General
‘Partly Alive’: Scientists Revive Cells in Brains From Dead Pigs
Gina Kolata, The New York Times
In a study that raises profound questions about the line between life and death, researchers have restored some cellular activity to brains removed from slaughtered pigs. The brains did not regain anything resembling consciousness: There were no signs indicating coordinated electrical signaling, necessary for higher functions like awareness and intelligence.
A Measles Case Hits Google’s Silicon Valley Headquarters
Stephanie M. Lee and Ryan Mac, BuzzFeed News
As Google fights criticism that it has let anti-vaccine disinformation flourish on its platform, the tech giant’s Silicon Valley campus, where thousands work, is now confronting its own in-house case of measles as the virus resurges across the United States. In an email sent to some employees last week and obtained by BuzzFeed News, a staff doctor at Google wrote that a worker who had recently been in one of its Mountain View, California buildings had been diagnosed with measles.
New York City Extends Order for Mandatory Measles Vaccinations
Melanie Grayce West, The Wall Street Journal
The New York City Board of Health voted unanimously Wednesday to extend an order for mandatory measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations and fines for noncompliance in certain ZIP Codes in Brooklyn, where a measles outbreak began last fall in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.
Supreme Court asked to void Louisiana abortion clinic law
Mark Sherman, The Associated Press
A Louisiana abortion clinic is asking the Supreme Court to strike down regulations that could leave the state with just one clinic. A divided high court had previously agreed to block the law pending a full review of the case.
‘Lies into Laws’: Texas House Passes ‘Born Alive’ Anti-Abortion Bill Despite Protest
Sophie Novak, Texas Observer
As the Texas House voted on the first anti-abortion bill to make it to the floor this session, advocates rolled down a banner above the board displaying lawmakers’ votes: “STOP TURNING LIES INTO LAWS.”
Bonds Advance, Stocks Mixed Before Holiday Weekend: Markets Wrap
Todd White, Bloomberg
Treasuries led a rebound in global bonds on Thursday, while U.S. equity futures edged lower and European stocks fluctuated as a cautious mood gripped markets before the long holiday weekend.
Payers
High-Deductible Health Policies Linked To Delayed Diagnosis And Treatment
Erika Stallings, NPR News
In 2017, Susan learned that she carries a genetic mutation that may elevate her lifetime risk of developing breast cancer to 72 percent. Her doctor explained that individuals who have this mutation in the BRCA2 gene have choices in treatment. Some people opt for a preventive double mastectomy.
Feds to investigate whether Medicaid firms are unfairly denying care to disabled people
Tony Leys, Des Moines Register
Federal investigators will look into whether private Medicaid management companies, including those covering more than 600,000 poor or disabled Iowans, are unfairly denying services. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey requested the review last week.
Providers
CMS proposes small boost to inpatient rehab facility payments
Robert King, Modern Healthcare
The CMS is proposing to raise the estimated payments per discharge for inpatient rehabilitation facilities in federal fiscal 2020 by 2.3%, or $195 million, compared to 2019. The proposed rule also would boost payments in urban areas by 2.2% and rural areas by 4.3% compared to the year before.
Pharma, Biotech and Devices
U.S. researcher says he’s ready to start four pregnancies with ‘three-parent’ embryos
Emily Mullin, Stat News
Researchers at Columbia University in New York have created embryos containing genetic material from three people and are ready to use them to start pregnancies. But they’re at a legal impasse.
One Doctor’s Answer To Drug Deaths: Opioid Vending Machines
Issie Lapowsky, Wired
Across North America, tainted opioids are killing people who use drugs. Vancouver’s Mark Tyndall says we should start dispensing safer pills using high-tech machines.
Watch this company: Turning Point Therapeutics shares pop 57% after IPO
Matthew Herper, Stat News
Shares of Turning Point Therapeutics (TPTX), a San Diego-based developer of targeted cancer drugs, soared 57% following the company’s initial public offering on Wednesday. Investors would do well to keep an eye on the firm, which could follow in the footsteps of companies such as Ignyta (sold to Roche for $1.7 billion in 2017) and Loxo Oncology (bought by Eli Lilly for $8 billion earlier this year).
Health IT
Best Buy Continues To Bet On Digital Health With New TytoHome Deal
Andria Cheng, Forbes
Best Buy, having already demonstrated it can remain relevant in the age of Amazon, has identified health as a key growth focus. The latest sign of that ambition: It’s the first U.S. retailer to sell exclusively a telehealth device kit that allows consumers to perform medical tests on areas including heart, lungs, throat and ears and connect with physicians to remotely diagnose symptoms.
E-cig company Juul is considering creating a digital health tool for smokers who want to quit
Erin Brodwin, Business Insider
The e-cigarette company Juul is considering dipping its toes into digital health. The company, whose sleek devices are the most popular e-cigarette in America, is beefing up a team focused on behavioral research, a Juul representative confirmed to Business Insider.
AI Healthcare Startup Aidoc Raises $27 Million
Ayurella Horn-Muller, Forbes
Crossing the threshold of one million patients is no small feat. For Forbes 30 Under 30- founded Aidoc, it’s one of a few critical milestones for the team behind the AI tool that betters a radiologist’s workflow. Another of these notable achievements is a Series B raise of $27 million, in a round led by Square Peg Capital.
Opinions, Editorials and Perspectives
Fix Medicare Secondary Payer System for Responsible Organizations Trying to Settle
Ron Kind and Gus Bilirakis, Morning Consult
Every year, an estimated 500,000 personal injury-related cases are settled in the United States, by far the largest area of civil litigation in the country. Tort cases, workers compensation claims and even auto accidents typically lead to a settlement where the liable party must pay for an individual’s medical expenses.
Research Reports
Lentiviral Gene Therapy Combined with Low-Dose Busulfan in Infants with SCID-X1
Ewelina Mamcarz et al., The New England Journal of Medicine
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1) often fails to reconstitute immunity associated with T cells, B cells, and natural killer (NK) cells when matched sibling donors are unavailable unless high-dose chemotherapy is given. In previous studies, autologous gene therapy with γ-retroviral vectors failed to reconstitute B-cell and NK-cell immunity and was complicated by vector-related leukemia.
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