What We’re Reading: Senators Demand Answers on COVID-19 Relief; Limited Access to Miscarriage Drug; Pediatric Weight Loss Medication Trials

Senators Demand Answers From Social Security on COVID-19 Relief Clawbacks

Three US senators asked the Social Security Administration (SSA) to respond to a news report that said it reduced or suspended the benefits of people who received COVID-19 relief payments, according to . KFF Health News reported that the COVID-19 relief payments totaling as much as $3200 per person led the SSA to claw back other federal benefits, like monthly support payments for those impoverished, disabled, or aged 65 years or older. Also, the SSA sent notices to some people receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits who had more money than the $2000 asset limit due to COVID relief that alleged they were overpaid, asking them to repay the government; in some cases, SSA cut off benefit payments. The senators’ letter requested answers to a list of questions within 30 days.

Limited Access to Miscarriage Drug Nationwide

Mifepristone, a drug taken almost exclusively to induce abortions or manage miscarriages, is tightly regulated by the federal and state governments and remains widely unavailable to patients experiencing pregnancy loss, according to Stateline. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended the use of both mifepristone and misoprostol to aid in passing pregnancy tissue, but a study revealed that only 1% of patients received the recommended 2-drug protocol due to mifepristone restrictions. These restrictions resulted in disparities in miscarriage care nationwide, even affecting states without abortion restrictions, as mifepristone is only available at hospitals, health clinics, and doctors’ offices that routinely provide abortions. Also, federal law requires all patients who receive the drug to sign a form acknowledging their desire to end their pregnancy, even if they experienced a miscarriage. Efforts to increase mifepristone access for miscarriage care are being opposed by anti-abortion groups who feel it is part of a larger campaign to make it more available for elective abortion.

Drug Companies Exploring Weight Loss Shots for Kids

Pharmaceutical companies are conducting trials in an attempt to get weight-loss shots approved for patients 6 years and older with obesity, according to Bloomberg. Eli Lilly & Co is planning to test its diabetes drug tirzepatide (Mounjaro), and Novo Nordisk A/S is planning to test (liraglutide) Saxenda, in patients as young as 6. If either drug is approved, it would be the first glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists available to patients that young anywhere in the world, as the FDA and the European Medicines Agency have only greenlit them in adolescents 12 and older thus far. Pediatric obesity experts say the availability of these medications is a game-changer, as according to the CDC, about 20% of children 6 and older are obese. For pharmaceutical companies, making these medications available to a younger demographic has a huge financial upside. Despite these benefits, it is currently unclear how widely the medications would be used.