Missouri Doc Murdered? Biden’s Pick for CDC Chief; COVID Immunity in 96% of U.S.

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The death of Missouri emergency medicine physician John Forsyth, MD, who died of a gunshot wound, is being treated as a homicide, according to his brother. (Fox News)

The White House reportedly plans to pick Mandy Cohen, the former North Carolina health secretary, as the next CDC director. (Politico)

The FDA is considering whether to allow temporary importation of cancer drugs from unapproved manufacturers to ease the current shortage of at least a dozen drugs. (CNBC)

In announcing a plan to ensure access to new Alzheimer’s drugs after FDA approval, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services reiterated its intention to require patient registries that will collect data about how the drugs perform.

Allina Health System, a nonprofit that operates more than 100 hospitals and clinics in the Midwest and has annual revenue of $4 billion, acknowledged that it “sometimes” denies non-emergency care to patients who have unpaid medical bills. (New York Times)

A mistrial has been declared in the case of the two Maryland doctors charged with conspiring to pass medical records to Russia to aid in the war against Ukraine. (AP)

A woman who awoke from a 20-year trauma-induced catatonic state touched off a research effort that uncovered a possible association between psychiatric illness and autoimmune disorders. (Washington Post)

A new survey showed that 80% of older Americans fear that prescription drug reforms included in the Inflation Reduction Act will have a negative effect on innovations in drug development. (The Hill)

Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs is set to sell a Humira biosimilar at a price 85% lower than the reference product. (Reuters)

How much risk does the antidiabetic and weight-loss drug semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) pose to pregnancy? (Fox News)

A new study from the CDC suggests that 96% of Americans have some degree of immunity against COVID-19.

Meanwhile, surveillance of New York City wastewater has detected rising levels of the virus, suggesting a rebound of the illness might be brewing. (Gothamist)

A graphic look at how COVID damages the lungs. (New York Times)

In an update to a previous statement, the CDC warned that suspected cases of fungal meningitis continue to be detected among Americans, and that 212 people across 25 states may be at risk following their surgical procedures with epidural anesthesia at two clinics in Mexico.

The Supreme Court revived whistleblower claims that SuperValu and Safeway overcharged government healthcare programs for generic drugs. (AP, MedPage Today)

More than 600,000 people have been disenrolled from Medicaid as states unwind the COVID-era continuous enrollment provision. (KFF Health News)

As 83-year-old actor Al Pacino prepares to welcome another baby into the world — following 79-year-old former costar Robert De Niro, who became a father again last month — health experts warn of potential health risks to babies of older fathers. (NBC News)

Internal corporate documents reportedly show that global chemical manufacturer Syngenta attempted to manipulate research into their weedkiller paraquat’s association with Parkinson’s disease. (The Guardian)

President Biden emerged no worse for the wear — except perhaps a bruised ego — after a fall while attending a commencement ceremony at the Air Force Academy. (The Hill)

Ford Motor Company has filed a federal antitrust lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, accusing the insurer of a price-fixing conspiracy that resulted in Ford paying inflated costs for employee health insurance. (Reuters)

An ongoing cholera pandemic — which originated in Indonesia in 1961 — emphasizes the need to go back to basics to achieve a healthier global population. (CNN)