What We’re Reading: Abortion Ruling Threatens FDA Drug Process; Florida Omits Vaccine Data; Uninsured With Cancer

Texas Abortion Ruling Threatens FDA Drug Approval Control

A Texas federal judge’s ruling to repeal the approval of the abortion pill mifepristone by the FDA has the potential to undermine US government authority over the regulation of drug approvals, according to The New York Times. This is the first time a court has pushed toward the removal of an FDA approved drug. If upheld, this decision could result in more lawsuits over FDA approval of other medications and new drugs, legal experts warned.

Florida Cuts Key COVID-19 Vaccine Data from Study

In drafts obtained by the Tampa Bay Times, Florida’s general surgeon warning that the COVID-19 vaccine could increase the risk of cardiac-related death among young men omitted key information that showed the risk was much higher for those who caught the virus, according to The Associated Press. An analysis of these drafts found that records show catching COVID-19 could increase the chance of cardiac-related death, much more than the mRNA shot, was missing from the final version provided by the Florida Department of Health last October. As a result of these findings and other requests by lawmakers and health experts, the Florida Supreme Court has agreed to convene on this issue.

Uninsured Patients Struggle to Find Care Due to the Type of Cancer They Have

A study finds the odds of patients with cancer getting insurance to help cover the cost of treatment is much like a game of roulette, in which it depends on what type of cancer it is, reports Kaiser Health News. The research shows a patient with breast or cervical cancer is more likely to qualify for insurance than a patient with skin cancer, due to a law that extends coverage to lower-income patients with those 2 types of cancers. For patients with other types of cancer, seeking coverage may require a more complicated route, such as qualifying for disability through Social Security Administration first and then applying through Medicaid, which would then include its own long list of eligibility criteria.