Health care

The big story

Biden drug boss urges agenda to move forward under new administration

With President Biden’s term in office coming to an end soon, the White House’s top drug policy official wants to maintain the progress he’s made on drug control. opioid epidemic.

For Opioid Awareness Weekofficials spoke with people who have lost family members to addiction.

Rahul Guptadirector of the White House Office of National Drug Policy (ONDCP), looked at progress he has made during his Biden service, including expanding access to the opioid drug naloxone and deploying drug detection technology at U.S. borders.

“The progress that has been made requires continued commitment, a commitment of will, a commitment of resources and a commitment to following evidence-based practices to continue to make this progress,” Gupta told The Hill.

“We have no time to lose,” he added. “Nothing else will prevent more deaths.”

Vice President Harris hasn’t spoken much about the opioid epidemic during her campaign, but she has been part of the Biden administration’s efforts to end the opioid epidemic. flow of illegal fentanyl Last year they entered the country and met with several state attorneys general to discuss the crisis.

Former President Trump has proposed imposing “a total naval embargo on cartels” and facilitating access to remediation programs.

Gupta also wants to ensure the continuation of his office’s work and is calling on Congress to reauthorize the ONDCP.

“Our reauthorization is really critical to continue to send a message to communities across the country that they will continue to receive the support of members of Congress for their communities,” Gupta told Roll Call this week.

The ONDCP was last reauthorized in 2018 through the SUPPORT Act. The law authorized the office through fiscal year 2023.

Welcome to The Hill’s Healthcare NewsletterWe’re Joseph Choi and Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech — each week we track the latest developments in Washington’s impact on your health.

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Essential reading

How policy will impact the healthcare sector this week and beyond:

Trump says he would make government or insurance pay for IVF treatments if elected

Former President Trump said Thursday that his administration would protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and have the government or insurance companies pay for the treatment if he is elected in November. “We’re going to — under the Trump administration, we’re going to pay for that treatment,” he said in an exclusive interview with NBC News, adding that it would apply to “all Americans …

Full story

CDC: 9 dead in listeria outbreak linked to processed meats

Nine people have now died in a listeria outbreak linked to recalled Boar’s Head deli meat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in an update Wednesday. The announcement adds six confirmed deaths since the CDC announced Aug. 8 that three people had died in connection with the outbreak. At least 57 people have now been reported sickened by the illness, 14 more than the total reported earlier this month. …

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Abortion rights ballot initiatives supported by at least half of Republicans in Arizona and Nevada

Editor’s Note: The headline of this story has been updated to correctly characterize the ballot initiatives. At least half of Republican voters in Arizona and Nevada say they would vote for ballot initiatives protecting abortion access in November, according to two Fox News polls released Wednesday. Fifty percent of Arizona Republicans and 54 percent of Nevada Republicans say they would support their …

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The Hill Event

Reinforcing the Status Quo: Vaccinating America’s Most Vulnerable | September 17 in Washington, DC, 7:45-10:15 a.m. EDT | Streamed in person and nationwide

Join The Hill as we bring together leaders from Congress, government, healthcare, and patient advocacy to discuss the benefits and challenges of the ECAPS bill, the effectiveness of vaccination programs, and the challenges of patient access and the broader long-term care pharmacy market.

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In other news

Take a look at another story:

FBI Failed to Report All Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse to Law Enforcement: Watchdog

The FBI failed to report all cases of child sexual abuse to appropriate law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) said in a report released Thursday.

Full story

Around the country

Local and national healthcare headlines:

Florida state health officials report 10 Cases of Sloth Fever within the past month (WPBF)
New York Presbyterian arrested Profit of $100 million in the last quarter amid citywide expansion (Crain’s New York Business)
Second human case of mosquito-borne encephalitis confirmed in Massachusetts (WCBV)

What we read

Health news we’ve reported from other sources:

No vaccines, tests or treatments: Congo is in need tools to confront mpox (The New York Times)
Cannabis and hallucinogen use remain at ‘historically high levels’ among young and middle-aged adults, study finds (CNN)
Most people are confused: ‘What do you need to know about the new COVID jab (Politics)

What others are reading

Most read stories on The Hill right now:

Trump campaign beats Fox News after polls show Harris leading in crucial states

Former President Trump’s campaign is attacking Fox News after the network released polls this week showing him trailing Vice President Harris… Read more

Vance Booed at Firefighters Union Event: ‘We Have Fans and Haters’

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) drew some booing and jeering Thursday as he spoke at a firefighters union event in Boston. Vance was speaking at the … Read more