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The U.S. child homicide rate has been increasing around 4% each year since 2013, but skyrocketed by 28% during the first year of the pandemic. (JAMA Pediatrics)
Firearm injuries among kids also surged by 52% during COVID, according to a research letter in JAMA Pediatrics.
An independent review of the FDA’s efforts on tobacco enforcement said the agency has fallen short in regulating the entry of illegal vaping products onto the market, calling for a major effort to remove these products. (Washington Post)
A Massachusetts court ruled against medically-assisted death for patients with terminal illnesses, saying it’s not protected by the state constitution. (AP)
Average hours worked by physicians declined nearly 8% in the last two decades, from around 53 to 49 hours per week. (JAMA Internal Medicine)
Although it’s still subject to change, congressional leaders have reached a deal to ease Medicare pay cuts, change post-pandemic Medicaid policy, and fund pandemic preparedness in a health package they’ll aim to pass with the government spending bill on Friday. (STAT)
A U.S. appeals court ruled that the Biden administration cannot mandate government contractors to require their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19. (Reuters)
Amid a severe respiratory virus season, CVS and Walgreens have placed limits on purchases of kids’ pain and fever medicines. (NBC News)
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, said that the current antibiotic shortage in the U.S. “isn’t like what we had with baby formula,” as it’s due to a unexpected surge in demand and not supply-chain issues. (The Hill)
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, more people in North Carolina are training to become abortion doulas. (NPR)
Doctors in some states that have strict regulations on abortion say they’ve seen a rise in vasectomies since Roe was overturned. (NPR)
A non-profit organization helped a child with KIF1A-associated neurological disorder (KAND) — a rare genetic illness — access personalized medicine. What will happen to the millions of others with rare diseases? (New York Times)
The FDA lifted a clinical hold on bluebird bio’s gene therapy candidate for sickle cell disease that’s being studied in patients under 18. (Endpoints News)
The agency also approved Abbott’s Eterna, the smallest implantable, rechargeable spinal cord stimulation device on the market for chronic pain, the company announced.
A new class of weight loss drugs — such as Eli Lilly’s tirzepatide (Mounjaro) or Novo Nordisk’s semaglutide (Wegovy) — could be a game-changer for patients with obesity. But at a high price tag, these drugs could also exacerbate health inequity. (Washington Post)
We may be overlooking the spread of COVID-19 in one very large group — wild animals. (The Atlantic)
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