EPA Imposes New Limit on Medical Sterilization Chemical, Citing Cancer Risk
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule on Thursday that aims to markedly reduce cancer risks for those living near commercial sterilization facilities by lowering toxic emission standards for ethylene oxide. Ethylene oxide, the most commonly used sterilant for medical devices in the U.S., is used for everything from wound dressings to endoscopes […]
Q&A: Talking Prior Authorization With Rep. Suzan DelBene
Although the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule on prior authorization, there is more that can be done to ease clinician burdens in this area, according to Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.). DelBene sponsored the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, which would, among other provisions, require affected plans to […]
Trump-Era Conscience Rule Rescinded; Lloyd Austin’s Cancer; Sinead O’Connor’s Death
Note that some links may require registration or subscription. HHS issued a final nondiscrimination rule that partly rescinds a sweeping 2019 Trump-era “conscience” rule, clarifying the process for enforcing federal conscience laws in healthcare and strengthening protections against conscience and religious discrimination. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra appeared to be making inroads with President Biden’s closest […]
AI Transparency Rule Has Benefits, but Is Limited, Experts Suggest
The final rule from HHS on transparency in artificial intelligence (AI) has some positive points, but it won’t solve all the challenges posed by this new technology, according to a legal expert. “I’m glad to see that there is rulemaking that is timely,” Meghan O’Connor, JD, a partner in the Quarles & Brady law firm […]
FDA Panel: Tolerating Approval Outliers Would Set ‘Dangerous Precedent’
An unprecedented wait for final FDA approval will drag on for two orphan lymphoma drugs, at least a little while longer, as the agency decides how to end the delays and prevent them from happening again. The dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor pralatrexate (Folotyn) received accelerated approval in 2009 and the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor belinostat (Beleodaq) […]
Medicare Finalizes 3.4% Payment Cut for Physician Fees in 2024
Physicians would receive a 3.4% cut in their Medicare reimbursement under a final rule released Thursday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Overall, the finalized calendar year 2024 physician fee schedule conversion factor is $32.74, a decrease of $1.15, or 3.4%, from 2023, CMS said in a press release. CMS’s Positive Spin […]
Outgoing AMA President Calls for Unity in the Relay That Is Medicine
Jack Resneck Jr., MD, conveyed a message of hope, progress, and unity in his final speech as American Medical Association (AMA) president, but without ignoring “very real” threats to the profession. During the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) meeting Friday, he quipped “You got to hear from ‘angry Jack’ back in November,” referring to his […]
Texas Mifepristone Case Could Lead to Other Drug Approval Lawsuits, Experts Say
As the nation awaits the final outcome of two federal cases — one in Texas and one in Washington state — involving the abortion drug mifepristone (Mifeprex), legal observers are raising the possibility that the Texas case could have repercussions beyond that single drug. “As monumental as the effects will be for abortion and miscarriage […]
House Subcommittee Report Details Pandemic Failures, Lessons Learned
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis discussed their final report highlighting the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from the need to invest in next-generation vaccines to the importance of tackling misinformation, during a hearing Wednesday. The report, the culmination of 42 hearings and member briefings, 37 analyses, and testimony from dozens […]
Parents Reveal The Must-Have Items To Pack In Your Hospital Birth Bag
The list of final preparations while awaiting a new baby, while thrilling, can be extremely long. From building a crib to stocking up on diapers, making sure everything is ready for the big day can feel overwhelming, to say the least. One important and, dare we say, exciting component involves packing the hospital birth bag. […]