Ladapo Altered COVID Vax Study; Richard Lewis’ Parkinson’s; Off-Label Mifepristone?

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Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, MD, personally altered key findings in the state’s controversial study on COVID-19 vaccine safety, a document obtained by Politico revealed.

The U.S. response to the novel coronavirus exposed a “collective national incompetence,” according to a new report from the COVID Crisis Group. (Axios)

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) signed a law banning nearly all abortions in the state, with exceptions only for rape or medical emergency during the first 6 weeks. (AP)

Compared with day shift work, evening/night shifts or rotating shifts were associated with higher rates of serious psychological distress in adults, according to a CDC survey.

Premature deaths hit Americans of color harder during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Peterson-KFF analysis.

Common ear, nose, and throat issues in toddlers may be linked to autism, U.K. researchers reported in BMJ Open.

The World Health Organization along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are aiming to reverse pandemic-driven declines in childhood vaccination. (Reuters)

St. Louis Children’s Hospital has rejected allegations of malpractice about the care provided at Washington University’s Transgender Center. (The Hill)

A newly proposed HHS rule if finalized would expand access to healthcare for so-called dreamers, undocumented individuals brought into the U.S. as children.

Richard Lewis announced his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and said he will retire from comedy. (Hollywood Reporter)

Len Goodman, 78, the longtime judge on Dancing with the Stars, died from bone cancer. (People)

Former professional athletes are turning to psychedelic mushrooms (psilocybin) to alleviate chronic pain and mental health issues. (KFF Health News)

Legal experts argue that off-label mifepristone (Mifeprex) prescribing could sidestep restrictions imposed on the abortion drug, but doctors still fear the legal consequences. (Politico)

Naloxone nasal spray (Narcan) will reportedly be available at music festivals this summer. (USA Today)