| | | | | | | | | | | Axios Vitals | | By Tina Reed · Aug 19, 2022 | | Happy Friday, Vitals readers! Today's newsletter, which is 849 words or a 3-minute read. | | | | | | 1 big thing: Anti-abortion pregnancy centers are expanding in the post-Roe era |  | | | Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios | | | | As abortion bans shutter clinics across the country, "crisis pregnancy centers" led by anti-abortion advocates see an opening to expand into the reproductive care void, Axios' Oriana Gonzalez writes. Why it matters: With promises of free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, health providers and abortion rights advocates say the non-profit centers falsely imply they provide medical care. - That further limits patients' ability to get accurate information and timely care in the post-Roe landscape, health experts and abortion rights advocates say — and the centers often are subsidized by state funding.
Driving the news: The centers are expanding in states that have restricted or banned abortion — at least 14 of which provide them with public dollars through "Alternatives to Abortion" state programs. - For example, the Guiding Star Project network, an anti-abortion association based in Minnesota, has seven centers and recently launched an "aggressive expansion" plan to open around 20 more. Two of their existing centers are going through the process of becoming medically licensed so that they can offer OB-GYN care. They will not offer abortion or contraception care.
- Another group, the Pregnancy Center of the Coastal Bend, is opening a $10 million, 20,000-square-foot facility near Texas A&M University's Corpus Christi campus, offering a sonogram room and counseling office along with a coffee shop and a "man cave," the Washington Post first reported. The center's director told the Post she could not afford to hire doctors.
The big picture: The Charlotte Lozier Institute, an anti-abortion research organization, found that most of the centers' staff are not health professionals. A majority of the facilities do not have medical licenses. - Health experts say the centers often violate principles of medical ethics by misleading patients.
Go deeper. |     | | | | | | 2. COVID costs could fall on insurers, consumers |  | | | Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios | | | | Consumers should prepare to soon pay for COVID-19 treatments and vaccines as the federal government prepares to shift costs back to health insurers, Axios' Arielle Dreher writes. Driving the news: HHS has a meeting scheduled later this month with drugmakers, pharmacies, and state health departments to address the changes, the Wall Street Journal reports. "We've known at some point we'd need to move over into the commercial market, and we're approaching that time now," said Dawn O'Connell, assistant secretary at HHS for preparedness and response, per the WSJ. - White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha said earlier this week the Biden administration will stop buying vaccines, treatments and tests as early as this fall, CNN reported.
Zoom in: Even as the administration appears to be extending the public health emergency, it's also been signaling its desire to move out of crisis mode — though that may not be easy. - "There are issues of reimbursement, equitable access to vaccines and treatment, and distribution that need to be resolved," Anne McDonald Pritchett, senior vice president at Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, told the WSJ.
Our thought bubble: Timing of the cost shift will be crucial. With new boosters rolling out this fall, it might significantly impact the number of people willing to roll up their sleeves if consumers have to pay. Related: Everyone over 12 expected to be eligible for new boosters, White House official says | | | | | | | | 3. Advanced cervical cancer rate jumps in U.S. | | The incidence of advanced cervical cancer in the U.S. has jumped fastest among younger women and white women, according to a study published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. Why it matters: While still considered rare, advanced or stage IV cervical cancer has an approximate five-year survival rate of less than 20%, with limited treatment options. By the numbers: In the analysis of nearly 30,000 women with advanced cervical cancer, researchers found Black women have a higher incidence, 1.55 per 100,000, of advanced disease compared with white women (.92/100,000). - White women in the south ages 40–44 have the steepest rise in advanced cervical cancer at about 4.5% annually.
Between the lines: Increasing rates of obesity and older age at first birth could be contributing to the rise in this type of cervical cancer, researchers said. - White women have a nearly two-fold higher rate of missed or lack of guideline screening and have lower HPV vaccination uptake, they said.
| | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Your guide to communicating effectively | | |  | | | | Learn how to communicate more effectively with Axios' new book, Smart Brevity. Axios' co-founders share their secrets for the power of saying more with less. Pre-order today and enter to participate in a workshop with the authors. Details at smartbrevity.com | | | | | | 4. Catch up quick |  | | | A robot arm collects COVID-19 swab samples as part of a demonstration during the 2022 World Robot Conference in Beijing Thursday. Photo: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images | | | | 💉 The Biden administration is speeding up its monkeypox vaccine distribution effort, federal health officials said Thursday. (Axios) 🦻 Well, that was fast. Days after the FDA made a move toward getting hearing aids available over the counter, retailers are flocking to get devices in stock. (Forbes) 🗣 1 fun thing: Scientists say COVID may be changing the way we hear language. I thought that sounded a bit far-fetched until I listened to the audio samples demonstrating their claims. (Quartz) 🤬 Some patients have had to sell their homes while other drained their retirement accounts. Here's a look at the human toll of America's medical debt problem. (KHN) | | | | | | | | 5. Dog of the week |  | | | J-Lo. Photo: Caitlin Owens. | | | | Meet J-Lo, a lab redbone coonhound mix currently being fostered by Axios' own Caitlin Owens and her fiancé Luke. - We're not saying she's a diva, but ... we've heard she convinced Caitlin to break the "no dogs on the couch" rule and has very specific requirements such as being allowed to carry shoes and remote controls around in her mouth. Here's her adoption page.
| | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Your guide to communicating effectively | | | | | | | | Learn how to communicate more effectively with Axios' new book, Smart Brevity. Axios' co-founders share their secrets for the power of saying more with less. Pre-order today and enter to participate in a workshop with the authors. Details at smartbrevity.com | | |  | | Why stop here? Let's go Pro. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon Blvd, Arlington VA 22201 | | | You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios.
Change your preferences or unsubscribe here. | | | Was this email forwarded to you?
Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox. | | | | Follow Axios on social media:    | | | | | |
No comments:
Post a Comment