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What We’re Reading: Biden to Boost Care Worker Compensation; Social Media Hype Drives Weight Loss Drug Demand; Reducing Fatigue From Long COVID
President Joe Biden signs order to boost care worker compensation and support caregivers; social media adds are fueling weight loss medication demands; an investigational metabolic modulator has been shown to mitigate fatigue in patients with long COVID.
Biden Signs Executive Order to Boost Compensation for Care Workers
President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Tuesday addressing issues in child care and long-term care in the United States, according to The Hill. The order focuses on boosting compensation for care workers, supporting family caregivers, and expanding affordable care options through 50 directives to federal agencies. It also includes provisions to improve access to home-based care for veterans, increase pay and benefits for Head Start teachers and staff, and streamline processes for American Indian and Alaska Native communities to access child care.
Social Media Drives Demand for Weight Loss Medications, Triggering Regulatory Concerns
Social media ads, which can include misinformation, have driven up the demand for weight loss drugs, according to CBS News. Although doctors have expressed concerns about inappropriate use and unreliable sources for the drug, regulatory systems have limited tools to curb misleading advertising from prescribers on social media. Simultaneously, pharmaceutical companies are leading campaigns to raise awareness of obesity without mentioning their drugs. Overseas regulators have also been active in auditing and removing some instances of unethical advertising.
New Metabolic Modulator Shows Promise in Reducing Fatigue in Patients With Long COVID
AXA1125, an investigational metabolic modulator, has shown promising results in reducing physical and cognitive fatigue in patients with long COVID, according to researchers at the University of Oxford. The phase 2 pilot study included 41 adults with fatigue-dominant long COVID who received either AXA1125 or placebo orally for 4 weeks. AXA1125 was associated with a significant reduction in fatigue scores and improved mitochondrial health, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits for patients with long COVID, although further research is needed in larger trials.
Laundromats as a New Frontier in Community Health, Medicaid Outreach
May 29th 2025Lindsey Leininger, PhD, and Allister Chang, MPA, highlight the potential of laundromats as accessible, community-based settings to support Medicaid outreach, foster trust, and connect families with essential health and social services.
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Alzheimer Disease and Related Dementias Cause Surging Economic Burden for Minoritized Communities
June 5th 2025African American and Latino older adults with Alzheimer disease and related dementias and their families are likely to face disproportionately high burdens, primarily associated with unpaid caregiving, suggesting the need for policies that may reduce economic burdens for all US residents.
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Use of Voluntary Alignment in the Next Generation ACO Model
June 5th 2025Use of voluntary alignment attribution by Next Generation Accountable Care Organization (ACO) participants was limited. The authors highlight the reasons and describe organizational use cases via a mixed-methods approach.
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