Title: Daily Health News Roundup: Measles Death in Texas, Bird Flu Outbreak, Suicide Rates Among Female Doctors, NIH Funding Proposal, Long Covid Response, UnitedHealth Investigation
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Can you believe the temperature in Boston hit the 50s yesterday? It’s the first false start to spring, and I’m sure that there are more cold days ahead of us. But still, it was so, so sweet.
A child has died from measles in Texas
A “school-aged child” in Texas has died from measles, officials announced yesterday. It’s the first death from the disease in the U.S. since 2015. We know that the child wasn’t vaccinated, but other details like their gender, exact age, and previous health status have not been disclosed. So far, 18 people have been hospitalized in this outbreak of what STAT’s Helen Branswell writes is one of the most infectious diseases known to humankind.
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared to try to downplay the news in a press conference yesterday, noting that “we have measles outbreaks every year.” Read more from Helen on the case.
What USDA’s bird flu plan says about Trump’s approach
And in other infectious disease news: The USDA announced yesterday an additional $1 billion to help the country’s poultry industry fight the accelerating outbreak of H5N1 bird flu that has devastated farmers and driven the price of eggs to record highs.
STAT readers already know that bird flu has been a problem in the country’s dairy cows for close to a year, since the first outbreak was confirmed in Texas last March. But the USDA plan does not include any additional efforts to curb the spread among cattle, signaling that the Trump administration is approaching the disease as primarily an issue of economic concern, STAT’s Megan Molteni and Helen Branswell write.
But it’s more than economics: The ongoing spread among cows has raised fears that bird flu could become an endemic pathogen in a species that has considerable contact with people — which then would increase the odds that it could evolve in ways that make it easier to spread among people. Read more from Megan and Helen.
Female docs at higher risk for suicide, study says
Between 2017 and 2021, female physicians died by suicide at more than 1.5 times the rate of females in the general public, according to a study published yesterday in JAMA Psychiatry. The rates were significantly higher before the Covid-19 pandemic began, but comparable after, the study authors write. In the same time period, male doctors died by suicide at lower rates than men in the general public. Out of everyone in the study who died by suicide, physicians were more likely to have experienced depressed moods, mental health issues, and legal problems than non-physicians.
It’s a commonly-cited statistic that doctors die by suicide at twice the rate of the general population. And while there’s persistent evidence that medical professionals, especially doctors, suffer poor mental health broadly at higher rates than the public, the evidence on suicide rates specifically has varied. Many studies use older data, and there’s a powerful stigma around mental illness in medicine, making suicides particularly difficult to track. (This study used data from the National Violent Death Reporting System to analyze the deaths.)
The Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Act, passed by Congress in 2022 in honor of a physician who died by suicide, aimed to support health care workers’ mental health needs. It expired last year, and Congress has yet to reauthorize it.
The apples and oranges of academic research funding
Two weeks ago, the NIH released a bombshell proposal to cap what it pays research grant recipients for overhead costs (indirect costs) at 15% of the grant amount. While that’s a fraction of what most universities receive from the federal government, it’s close to what private foundations pay for indirect costs — part of the justification put forth by the NIH in making the change.
But several scientific funding experts told STAT’s Anil Oza that the comparison isn’t a fair one. Part of it is historical precedent, as universities have come to rely on federal funding — and accept less than is needed from private sources because of that. On top of that, sometimes a private foundation will allow researchers to label certain costs as “direct” that the government would deem “indirect.” Read more from Anil on the distinctions between private and public funding for academic research.
What’s next for long Covid sufferers?
In December 2020, at the end of President Trump’s first term, Congress allocated $1.15 billion to the NIH for research on the lasting health consequences of Covid-19. Now, a little more than four years later, Trump has disbanded the HHS secretary’s Advisory Committee on Long COVID. In a new First Opinion essay, physician Steven Phillips argues that the decision could signal the end of meaningful federal involvement in fighting the disease for millions of long Covid sufferers.
But it’s not only a Trump thing, Phillips says. The demise of the committee “encapsulates the strikingly unproductive federal government long Covid track record of the past four years,” he writes. Read more on what Phillips sees as the admittedly bleak outlook for the long Covid ecosystem in today’s political environment.
Another member of Congress pushes for action on UnitedHealth
Following complaints from constituents, a New York congressman is launching an examination of UnitedHealth Group’s management of large physician groups in the state’s Hudson Valley region. The inquiry seeks to gather information from community members about the quality and accessibility of health care services since UnitedHealth Group’s Optum subsidiary purchased two local medical groups in 2022 and 2023.
The statement announcing the examination cites STAT’s yearlong investigation, titled Health Care’s Colossus, that found UnitedHealth’s insurance arm pays Optum’s medical groups higher rates than competing practices for common services, raising costs for consumers and undermining competition. Read more from STAT’s Casey Ross on the latest action a member of Congress has taken regarding UnitedHealth.
What we’re reading
– FDA cancels vaccine advisory committee meeting, STAT
– Influencers call these medical tests lifesaving. A New Generation of VCs Ventures into Biotech
As the biotech industry continues to grow and evolve, a new generation of venture capitalists is making its mark on the scene. These young and ambitious investors are bringing fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the table, shaking up the traditional investment landscape.
In a recent article published by STAT, the spotlight is on these new kids on the block who are taking the biotech world by storm. With a keen eye for disruptive technologies and a willingness to take risks, these VCs are playing a crucial role in shaping the future of healthcare and medicine.
One of the key trends highlighted in the article is the shift towards investing in personalized medicine and cutting-edge technologies such as gene editing and cell therapy. These breakthroughs have the potential to revolutionize the way we treat diseases and improve patient outcomes, making them highly attractive investment opportunities for forward-thinking VCs.
Another key theme explored in the article is the importance of diversity and inclusion in the biotech industry. The new generation of VCs is actively seeking out startups led by women and underrepresented minorities, recognizing the value of diverse perspectives and experiences in driving innovation and success.
One of the standout stories featured in the article is that of Erica Cheung, who blew the whistle on the Theranos scandal and transformed her career in the process. Cheung’s courage and integrity in speaking out against fraud and deception not only exposed a major corporate scandal but also paved the way for her to pursue new opportunities and make a positive impact in the biotech world.
Overall, the article sheds light on the exciting and dynamic landscape of biotech investing, showcasing the passion and drive of the new generation of VCs who are pushing boundaries and redefining the future of healthcare. With their bold vision and entrepreneurial spirit, these young investors are poised to make a lasting impact on the industry and drive meaningful change for patients around the world.
