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DOJ issues ‘potentially devastating’ memo on disability law
Last week, the Trump administration released a memo addressing landmark disability laws and court decisions that emphasize providing care to people with disabilities within their communities rather than in institutions such as nursing homes. Although the memo, issued by the Justice Department in response to a White House inquiry, does not alter existing laws, it reveals the administration’s position on the rights of individuals with disabilities, according to legal experts who spoke with STAT’s O. Rose Broderick. Specifically, it highlights concerns about the right of disabled individuals to avoid institutional segregation to access necessary care.
Jennifer Lav, director of the Disability Practice Area at the National Health Law Program, commented, “You can’t change the law through fiat. But I do think [this memo] signals a frontal attack on basic tenets of the disability rights movement.” For more details, read more from Rose.
In a related First Opinion essay, the all-or-nothing approach to the “medically frail” exemption in the new Medicaid work requirements is criticized. Soon, individuals will need to either work 80 hours per month or declare they are entirely incapable of working. The authors argue, “This single change could strip coverage from the very people the drafters claimed to protect while simultaneously chilling disability employment.” Read more.
HHS has sent drug for Ebola clinical trial
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has confirmed the dispatch of doses of a promising monoclonal antibody, MBP-134, for Ebola treatment to be used in a clinical trial. Manufactured by San Diego-based MappBio with financial backing from BARDA, which owns the doses, the monoclonal antibody has completed a Phase 1 safety trial. The World Health Organization (WHO), one of the trial’s sponsors, notes that the trial protocol is under review by ethics committees and regulatory authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
Previously, HHS indicated that some doses of MBP-134 would be sent to Kenya for a quarantine and early treatment facility the U.S. is constructing for Americans potentially exposed to Ebola. The Trump administration has made it clear that it prefers not to repatriate individuals infected with or exposed to Ebola to the U.S. for quarantine and treatment. Instead, infected Americans will be sent to undisclosed European countries for treatment. As of yesterday, the confirmed cases in the DRC stood at 1,048, with 267 fatalities. — Helen Branswell
FDA to launch pilot program to speed up early-stage clinical trials
In domestic drug development news, federal health officials announced a pilot program aimed at accelerating early-stage clinical trials to encourage U.S.-based trials and counter Chinese dominance in biotech.
This initiative is part of a broader “department-wide” effort at HHS to enhance U.S. involvement in clinical trials. Details about the participation of other agencies remain sparse. Read more from STAT’s Chelsea Cirruzzo and Lizzy Lawrence for additional insights.
Who’s the mystery patient who got an experimental weight loss drug?
A new weight loss drug from Eli Lilly, called retatrutide, has captured the attention of millions of Americans due to its bariatric-surgery levels of weight loss. However, STAT’s Lizzy Lawrence reports that one mystery patient bypassed the waiting period.
This 79-year-old patient received the drug in April through the FDA’s compassionate use pathway, typically intended for patients with severe, life-threatening conditions seeking experimental treatments. The patient had been on another Lilly obesity drug for a year but experienced only moderate weight loss.
Experts consulted by Lizzy questioned why Lilly would offer compassionate use to a single patient when obesity is so widespread. Drugmakers generally set up these programs for larger patient groups, and major companies like Lilly have done so before. What might be the reason for this singular case? Read more.
In transition to adulthood, suicide treatment disparities emerge
A recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics highlights that approximately 1 in 8 young adults aged 18 to 25 have experienced suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempts. Among these, white young people are more likely to receive mental health treatment than their Asian, Black, or Latino counterparts.
The researchers discovered these disparities by examining data from a 2022-23 federal survey on drug use and mental and behavioral health. About half of white young adults received treatment, compared to 28% of Asian, 29% of Black, and 35% of Latino young adults who reported suicidal ideation, planning, or attempts.
“Transition age youth,” as this demographic is sometimes called, are particularly susceptible to suicidality but have lower rates of access to mental health treatment than other age groups. The authors suggest policy solutions that prioritize insurance continuity during the transition into adulthood and introduce universal screening in nontraditional settings.
An AI model, EchoNext, capable of predicting seven types of structural heart disease from EKG images, received FDA clearance this month. This software will be marketed to hospitals with licenses from OpenEvidence, a medical evidence search engine utilized by numerous clinicians.
Both investors and cardiologists see potential in using AI to screen EKGs for disease, but questions linger about its impact on health outcomes. Read more on this technology from STAT’s Mario Aguilar.
What we’re reading
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1 in 3 Americans use chatbots for health advice. These 6 patients explain why, Washington Post
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A diehard drinker accidentally quits, New Yorker
- Opinion: Ending birthright citizenship could be a public health disaster, STAT
- When diets don’t work: Parents turn to Wegovy for elementary school kids, Wall Street Journal
- Definium LSD therapy helped patients with major depression in late-stage trial, STAT
