Covid boosters are here to stay according to White House officials. They will likely be similar to annual flu shots, with a new booster to defend against a new variant every year. There were discussions a year ago that suggested drug makers were looking for a common denominator that would be present in all Covid variants, but I doubt that will happen. First of all it’s not easy or it would have been done already for flu shots and Covid boosters. Second, why would drug makers make a universal vaccine when they can sell boosters for new variants every year?
Author: Devon Herrick
The Atlantic: Lowering the Cost of Insulin May Costs Lives
An article in The Atlantic explains that lowering the cost of insulin could turn deadly. According to The Atlantic:
The Inflation Reduction Act, passed last month, aims to help people… by lowering the cost of insulin across America. …Democrats succeeded in capping expenses for the drug among Americans on Medicare at $35 a month, offering meaningful savings for our seniors, some of whom will save hundreds of dollars a month thanks to the measure.
Study (of Dubious Merit) Claims Paid Sick Leave Reduces Suicides and Homicides
A new study found that mandated paid sick leave lowers rates of death. According to the research, laws that require employers to provide paid sick leave may help lower mortality from suicide and homicide. In addition, state laws that preempt local governments from mandating paid sick leave and minimum wage requirements likely contributed to the 6 percent…
Nearly Half of Worldwide Cancer Deaths Preventable (Due to Smoking, Drinking and Obesity)
About half of cancer deaths worldwide are preventable, according to an analysis published in The Lancet and summarized in Nature.
Using estimates of cancer cases and deaths from more than 200 countries, researchers found that avoidable risk factors were responsible for nearly 4.5 million cancer deaths in 2019 (see ‘Global cancer deaths’). That represents more than 44% of global cancer deaths that year. Smoking, alcohol use and a high body-mass index (BMI) — which can be indicative of obesity — were the biggest contributors to cancer.