About the public’s health
State of Global Air 2020: Among the most shocking findings was that nearly “500,000 newborns died in 2019 as a result of air pollution exposure.”
Do Masks On Plane Flights Really Cut Your Risk Of Catching COVID-19?: You should read the entire article if you are contemplating flying, but the “bottom line” is that: “All together, these data suggest masks are working — and working well.”
Long-term effects of PM2·5 [fine particulate matter] on neurological disorders in the American Medicare population: a longitudinal cohort study: “We provide evidence that exposure to annual mean PM2·5 in the USA is significantly associated with an increased hazard of first hospital admission with Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. For the ageing American population, improving air quality to reduce PM2·5 concentrations to less than current national standards could yield substantial health benefits by reducing the burden of neurological disorders.”
Microplastics Are Seeping Out of Baby's Bottle, Study Shows: “High levels of microplastic particles are released from baby bottles during formula preparation, researchers discovered during lab testing.
Infants are likely exposed to an average daily dose of nearly 1.6 million microplastic particles through baby formula they drink from heated plastic bottles, researchers estimated in the Oct. 19 issue of Nature.
It's not clear whether these particles represent either an immediate or long-term health risk to growing babies, however.”
OraSure’s At-Home Saliva Sample Collection System Authorized for Emergency Use: “The EUA allows the device to be used in healthcare settings or by patients at home to collect and ship saliva samples for approved COVID-19 test kits. The collection system was previously cleared in the EU.”
About pharma
Purdue Pharma Pleads Guilty to Criminal Charges for Opioid Sales: “The Justice Department announced an $8 billion settlement with the company. Members of the Sackler family will pay $225 million in civil penalties but criminal investigations continue.”
About health insurance
CMS to allow Nebraska to install voluntary Medicaid wellness and work requirements: “The Trump administration has approved a waiver to let Nebraska offer extra benefits to new Medicaid beneficiaries that in turn meet work and wellness requirements.
The waiver, approved Tuesday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), comes as the agency’s efforts to install work requirements in several states have been struck down by federal courts.
Nebraska’s waiver applies to people who are eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act’s expansion, which the state recently implemented after a successful ballot initiative. Pregnant women, elderly adults, children and disabled adults are not eligible to participate in the program.”