POLITICO's Pulse Check

Federal regulations that have allowed practitioners the flexibility to prescribe buprenorphine virtually — and to patients outside their state — are due to expire along with the Covid-19 public health emergency, even as opioid deaths reach record levels. Krista Mahr reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abortion-rights advocates from around the world have met with congressional, USAID, HHS and State Department leaders to discuss concerns that their countries will be next if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Daniel Payne reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is no test for long Covid, and the CDC and the medical community have no official definition. But health care workers across the country are diagnosing patients who have previously contracted Covid-19 based on a wide-ranging set of symptoms. A CDC study released May 27 said that one in five adults in the U.S. may develop the condition — but there are still more questions than answers. Erin Banco reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A pair of federal programs compensating people who suffer injuries from vaccines and pandemic treatments are now facing so many claims that thousands of people may not receive payment for their injuries any time soon. Covid has only made it more complicated. Lauren Gardner reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Public health officials insist there is no reason to panic, but cite a growing number of cases on both sides of the Atlantic as reasons to prep and order vaccines. The outbreak is particularly unusual, as most infected patients have not traveled to West and Central Africa where the virus is endemic in animals. Carmen Paun reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When friends and family got sick last year, people across Ghana scrambled to get shots. But there weren’t enough. Now, many say they don’t want the jab. Local volunteers are struggling to change their minds. Erin Banco reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blue-state governors and lawmakers from California to New York are vowing to turn their states into sanctuaries for people seeking abortions. plus, the yearslong push for over-the-counter birth control is taking on fresh urgency in the wake of a potential Supreme Court decision rolling back abortion rights. Lauren Gardner reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clinical trials have long been plagued by inefficiency, lack of diversity and the inability to leverage data. The pandemic increased the need to modernize trials, which pushed many trials to lean on technology to conduct remote trials. Ben Leonard explains why money pouring into the space and why many clinical trials are still stuck in the previous century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FDA may propose a rule banning menthol cigarettes as early as today, a decision 10 years in the making. The agency has long faced calls to act on menthol cigarettes, which are disproportionately smoked by Black Americans and teens just starting to use tobacco. Katherine Foley reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration is preparing to scrap a Trump-era rule that allows medical workers to refuse to provide services that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, people familiar with the deliberations told POLITICO. Alice Miranda Ollstein reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Insulin is what economists would call a super inelastic product — no matter what the cost is, people are going to pay for it because it's a life saving medication. Two bills in Congress take aim at insulin prices — but one only targets co-pays for insured patients. Katherine Foley reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon has been pushing into health care for years, starting with wearable health devices and pharmacy services. But the nationwide expansion of its “Amazon Care” service is its biggest move in the rapidly growing telehealth industry, which could grow to a $20 billion sector over the next five years. Most of Amazon’s telehealth and in-person offerings are likely covered by HIPAA, but some of Amazon’s other offerings, such as its partnership with Teladoc on the Alexa smart speaker, might fall into a gray area. Emily Birnbaum reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

POLITICO reporter Rachael Levy broke the story that some hospitals have been asking patients to remove their N95 masks — even though they offer better protection. That story spurred U.S. health officials to consider notifying Americans how to report facilities that they believe endanger them, and the CDC now says on its website that people should “use the most protective form” of masks. Rachael’s reporting changed a national policy in a matter of days — but the question remains why policymakers in the US are behind on mask guidance. Rachael Levy reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House asked for $22.5 billion for covid response funds. Last week, Congress put together a bipartisan $15 billion plan. But so far, exactly zero dollars have actually been agreed upon. And even as the administration warns it may need to cancel new orders of Covid-19 drugs as soon as next week and wind down access to testing soon after that, there appears to be no clear strategy from either the White House or Capitol Hill to secure the funds. The Biden administration insists it’s doing all it can to hammer home for lawmakers that failing to swiftly approve the funding will have serious consequences. Top appropriators on Capitol Hill point the finger back at the administration, saying the White House did not make a convincing enough case for the money to win over Republicans. Adam Cancryn reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The White House has been reluctant to declare the end of the pandemic — especially after optimism last summer about "independence" from the virus was made moot by the Delta and Omicron variants. But officials have pointed to vaccine and test availability — and hope that revised CDC guidance and a new plan could ease political pressure for a path out of the pandemic. The plan will include streamlined “test-to-treat” programs at pharmacies and other health entities, which would antiviral drugs to people who test positive as the availability of those treatments increase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FDA first received a report of a foodborne illness suspected to be linked to infant formula in September, four months before issuing a sweeping recall of three major brands after four babies were hospitalized and one died. When the FDA initiated an inspection of an Abbot facility making formula (after the death?), inspectors found Cronobacter sakazakii, a rare but serious foodborne pathogen that can cause life-threatening infections. Helena Bottemiller Evich reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told congressional appropriators in charge of crafting a supplemental pandemic funding package that the Biden health department needs at least $30 billion to keep its wide-ranging Covid-19 response work going, especially in the event that another variant emerges. Some Republican senators, however, are openly skeptical that more funding is needed, citing the country’s improving pandemic and economic outlook — and the multiple rounds of federal aid Congress pumped out over the last two years, which some lawmakers believe has contributed to soaring inflation. Alice Miranda Ollstein reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the pandemic began, Congress barred states from kicking people off Medicaid in exchange for additional federal funding. Enrollment surged nearly 20 percent over the next 16 months to 76.7 million, an all-time high. But state audits that happen when the health crisis is declared "over" could lead to as many as 15 million people, including 6 million children, losing their health insurance, according to an analysis from the Urban Institute.Now, states fear that winding down the expanded social safety net could prove messy — as many of the millions removed from the rolls may not know they’ve lost their health insurance or which options are available for new coverage. Megan Messerly reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday, Pfizer and BioNTech announced they’re seeking Food and Drug Administration authorization for the first two doses of a planned three-dose Covid-19 vaccine regimen for children under 5 — the last age bracket remaining witout a Covid-19 vaccine. The agency also announced that it would convene its independent panel of vaccine experts on Feb. 15 to consider the data and make a recommendation to regulators. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisers could quickly follow suit should the FDA grant the request, meaning these children could receive their first vaccines later this month. While many welcomed the new development, some pediatricians raised concerns that the companies were moving too quickly, before they had finished studying whether a third dose would provide the necessary protection to children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republicans are accusing the Biden administration of racism — against white people. The FDA’s December guidance on the use of sotrovimab — the only monoclonal antibody proven effective against Omicron — notes people of color may be at higher risk for severe Covid-19 and said it’s one factor among several that doctors can consider when doling out the drug, given that Sotrovimab remains in short supply. But, it's now become the latest political talking point for Republicans, looking to energize their base ahead of the midterm elections, and the political backlash is already fraying patchwork policy at the state level. Megan Messerly reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After more than a month of surging case numbers due to the Omicron variant, the Biden administration is responding with more testing and masking. On Wednesday, it launched covidtests.gov, a website that allows users to request four free at-home covid test and this week also unveiled a plan to distribute hundreds of millions of free N-95 masks through pharmacies and community sites. In a Wednesday press conference, Biden alluded to the late start, saying, "Should we have done more testing earlier? Yes. But we're doing more now." Adam Cancryn on where the administration is at, one year in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we round into the third year of the pandemic and a surging wave of cases due to the Omicron variant, Democrats and Republicans alike raised sharp questions and complaints in the most recent Senate HELP Committee oversight hearing. Alice Miranda Ollstein reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After days of criticism over new isolation and quarantine guidelines, the CDC doubled down Tuesday on its policy. Erin Banco reports on that decision, the current omicron surge and why booster programs may limit global vaccine supply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Califf sailed through his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, despite some opposition from Democrats ranging from Bernie Sanders to Joe Manchin related to failures by the FDA (including under Califf) to reign in the opioid epidemic and industry ties. A confirmation vote in January would give the agency a permanent political leader for the first time during the Biden presidency. Adam Cancryn reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Biden on Monday nudged members of his party in Congress push through his signature Build Back Better plan, which includes provisions that would give Medicare the power to bargain on the price of a handful of the most expensive drugs; penalize drugmakers who raise prices faster than inflation for people; and cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 per month. Democrats’ ability to meaningfully impact drug prices, however, depends heavily on Congress passing the party’s $1.7 trillion social spending bill in the coming weeks. Alice Miranda Ollstein reports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

POLITICO's Erin Banco breaks down how production problems at Novavax left the world waiting for a vaccine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The FDA is poised to expand access to boosters across the nation. POLITICO's Adam Cancryn reports.Adam Cancryn is a health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biden called for widespread mandates. His VA is navigating its own minefields. POLITICO's Natasha Korecki reports.Natasha Korecki is a White House Correspondent for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hundreds of thousands of California students face an imminent choice: Get vaccinated for Covid-19 or stay home. POLITICO's Mackenzie Mays breaks down how some schools districts in the Golden State are putting mandates to the test.Mackenzie Mays is an education reporter for POLITICO California.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more: California schools: Get Covid shots or go back to distance learningSign up for the POLITICO Pulse newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine a world in which middle schoolers fact check presidential debates and public officials publish transcripts of every conversation they have. That’s the world that Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s digital minister, has helped create, thereby fortifying Taiwan’s democracy even as it faces increasing threats from China. In this special presentation of POLITICO's Global Insider, Tang tells host Ryan Heath what it’s like to govern and live in the shadow of China.Subscribe to Global Insider. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a big week for vaccine news. POLITICO's Lauren Gardner breaks it all down with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel.Lauren Gardner is an FDA reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Sign up for the POLITICO Pulse newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Labor reporter Rebecca Rainey breaks down what we know about the Biden administration's vaccine mandate — and who it'll hit and miss when it takes effect.Rebecca Rainey is a labor reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more: Where Biden’s vaccine mandate will hit and miss Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Biden administration is making a new investment in at-home Covid testing. POLITICO's David Lim talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about what that means for the fight against the pandemic.David Lim is a health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Sign up for the Prescription Pulse and POLITICO Pulse newsletters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year, some states saw their worst surges in October and December. A lot has changed since then, including the widespread availability of vaccines, but POLITICO's Erin Banco is still considered about what could happen this holiday season.Erin Banco is a health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Take part in our 2021 podcast survey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

He's the nation's top health official. But he's rarely the one giving orders. POLITICO's Adam Cancryn reports.Adam Cancryn is a health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more: Becerra takes a back seat while others steer Covid responseTake part in our 2021 podcast survey.Sign up for the POLITICO Pulse newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this summer, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was a vocal proponent of vaccinations. Now, he's fighting mandates and edging closer to anti-vaxxers. POLITICO's Gary Fineout tells Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel what's behind the shift.Gary Fineout is a reporter for POLITICO Florida.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more: DeSantis flirts with the anti-vaccine crowdSubscribe to the Florida Playbook newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Covid wrecked the economy and sent unemployment skyrocketing. But poverty went down, and the percentage of households facing food insecurity remained stagnant. POLITICO's Helena Bottemiller Evich explains how ambitious spending plans gave some Americans a lifeline.Helena Bottemiller Evich is a senior food and agriculture reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more from POLITICO's Recovery Lab series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The limited data we have shows that immunity among vaccinated people is waning. But how much and when is another story. POLITICO's Sarah Owermohle reports.Sarah Owermohle is a health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Subscribe to the POLITICO Pulse newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hospitals are once again experiencing a dangerous shortage of medical workers as Delta cases surge across the country, POLITICO's Alice Miranda Ollstein reports.Alice Miranda Ollstein is a health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more: Health worker crunch pressures state battling Delta variant Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

POLITICO's Erin Banco breaks down a six-month investigation into America's failure to identify Covid hotspots quickly enough to prevent outbreaks.Erin Banco is a health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more: Inside America’s Covid-reporting breakdown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly 1,600 kids with Covid-19 were hospitalized last week — a new seven-day record and a 27 percent increase from the week before. POLITICO's Dan Goldberg tells Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel what's behind the surge.Dan Goldberg is a health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more: Children's hospitals are swamped with Covid patients — and it may only get worse Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s been a lot of misinformation about the Delta variant and vaccinations in recent days. So POLITICO Pulse’s Sarah Owermohle joins Dispatch’s Jeremy Siegel to cut through the noise and break down the data. Plus, some welcome news about full approval for Pfizer.Sarah Owermohle is a health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more: FDA targets early September for approving Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccineSubscribe to the POLITICO Pulse newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

POLITICO’s Erin Banco breaks down everything we know — and don’t — about the CDC’s new mask guidance.Erin Banco covers the CDC for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.CDC map of Covid transmission by county Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The economy is recovering, but millions are still out of jobs. POLITICO's Katherine Landergan spoke to a panel of experts about how to get Americans back to work.Katherine Landergan is POLITICO's New Jersey bureau chief.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more:Welcome to Recovery Lab: WorkPolicy Hackathon: How to get more Americans back to workThe future of work has arrived, and it’s messy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Tokyo Olympics will take place under a state of emergency with no spectators. POLITICO's Ryan Heath talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about why Covid could still be a problem.Ryan Heath authors the Global Translations newsletter and hosts the Global Translations podcast.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After falling short of its July Fourth goal, the White House is now turning to a hyper-local strategy. But as POLITICO's Natasha Korecki reports, progress is slow.Natasha Korecki is a White House reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more: Biden’s Covid vaccine push crashes into reality Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bad news: It’s more transmissible. The good news: Vaccines seem to work on it. POLITICO's David Lim talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about how much of a problem the Delta variant could be.David Lim is a health care reporter for POLITICO and authors the Prescription Pulse newsletter.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more in the POLITICO Pulse newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fourth of July. That was the date Biden wanted 70 percent of the country vaccinated by. But that doesn't look like it's going to happen. POLITICO's Adam Cancryn talks with Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about why.Adam Cancryn is a health care reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Read more in the POLITICO Pulse newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The partisan divide over the country's pandemic response has reinvigorated the anti-vaccine movement nationwide. POLITICO's Lauren Gardner tells Dispatch's Jeremy Siegel about new state laws that are amplifying the issue.Lauren Gardner is an FDA reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leaders of some of the world’s wealthiest nations gather in the U.K. this week for the Group of Seven Summit. POLITICO’s Carmen Paun talks with Dispatch’s Jeremy Siegel about growing calls for the G7 to do more in the global vaccination effort — and what we can expect from the summit.Carmen Paun is a global health reporter for POLITICO.Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch.Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio.Read more in the Global Pulse newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices