risks, and evaluate product safety and efficacy from a public perspective. The FDA will consider nominations for current and anticipated near-term vacancies and will accept nominations on a continuing basis. To receive first consideration for current and near-term vacancies, nominations for consumer representative positions should be submitted no later than November 15, 2026, and nominations for scientific, technical, professional, and other voting-member positions should be submitted no later than November 30, 2026. Nominations received after these dates will be considered as later vacancies arise. Self-nominations are accepted. Members are invited to serve for terms of up to four years.

FDA Releases FY 2024 Pesticide Residue Monitoring Report (+... ...)

https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-releases-fy-2024-pesticide-residue-monitoring-report?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA Releases FY 2024 Pesticide Residue Monitoring Report September 30, 2026 Today, the FDA made available its annual Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report for Fiscal Year 2024, summarizing findings from FDA testing of human and animal foods for 781 different pesticides and selected industrial compounds from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024. Companies that grow, produce or manufacture food products sold in the U.S. must comply with applicable Environmental Protection Agency and FDA regulations. To protect public health, the FDA’s pesticide residue monitoring program tests FDA-regulated foods shipped in interstate commerce to determine whether they comply with pesticide tolerances, or maximum residue levels, set by EPA. If the FDA finds that the amount of pesticide residue detected on a food exceeds any existing tolerance, or has no established tolerance, the FDA will take action as appropriate. Monitoring focuses on raw agricultural foods of dietary importance (i.e., foods that comprise the greater part of the U.S. diet and can most contribute to pesticide exposure in people) and foods consumed in large amounts by infants and young children. Pesticide Residue Monitoring Report and Data for FY 2024 https://www.fda.gov/food/pesticides/pesticide-residue-monitoring-report-and-data-fy-2024?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Setting Tolerances for Pesticide Residues in Foods https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-tolerances/setting-tolerances-pesticide-residues-foods?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Pesticides are widely used in producing food. These pesticides may remain in small amounts (called residues) in or on fruits, vegetables, grains, and other foods. To ensure the safety of the food supply for human consumption, EPA regulates the amount of each pesticide that may remain in and on foods. This webpage briefly describes how EPA sets limits, called tolerances, for pesticide residues in foods and animal feeds. For FY 2024, findings show that the levels of pesticide chemical residues in the U.S. food supply are generally in compliance with EPA pesticide tolerances. Overall Findings Human Food Samples: 3,528 total samples (893 domestic food samples from 46 states and 2,635 import food samples from 76 countries/economies). 98.2% of domestic samples and 84.4% of import samples were compliant with federal regulations (below EPA tolerances). No pesticide chemical residues were detected in 36.8% of domestic samples and 36.5% of import samples. Historically, the violation rate for imported foods has been higher than for domestic foods, and the FY 2024 results continue that trend. This higher violation rate affirms the risk-based approach, which prioritizes for sampling, among other factors, imported food products that are more likely to contain violative pesticide chemical residues, and the countries more likely to export them. This may be based on past problem areas, findings from state and federal monitoring, and foreign pesticide usage data. Animal Food Samples: 306 total samples (153 domestic food samples from 24 states and 153 import samples from 13 countries). 93.5% of domestic samples and 91.5% of import samples were compliant with federal regulations (below EPA tolerances). No pesticide chemical residues were detected in 47.1% of domestic samples and 42.5% of import samples. Focused Sampling In FY 2024, the FDA conducted pesticide analyses for the “Domestically Produced Animal-Derived Foods” assignment. The FDA collected and analyzed 110 samples of selected animal-derived domestic foods, consisting of 29 milk, 34 shell egg, 19 honey and 28 game meat samples. No violative pesticide chemical residues were found in any of these foods, and 93.6% of the samples contained no pesticide residues. Pesticide Report Data Dashboard FY 2024 pesticide monitoring data are available to view on the FDA Pesticide Report Data Dashboard, a data visualization tool that enables users to interact with the tables and figures presented in the report and more directly view the data underlying the summaries. The FDA developed the dashboard in 2025 to support the agency’s commitment to transparency and enhancement of the food chemical safety program. The FDA plans to update the FDA Pesticide Report Data Dashboard next fiscal year to visualize multiple years of data. https://www.fda.gov/food/pesticides/fda-pesticide-report-data-dashboard?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Reports and Data https://www.fda.gov/food/pesticides/pesticide-residue-monitoring-program-reports-and-data?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Questions and Answers https://www.fda.gov/food/pesticides/pesticide-residue-monitoring-program-questions-and-answers?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Pesticides https://www.fda.gov/food/chemical-contaminants-pesticides/pesticides?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA Total Diet Study (TDS) https://www.fda.gov/food/reference-databases-and-monitoring-programs-food/fda-total-diet-study-tds?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

New federal autism committee head has financial ties to leucovorin STAT News | September 29, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/29/new-federal-autism-committee-head-has-financial-ties-to-leucovorin/ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has handed the reins of federal autism research to a doctor with a commercial stake in one of the administration’s favorite autism treatments. As STAT’s Amanda Erickson reports, the HHS secretary has installed pediatric neurologist John Gaitanis as chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, the panel that helps the federal government decide how to allocate roughly $2 billion in autism research.

RFK, Jr. likely violated federal ethics guidelines in accepting more than $4,275,000 in gifts and book advances from MAHA allies New York Times | September 29, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/29/rfk-jr-likely-violated-federal-ethics-guidelines-in-accepting-more-than-4275000-in-gifts-and-book-advances-from-maha-allies/ Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accepted $4 million in book advances and more than $270,000 in gifts over the past year from close allies working to advance his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda, according to his latest financial disclosure. Ethics experts say the arrangements may violate federal rules barring officials from profiting from their positions, as The New York Times’ Christina Jewett and Sheryl Gay Stolberg report. https://www.nytimes.com/by/christina-jewett

The exploding controversy over AI’s built-in survival drive Peter Marshall | September 29, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/29/the-exploding-controversy-over-ais-built-in-survival-drive/ In controlled safety tests described earlier this year, researchers asked AI models to solve a series of simple math problems. Partway through the exercise, the instructors warned the bots that if they tried to solve the next problem, the computer environment they were operating in would be shut down. In some runs, the shutdown occurred as specified. In others, models interfered with the shutdown script and continued with the remaining problems.

The last ‘breakthrough’ devices to get special treatment from Medicare After this month, devices with this FDA label must demonstrate substantial clinical improvement for extra Medicare payments

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/29/fda-breakthrough-medical-devices-special-treatment-medicare/ By Katie PalmerSept. 29, 2026 Health Tech Correspondent

Drug pricing, Medicaid, and research funding: The key policy issues at stake in the midterms November’s elections could reshape key health care debates in Washington

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/29/healthcare-industry-midterm-elections-analysis/ By Daniel PayneSept. 29, 2026 Washington Correspondent

Federal Bill Takes Aim at Private Equity’s Role in Healthcare Randy Dotinga

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/federal-bill-takes-aim-private-equitys-role-healthcare-2026a100100o?src= As Oregon goes, so goes the nation. That’s the hope of a Democratic US senator who wants to limit private equity’s role in healthcare via legislation modeled on the Beaver State’s strict policies. The Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act, introduced this month by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and congressional colleagues, aims to tightly control who can own a medical practice or contract for medical services. “It is a federal override,” said Chicago attorney John Saran, JD, a partner with the law firm of Holland & Knight. “These legislators think the Oregon model is what is needed right now.”

Is Being a Millennial Doctor Actually Harder Financially Than Being a Boomer Doctor Was? Jennifer Nelson

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/being-millennial-doctor-actually-harder-financially-than-2026a100109m For as long as millennial physicians have been telling their older colleagues that medicine feels harder now, older physicians have had a ready response: We had it harder. We just didn’t complain about it. It’s become one of medicine’s most durable generational arguments — and, like most durable arguments, it’s rarely been tested against actual numbers.

Junior Doctors Work 57 Hours a Week: Is This Sustainable? Petra Kittner

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/junior-doctors-work-57-hours-week-this-sustainable-2026a10010bg How satisfied are doctors at the start of their careers with their work, continuing education, and personal lives? The REST JD Report, published in 2025 by the European Junior Doctors Association (EJD), provides a Europe-wide overview using a standardized methodology. The survey included doctors in specialty training in 26 countries. A total of 6165 responses were received, of which 5831 responses from 19 countries met the specified response rates and were included in the analysis. The participants were 29 years old on average, and 80% were in the first 4 years of their training.

Canada: Physician Compensation Report 2026 Edited by Erik Greb

https://www.medscape.com/p11/canada-physician-compensation-report-2026-2026a1000zpg Medscape recently surveyed 363 full-time practicing physicians in Canada about compensation and the financial realities of medical practice. General practitioners and specialists described their average 2025 compensation, but their perceptions of its fairness varied. Respondents also described the time and financial demands that shaped how they viewed their compensation.

Viewpoints: Is This The Answer To Ever-Increasing Healthcare Costs?; AI's 'Pretend Empathy' Is A Dangerous Illusion

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-is-this-the-answer-to-ever-increasing-health-care-costs-ais-pretend-empathy-is-a-dangerous-illusion/

Most Blood Work Does Not Require 8-Hour Fasting, New Research Shows

Most Blood Work Does Not Require 8-Hour Fasting, New Research Shows The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, showed that glucose and lactate were significantly lower per additional hour of fasting, while lipid results showed no change from more hours of fasting. The new findings support more targeted fasting requirements over a more standardized practice, MedPage Today reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/pharma-and-tech-092926/

H. Pylori, HPV, Hepatitis B, And Other Infections Linked To Millions Of Cancer Cases In 2024, Study Finds

H. Pylori, HPV, Hepatitis B, And Other Infections Linked To Millions Of Cancer Cases In 2024, Study Finds The study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was published Monday in Lancet Oncology. It shows that infection control could significantly reduce the number of worldwide cancer cases. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/public-health-092926/

Come 2027, Veterans Prescribed Psychotropic Substances Must Provide Written Consent

Come 2027, Veterans Prescribed Psychotropic Substances Must Provide Written Consent The new policy applies to veterans younger than 30 and is intended to ensure people seeking mental health treatment understand the risks and benefits of antidepressants. Veterans' groups also want lawmakers to pass the Written Informed Consent Act, which would impose even stricter standards on VA hospitals, The New York Times reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/veterans-healthcare-092926/

Toxic Effects In The Air And On The Ground Lingered Long After Maui Wildfires Were Extinguished, Study Finds

Toxic Effects In The Air And On The Ground Lingered Long After Maui Wildfires Were Extinguished, Study Finds New research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday found higher metal levels, associated with respiratory harm, in nearby residents up to a year and a half after the deadly 2023 fires, AP reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/state-watch-092926/

CMS Expects Medicare Advantage Premium Costs To Decline Over 16% Next Year

CMS Expects Medicare Advantage Premium Costs To Decline Over 16% Next Year The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also predicts MA prescription drug premiums will decrease by 38% year-over-year, Fierce Healthcare reported. Meanwhile, Medicare Advantage enrollment numbers are expected to fall next year. Medicare Open enrollment begins Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/health-industry-092926/

More Than Half Of Pennsylvania Counties Report Measles As Case Count Tops 900

More Than Half Of Pennsylvania Counties Report Measles As Case Count Tops 900 Adults ages 25 to 49 make up the bulk of the case count, public health officials say. The country as a whole has seen more than 3,600 cases this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Plus, Stat examines why some parents are so critical of vaccines. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/outbreaks-092926/

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AP: Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court To Allow Restrictions On Transgender Inmates' Medical Care The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to let it enforce, for now, restrictions on gender-affirming care in federal prison. The emergency appeal comes after lower courts blocked officials from immediately carrying out the policy adopted after an executive order from President Donald Trump. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the government to continue providing gender-affirming care like hormone therapy. (Whitehurst, 9/28) https://apnews.com/article/transgender-inmates-prison-hormones-surgery-trump-c8ac248e47fe1c36a9671dfff05132b8?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ZeN980FZgzk2EpgfWaWma6tXljT2EeyUnqqg5StoXkYs_2Y3bmerfLLwY-LvGkSUPO7_NPBn77KK6wR7N3auvsuCm-g&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email The Washington Post: Education Department Officially Scraps Biden-Era Title IX Rules The Education Department will scrap Biden-era Title IX rules that sought to bolster nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, officials announced Monday, marking a return to rules from the first Trump administration. The regulations, initially released in 2020, outline how schools must handle reports of sexual misconduct, including setting a stricter definition for what constitutes sexual harassment and giving more due process rights to those accused. The rules, which take effect Tuesday, will not change much for schools. The Trump administration has been enforcing its own rules, including targeting schools that allow transgender athletes to play on girls’ and women’s sports teams, since the president took office last year. (Lumpkin, 9/28) https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/09/28/education-department-officially-scraps-biden-era-title-ix-rules/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9jwRu4d_JxZRTfO-4BU0LSEqqg3wrieL5MA82-qnN-HlII5Skxn2a4kK5wkXNjni2tl9Mn9YmYeaTywCsSbt-xQE-eXw&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email ProPublica: This White House Plan Threatens Funding For Disabled Voters Without Amy Miller, some elderly and disabled people wouldn’t be able to vote. The attorney for Disability Rights Nebraska travels the state, investigating the quality of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. As she reminds the residents how they can report abuse or neglect, she also offers voter registration forms. Last month, she helped a veteran with a traumatic brain injury fill out change-of-address paperwork so he could vote in the upcoming midterm elections. “He 100% knew who he wanted to vote for,” Miller said, but he struggled to write with a pen. (Song, 9/29) https://www.propublica.org/article/disabled-voters-nonprofit-funding-cuts-omb?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--GV9hwBKHKzMfXY2sCD1EML7389Xs_3LLl4f9jVq-NzM1M5Cq8CEzcDvyn-wO-Lb6Dpm4VJL0HJXntup_LVC43115vIA&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email Politico: Vance, RFK Jr. And 'Iron' Mike To Headline MAHA Summit Vice President JD Vance and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will speak for the second year in a row Tuesday at an event organized by Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again allies in Washington. Vance and Kennedy will close the all-day event with a “fireside chat,” according to the agenda. They will talk about MAHA’s “accomplishments, its regulatory reform agenda and its priorities for the year ahead,” according to the organizers. (Paun, 9/28) https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/28/vance-rfk-tyson-hines-maha-summit-01095218?utm_campaign=KHN:+First+Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--iRNpRaWrkS19wnNlb8lJDWUoZEmWEaFrsRdAGZtwDuP4bepE6t55r2dHa3TmVevkJuhJ6rWn0BM6GYsChBpDX1rcgJQ&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email

Confusion and Angst Follow State’s Early Rollout of Medicaid Work Rules By Aaron Bolton, MTPR Sept. 29, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/medicaid/medicaid-work-rules-requirements-worries-dropped-coverage-montana/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--COq2MH4Sbb3H1vQQoNNSguz8c83isOvUV2HIrHBzWSKwhaY4m7Lg2aMyEnsY6JqDS1U5QobdS63NbFSSAkUH-zaSFvg&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Confusion And Angst Follow State's Early Rollout Of Medicaid Work Rules Bethany Zulick went back to school in January to become a high school English teacher. Years ago, she taught English as a second language overseas and loved it. “It’s so exciting to me to watch someone learn a new word or have that spark of understanding,” she said. Zulick knew she could earn enough money as a substitute teacher to make going back to school financially viable — except for the cost of health insurance. She didn’t want to risk being una

After Failed Execution, Health Workers Say State’s Rules Flout Medical Ethics By Catherine Sweeney, WPLN Sept. 29, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/death-penalty-lethal-injection-execution-doctors-tennessee-carruthers-christa-pike/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--OSoPucaoX76yRctv155uwOQw4sj36BClFfcxozwLLTVDM5zwgJi7C0LKrmMiGuMYMLoto-0X1hXZmfaGsWweUXHYCpQ&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: After Failed Execution, Health Workers Say State’s Rules Flout Medical Ethics In May, a group of healthcare workers spent about an hour trying to establish complete IV access so they could inject Tony Carruthers, an inmate at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Tennessee, with a lethal dose of sedative. Maria DeLiberato, an attorney for Carruthers, was in the room. She said the workers stuck his arms and feet with needles, to no avail. A doctor then tried to insert a central line through his collarbone and shoulder. That didn’t work, either. (Sweeney, 9/29)

She Left After Waiting Hours in the Emergency Room. The ER Billed Her Anyway. By Michelle Andrews Sept. 29, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-care-costs/emergency-room-not-treated-still-charged-illinois-bill-of-the-month-september-2026/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_hayxIIXc3xGcba0nbgmwTpEXrWK1KipxaYrEOsl08FSrdWNwLt-bRMXeEFLkZKQm7pKP7NzA8rimlrRxMCLrCzYNKdQ&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: She Left After Waiting Hours In The Emergency Room. The ER Billed Her Anyway Autumn Daniels is no stranger to migraine headaches, which have troubled her since childhood. The migraine tormenting the 32-year-old in April was even worse than usual. After a week of piercing head pain, she went to an urgent care center near her home in Champaign, Illinois, and received an injection of Toradol, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that usually helps with her symptoms. The doctor at the clinic told her that if the pain didn’t improve, she should go to an emergency room the next day. (Andrews, 9/29)

Claude discovers a novel enzyme system with CRISPR-like repeats Sep 23, 2026

https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-discovers-novel-enzyme-system?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9cPLBMSEcYlQsQlvZMauLelxN7kxpV5X5Iu0ifgjeQaGIeEQkqGWDlyBgMh86OcuCqZbnIapQKkrJaKqZDPSDXjuRnpg&_hsmi=441235571&utm_content=441235571&utm_source=hs_email About Claude’s newest scientific ‘breakthrough’ … Claude discovered the next CRISPR … or did it? Anthropic last week announced that Claude had found a new enzyme system with a series of repeats in DNA, saying that it was “a pattern reminiscent of CRISPR.” CRISPR is the technology that research scientists use in the laboratory to modify the DNA of living organisms. It was adapted from naturally occurring editing systems found in bacteria. But some experts have been disappointed by the way Anthropic is marketing this discovery. “Finding a weird cluster of genes and repeats is often the easy part,” wrote Lucas Harrington, co-founder of Preventive and Mammoth Biosciences, who earned his Ph.D. in the lab of CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna. “The hard part, and where the real discoveries come from, is figuring out what the system actually does.” Anthropic itself says that it does not yet know what this system’s function is, meaning there’s still a possibility that it’s nothing. While it is helpful that Anthropic is sharing this early in its discovery process, and the project illustrates how AI might be useful in scientific pursuits, it’s hard not to feel like this is marketing for Claude’s scientific capabilities as Anthropic approaches its long-awaited IPO. Who corrects all these feel-good headlines if, after lab investigations, it turns out to have no value? — Brittany Trang https://x.com/CRISPR_LuCas/status/2102878373160906938?s=20&utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-88ss6G1WoOrFW2yZCMeaapZgmnClgbG2cP9-sAvcPTrVsBD8QkgwBCPCMPyqTA03fiDiVKkJv8rZ8KbQNdA3YrMX7Zqg&_hsmi=441235571&utm_content=441235571&utm_source=hs_email

Trump administration uses rare authority to claw back nearly $1B in spending approved by Congress Most of the cuts are focused on HHS programs that serve refugees, unaccompanied minors

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/25/trump-administration-cancel-spending-hhs-programs/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_WEyGOgLTB7QhA_QlGylBlx_6doGXBNgj8hGaq6UKmThusr-fTMPK4iEfsSQ4pu4zRRJBEo-21bsBRzjv58FW0GrYgHw&_hsmi=441235571&utm_content=441235571&utm_source=hs_email By Associated PressSept. 25, 2026 Trump uses ‘contested’ power to cut more funding to HHS Late Friday night, the Trump administration clawed back nearly $1 billion in spending approved by Congress. It targeted several HHS programs focused on immigrants and diversity, including a study on barriers to primary care among people of color, a project on racism in emergency medicine, and money to improve access to transgender care for youth of color in rural areas. The administration cancelled the spending using something known as a “pocket rescission,” which the AP described as a “rare and contested power.” The Office of Management and Budget said the cuts focused on “the most harmful government spending.” But in a fiery statement, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), pushed back, calling the rescission another attempt by OMB to “undermine Congress’s Constitutional power of the purse.”

AI is eroding the barriers that kept biological weapons rare A genetic blueprint created by AI can become an actual pathogen in weeks

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/28/ai-bioweapons-pathogens-guardrails-policy-warning/ By Ashish K. JhaSept. 28, 2026 Jha, a former White House Covid-19 response coordinator, is a senior fellow at the Belfer Center at Harvard Kennedy School. He is also co-founder and CEO of BioRadar, a public benefit company that builds systems to detect biological threats.