From to in teenagers鈥� garages, this week was a wild 鈥� or should we say 鈥渞oyal鈥� in anticipation of a certain big event across the Atlantic 鈥� ride in health news. So, buckle up, here鈥檚 what you might have missed.
This is the story that you鈥檒l get sick of reading over the next six months, but it鈥檚 important because you can bet that the rising health law premiums will play a big role in the midterms. The only question is: Who鈥檚 going to win the blame game? As the first glimpse of sky-high rate hikes come out, Democrats are eager to point fingers, but Republicans say their liberal colleagues should 鈥渓ook in the mirror鈥� when it comes to assigning responsibility.
In a decision that was expected, the Trump administration is resurrecting a Reagan-era policy that would add abortion restrictions to federally funded family planning programs. Abortion advocates say the policy 鈥� which they call a domestic 鈥済ag order 鈥� puts government into the middle of the doctor-patient relationship. But the other side sees it as another victory from an administration that is living up to its campaign promises.
Pharma remained in the spotlight this week after all the attention from President Donald Trump鈥檚 plan to curb high drug costs, announced last Friday. While HHS Secretary Alex Azar , the Food and Drug Administration is naming names of companies accused of hindering generics development, in hopes that public shaming can get some bad actors to 鈥渆nd their shenanigans.鈥� Celgene is one of those drugmakers in the hot seat.
And you know how Viagra was a happy accident? Well, researchers want fewer oopsie successes and more that are deliberately planned.
It was a good week to keep an eye on the states. Up in Vermont, the governor signed legislation that could allow the state to import drugs from Canada. HHS still has to approve the policy, though, and since Azar has called the tactic 鈥渁 gimmick,鈥� there鈥檚 no sure bet that it will move forward. The health world鈥檚 eyes are also on the state because its experimental plan to control costs is going to come within 1 percent of its financial target. An 鈥渋mpressive鈥� feat, experts say.
And Maryland remains on the forefront of innovative thinking to control costs with the approval of its unique all-payer model.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the big demographic mysteries of recent times,鈥� fertility experts say of the nation鈥檚 record-low birth rate for the second year in a row. Researchers aren鈥檛 sure why the numbers haven鈥檛 increased along with the improved economy as would be expected. But some suspect that younger women are putting off having babies as they focus on their careers.
And this doctor is pushing the boundaries of what is considered possible in fertility research with 鈥渢hree-parent babies鈥� 鈥� sparking talk of sci-fi dystopian worlds. But critics worry there鈥檚 no oversight to stop the slide down the slippery slope of tinkering with human life.
In the miscellaneous gotta-read files: An in-depth investigation reveals just how far a center once renowned for its heart transplant program has fallen; a tragic suicide sparks debate over whether colleges should tell parents when students are struggling; what the president鈥檚 proposed border wall means for a community burdened by extremely poor health; and a keyless ignition jaw-dropper. People are leaving their cars in the garage 鈥� not realizing the motors are still running 鈥� and suffering fatal consequences.
Have a great weekend!