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U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Sheldon Whitehouse have launched a
bipartisan investigation into the involvement of private-equity firms in
the nation's healthcare sector. The inquiry focuses on private-equity
deals affecting hospital systems and aims to assess the financial
arrangements and potential harm to patients and clinicians. The
investigation aims to understand the impact of private-equity firms on
healthcare delivery, patient care, and safety.
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An outbreak of Rocky Mountain spotted fever has been reported in
Southern California, causing at least five illnesses, including three
deaths, since July. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) warns healthcare providers to consider immediate treatment with
the antibiotic doxycycline for patients with symptoms of
Rocky Mountain
spotted fever who have recently traveled to northern Mexico, where the
tickborne disease is endemic.
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The Biden administration is considering overriding patents for
high-priced drugs developed with taxpayer money, allowing competitors to
produce their versions to reduce costs. The move is part of the
administration's broader efforts to address drug pricing issues, and it
signals a willingness to use "march-in rights" to challenge drug patents.
Pharmaceutical companies, including the lobbying firm Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), argue that such actions
would hinder innovation and collaboration between the public and private
sectors.
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The PrEPVacc prevention study, a significant HIV vaccine trial, has
ceased its vaccine component due to disappointing results in
preventing HIV. The trial, which evaluated two experimental HIV vaccines
alongside a new form of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), involved
1,500 volunteers in Uganda, Tanzania, and South Africa. The failure is a
setback in the decades-long pursuit of an effective HIV vaccine.
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The Biden administration has once again delayed the ban on menthol
cigarettes, pushing the implementation to at least March, with
expectations that it will take years for menthol products to be removed
from store shelves. Public health organizations, including the American
Heart Association, have been advocating for a menthol ban for over a
decade, citing its role in contributing to tobacco-related diseases and
disproportionately affecting Black Americans.
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