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☆ Fact Check-UK COVID vaccine offer for vulnerable young children not mandatory
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The offer of COVID vaccination for very young children is voluntary and specifically targeted to children who are most at risk from COVID, according to the government’s April announcement of the new policy. After Britain’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that young children in clinical risk groups should be offered COVID vaccination, some social media users responded with outrage. JCVI ADVICEThe UK advice does not include all young children. In fact, the prioritisation of COVID-19 vaccination for clinically vulnerable children explains higher mortality rates seen during the pandemic among vaccinated children as compared with unvaccinated children (here and here). There is no evidence the vaccine is unsafe for infants and young children, according to experts and health regulators.

☆ Testosterone surges preserved in 33,000-year-old mammoth tusk
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In addition to cortisol, the mammoth tusk revealed annually recurring testosterone surges up to 10 times higher than baseline, according to the study. An African bull elephant tusk was used in the study to compare with mammoth tusks. Then we saw the same patterns in the mammoth — wow!”Both the elephant and male mammoth tusks contained evidence of musth-related testosterone surges. Meanwhile, the female mammoth tusk showed little variation and very low testosterone, as expected. Gleaning this type of information from mammoth tusks can reveal more insights into the lifetimes of the extinct creatures.

☆ Fetterman makes a video pretending to have a body double to address the conspiracy that has reached everyone from Melania Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

During Senator John Fetterman's stay at the hospital rumors swirled that he used a body double. The body double conspiracy is something many politicians deal with but spotting them is in the ears. "You know, during my time, during the hospital, the fringy fringies really came up with a conspiracy theory that I have a body double. A split-second later, the body double John Fetterman — who is actually just Fetterman, for those fooled by the camera work — walks into the room from a side door and asks the "real" Fetterman what event he was supposed to be covering for. Theories about political figures using body doubles often appear to correlate with rumors of illness or weakness — perceived or otherwise.

☆ Telling Dianne Feinstein to resign is sexist and 'unprecedented,' women Democratic senators say
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

But Democratic women in the Senate say gender is playing a role in how her absence is being handled. But women Democratic senators told Insider at the Capitol on Wednesday that they believe sexism is at play and that the chamber's longest-serving Democrat is being held to an unfair standard because she is a woman. More recently, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was recently absent from the chamber for six weeks as he sought treatment for clinical depression. "I think it's important for Senator Feinstein to do what is what is best for her," said Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. "I just believe that it's not somebody else's assessment to make; it's her assessment to make," said Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin.

CNN —Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has returned to the Senate following a period of recovery in the wake of a fall. McConnell was at the Capitol on Friday, but Monday marks the GOP Senate leader’s first day back in session. I look forward to returning in person to the Senate soon.”Earlier this year, McConnell became the longest-serving party leader in Senate history. During his absence, Senate Republicans who spoke with the McConnell said he was itching to get back to the chamber. 2 Senate Republican, Minority Whip John Thune, noted that he was “anxious” to return, and Texas Senator John Cornyn told reporters that McConnell was “chomping at the bit” to come back to the Capitol.

☆ Doctors are building tech startups to help fix a healthcare system reeling from crisis after crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Riddhi Kanetkar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

But with increasing patient demand and complexity, there are not enough doctors in the healthcare system to match that level of care, he said. With its promise of free universal healthcare, the UK's National Health Service has long been a source of national pride. A growing number of clinicians are becoming "doctorpreneurs," applying their first-hand experience in healthcare to build startups to help fill that gap. As clinicians in the UK expand their startups abroad, they predict the doctorpreneur trend will become a global phenomena — with health startups in other countries looking to the UK for inspiration. Selim noted that many doctors — across continents — are also incentivized by a unifying mission, which is to offer patients hope.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) waves to reporters as he arrives at the U.S. Capitol on April 17, 2023 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman both returned to the Capitol on Monday after significant medical absences, leaving only one senator, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, still away with no firm return date. Fetterman, a 53-year-old from Pennsylvania, stepped away from the Senate in February to seek inpatient treatment for clinical depression at Water Reed Army Medical Center. "I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works," Fetterman said in a statement after return home from the hospital. The return of both Fetterman and McConnell this week after the Senate's Easter recess has served to highlight the one senator who has not returned from their prolonged medical absence: the California lawmaker Feinstein, an 89-year-old who last voted in the Senate in early February.

☆ People Can't Get Ozempic, New Weight-Loss Drugs Because of Broken Healthcare System
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

Wegovy is just one of a wave of revolutionary weight-loss drugs, which also includes the buzzy Ozempic, that represents a watershed moment for obesity treatment. Demand for weight-loss drugs is surgingDoctors and healthcare professionals searched for a healthy, safe, and effective weight-loss solution for years before the drugs, known collectively as GLP-1 agonists, exploded on the scene. If there is one key that could unlock access to expensive weight-loss drugs for Americans, it's Medicare. Expanding coverage for Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs for just a small segment of the population could cost Medicare up to $26.8 billion a year. Patients lose outYears from now, patients may have an easier time getting their hands on weight-loss drugs.

☆ See the 16-slide presentation a startup used to sell investors on a new approach to solving a $50 billion problem for Big Pharma
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Inato, which matches pharma companies with hospitals for clinical trials, just landed $20 million. Three months after raising $14 million in Series A funding in February 2020, Inato's founders realized they were making the wrong product. The Paris-based startup was founded in 2016 to help pharmaceutical companies find the right sites to conduct their clinical trials. Now, pharma companies post their clinical trials onto Inato's platform, and sites can apply for the trials they're interested in. Inato provided Insider with the pitch deck it used to raise $20 million in Series A-2 funding.

Amy Winslow, Hossein Maleknia and Reba Daoust misled Magellan customers and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about when they discovered the defect, the extent of the problem and the risks associated with it, prosecutors said. Attorneys for Winslow and Daoust did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The company said all devices the malfunction affected have been cleared by the FDA “and will remain available for clinical use.”Magellan Diagnostics ultimately recalled all three devices in 2021 and resumed distribution last year, according to the FDA. The malfunction affected three of Magellan’s lead-testing devices, including one that accounted for more than half of all blood lead tests conducted in the U.S. between 2013 and 2017, according to prosecutors. Reporting by Andrew Goudsward Editing by David Bario and Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ John Fetterman opens up about his 'downward spiral' after winning the Pennsylvania Senate race in 2022: 'Depression can absolutely convince you that you actually lost'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

"I had stopped engaging some of the most — things that I love in my life," Fetterman told CBS News. "The whole thing about depression is that objectively, you may have won, but depression can absolutely convince you that you actually lost. Fetterman revealed that between the November 2022 election and his swearing-in ceremony in January 2023, his depression began to accelerate. Last year's Pennsylvania Senate election, which was an open seat contest as a result of then-Republican Sen. Pat Toomey's impending retirement, was seen as one of most competitive races in the country. But Fetterman won the race 51%-46%, picking up a critical seat for Democrats and affording the party an expanded 51-49 majority in the upper chamber.

☆ Sen. John Fetterman says he wants to celebrate his son's birthday the right way after missing it to check himself into his inpatient depression treatment
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

When Sen. John Fetterman was asked about his political future, he instead pivoted to his eldest son. Fetterman checked into the hospital for his depression treatment on his eldest son's birthday. The senator spoke emotionally about wanting to celebrate his son's birthday now that he's back at home. Fetterman said that he was saddened that he needed to go into inpatient treatment that day in February. Pauley then suggested that the day could be a "renewal" for both Fetterman and his son to celebrate.

Senator John Fetterman has been discharged from hospital where he was treated for weeks for depression, his office said on Friday, adding he will return to the Senate mid-April. Fetterman's depression is now in remission, his office said in a statement, citing a doctor. Fetterman had checked into a Washington-area hospital for treatment for clinical depression in mid-February. Fetterman, who suffered a stroke last May and later acknowledged he had "almost died," has faced challenges adjusting to life in the Senate during his recovery. During the course of Fetterman's depression treatment, his speech abilities also improved as he worked with speech-language specialists, his office said on Friday.

☆ Gisele Fetterman says she faces the same 'vicious attacks' that Meghan Markle, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jill Biden do as women in the public eye
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Talia Lakritz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

In an Elle op-ed, Gisele Fetterman detailed the scrutiny she experiences as a politician's wife. When her husband, John Fetterman, sought treatment for depression, she faced "vicious attacks." When John Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed hospital to receive treatment for clinical depression in February, the attacks "exploded," Gisele Fetterman wrote. Despite the constant criticism, Gisele Fetterman said she doesn't want to grow a thicker skin because empathy "drives my career and provides me with purpose and hope." Gisele Fetterman and John Fetterman met in 2007 while he was serving as mayor Braddock, Pennsylvania, and she was working as a nutritionist and food justice activist.

☆ Fact Check-Distorted photo of US Senator Fetterman not proof of a ‘body double’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Senator John Fetterman is being shared alongside false claims that he received a “head replacement” or has a “body double” after he was admitted to hospital in February 2023. That’s not Fetterman on the right” alongside two photos of Fetterman (here). In other posts, people remarked the photo on the right shows a “body double” (here), (here). The photo on the right shows Fetterman being discharged from a hospital on May 22, 2022, as seen in Pittsburgh’s NPR News Station WESA article (here). Side by side comparisons of two photos of Fetterman are not proof he was replaced by a body double.

☆ John Fetterman plans mid-April return to Senate after 2 months of intensive treatment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. John Fetterman, who suffered a stroke last year, is expected to return to the Senate in about two weeks. The Pennsylvania Democrat has been seeking treatment for clinical depression since mid-February. Fetterman's return will nudge Senate Democrats back towards their delicate 51-seat majority. Having Fetterman back will restore a critical vote for Senate Democrats. Their narrow 51-seat majority hasn't been intact for months as lawmakers like Fetterman, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, who's been out for weeks after contracting shingles, and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, wrestle with their respective health issues.

☆ Labcorp to pay $2.1 million to settle allegations it overbilled Defense Department for genetic tests for military members
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Laboratory Corporation of America will pay the U.S. $2.1 million to settle allegations that it overbilled the Department of Defense for genetic tests that involved children and fetuses, the Justice Department announced Monday. Hecker-Gross' allegations surrounded genetic tests performed under a contract LabCorp entered with the Defense Department in 2012. Hecker-Gross alleged that LabCorp overcharged and double or triple-billed DOD for genetic tests performed by GeneDx. There were $210,959 in overcharges on 38 tests, including $113,525.50 for 21 tests billed between March 2016 and January 2017 alone, the lawsuit alleged. In 1996, LabCorp agreed to pay $187 million for fraudulently billing the government for unnecessary tests on elderly patients.

☆ Pfizer's Covid drug Paxlovid may reduce the risk of developing long Covid, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

(Photo by Rachel Wisniewski/For the Washington Post)People who take Pfizer 's Covid antiviral treatment Paxlovid shortly after infection may reduce their risk of developing long Covid, regardless of their age, vaccination status or infection history, new research suggests. The study, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine on Thursday, found that people who took Paxlovid within five days of a positive Covid test saw a 26% lower risk of long Covid compared with those who didn't receive it. The new study comes as researchers work to fill the knowledge gap about long Covid, an often debilitating condition with limited data and no proven treatment available. Long Covid refers to new, returning or ongoing health issues more than four weeks after an initial Covid infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She called the new study "very exciting and promising" because it's the first to show an association between Paxlovid and a decreased risk of long Covid.

☆ As John Fetterman heals, his Senate staff soldiers on with the help of veteran lawmakers and crisis bonding: 'We all have each other's back'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Sen. John Fetterman has been hospitalized for clinical depression since February 15. Casey is coordinating with Fetterman staff on constituent services issues and legislative priorities, according to recent reports, but doesn't call Fetterman directly so as not to disturb his ongoing recovery. Some of the others working hard to meet that internal standard include legislative assistant Madeleine Marr, a former aide to Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire. Conservative commentator Stephen L. Miller has been more blunt, accusing Fetterman's staff of unduly wielding power in his absence. "John Fetterman's chief of staff is not an elected senator," Miller wrote in an op-ed run by the Delaware Valley Journal.

[1/3] A pharmacist holds a bottle of the drug Eliquis, made by Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer, at a pharmacy in Provo, Utah, U.S. January 9, 2020. The government will launch the negotiation process in September by naming the first drugs it plans to target. "We couldn't have the other parts of the IRA without this Medicare negotiation," said Sean Dickson, director of the West Health Policy Center, a non-partisan healthcare think tank. Eliquis, which Bristol Myers (BMY.N) shares with Pfizer (PFE.N), Ibrance, and Imbruvica, sold by AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N), appear on every list. Pfizer, Novo Nordisk and J&J declined to comment on the likelihood their drugs would be included in the first round of negotiations.

☆ Economists warn of costs if Medicare covers new obesity drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( Nancy Lapid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 11 (Reuters) - The cost of expanding U.S. Medicare prescription drug coverage to pay for expensive, new obesity medications could be catastrophic, health economists warned in a report published on Saturday. Big-selling diabetes drugs have been repurposed as obesity treatments after demonstrating weight loss of more than 20% in clinical trials. While they are far more effective than older drugs, lifetime use might be required to keep lost weight off. But should the bipartisan The Treat and Reduce Obesity Act get reintroduced and passed by Congress, Medicare will be compelled to cover drugs for weight loss. The Medicare health program covers more than 60 million Americans, most over age 65.

☆ WeightWatchers is buying a company that lets you pay $99 a month to see a doctor on video and get a prescription to popular weight-loss drug Ozempic
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

WeightWatchers announced Monday it was buying Sequence, a clinical weight management platform. Members will get Sequence's services including telehealth visits and prescriptions for weight loss drugs like Ozempic. Through Sequence's $99-a-month subscription program, customers can schedule telehealth appointments with doctors who will prescribe weight loss and diabetes management drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. "As science advances rapidly, we know there is a significant opportunity to improve outcomes for those using medications," WeightWatchers' CEO Sima Sistani said in a press release. Doctors are even adding the hashtags to videos that are about weight loss solutions that don't rely on those medications.

☆ Sen. Dianne Feinstein hospitalized with shingles in San Francisco
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Zoë Richards | Frank Thorp V | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Thursday she was hospitalized in San Francisco with shingles after she missed Senate votes this week. In a statement, Feinstein, 89, said she got the shingles diagnosis while the Senate was in recess late last month. "I have been hospitalized and am receiving treatment in San Francisco and expect to make a full recovery," Feinstein said. Feinstein, the oldest sitting senator and the longest-serving senator from California, was first elected to the Senate in 1992. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., recently returned to Washington after having undergone surgery last month for prostate cancer.

☆ Fact Check-CNN did not publish a report stating US Senator John Fetterman died
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CNN did not publish a news report on Democratic Senator for Pennsylvania John Fetterman dying on Feb. 23, 2023, but posts on social media shared a fabricated screenshot alleging the broadcaster published and retracted an obituary. The URL mentions the date of publishing as Feb. 23, 2023. A web archive for late Feb. 23 for CNN’s U.S. news home page shows no such article (here). CNN did not publish a report stating John Fetterman died on Feb. 23, 2023. (Updates paragraph 10 to include response from Fetterman’s office)This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team.

☆ Factbox: Neuralink, other brain-chip makers face long road to FDA approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Marisa Taylor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 2 (Reuters) - Neuralink, founded in 2016, has yet to receive FDA approval to test its brain chip in humans. It received U.S. approval for human testing in July 2021, five years after applying to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). NEUROPACENeuroPace (NPCE.O), founded in 1997, didn’t secure FDA approval for its brain implant to treat epilepsy until 2013. BLACKROCK NEUROTECHBlackrock Neurotech, established in 2008, has tested its brain implant in humans for almost two decades. The company had hoped to secure approval to commercialize the implant from the FDA by last year but is still working on it, according to the company.

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