HELENA, Mont. — Montana lawmakers are grappling with how — if at all — the state should rein in kratom, an unregulated plant-derived substance with addictive properties sold mainly as a mood and energy booster at gas stations, vape shops, and elsewhere. Kratom, which originates from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia,…
When the FDA announced in January, before President Joe Biden’s term ended, that it would ban a dye called red dye No. 3 in food and ingested drugs, the federal agency cited just one 1987 study on rats to support its action. The industry-funded study, based on data from two prior studies, was led by…
Spending cuts, immigration, and Medicaid are at the top of the Washington agenda. That climate provides fertile ground for misinformation and myths to multiply on social networks. Some of the most common are those surrounding immigrants, Latinos, and Medicaid. These claims include assertions that Latinos who use Medicaid, the federal-state program for low-income people and…
The Senate Finance Committee got its chance March 14 to question Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the vast Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the largest agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Oz, with his long history in television, was as polished as one would expect, brushing off even…
By MATT McCORD When most Americans undergo surgery, they expect to recover quickly and return to their normal lives. Few realize that something as routine as a shoulder surgery, a hernia repair, or a mastectomy can mark the beginning of a life-altering opioid addiction. This often-overlooked connection between routine medical care and opioid dependence demands…
National Institutes of Health officials have urged scientists to remove all references to mRNA vaccine technology from their grant applications, two researchers said, in a move that signaled the agency might abandon a promising field of medical research. The mRNA technology is under study at the NIH for prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, including…
Commission says reforms are needed to address relatively higher levels of payment stemming largely from coding intensity and favorable selection
Congress passed a continuing resolution last week that extended expiring Medicare telehealth flexibilities through the next six months. Telehealth CEOs view the passing of the resolution as a short-term win, but they think there is still more work to do to ensure Americans have permanent access to virtual care services in the future. The post…
Labcorp’s latest acquisition brings the oncology testing business of BioReference Health. Opko Health, BioReference’s parent, has been cutting costs to return to profitability. The post Labcorp Is Buying BioReference Health’s Cancer Testing Business for $192M appeared first on MedCity News.
The lessons learned and shared by some of the industry’s leaders are exciting, and some clear opportunities are developing. But under the surface, this year, there is something else, and I’m not sure it’s getting enough attention: anxiety. The post Cautious Pessimism – What Isn’t Being Talked About, And What It Means For Healthcare appeared…