Ducey Allocates $60M In Federal Funds to Patch a Nursing Shortage He Largely Created
Last week the governor allocated $60M in federal funding to go toward contracts for a total of 750 nurses that will be available to work at qualifying hospitals for an 8 weeks period. To qualify, hospitals need to establish that they have a protocol for using a particular brand-name monoclonal antibody treatment called Rogeneron and that they offer “vaccination at discharge”. Rogeneron is a product that is under EUA for
Even More Evidence that Universal K-12 Masking is Important for Keeping Kids Safe
Analysis Finds that Universal Masking Reduces Classroom Transmission by 800% A new study published in BMJ last week called SARS-CoV-2 aerosol transmission in schools: the effectiveness of different interventions found that universal masking in classrooms reduced aerosol transmission by 800%. Ventilation “… through the full opening of six windows all day during the winter reduces transmission by 14x“. The combined interventions of universal masking, natural ventilation, and HEPA filtration) reduced transmission 3,000%.
Congress Should Seize the Day and Finally Pass Popular Drug Pricing Reform
It’s no secret that we’re living through a particularly heated period in American politics, and Arizona is a perfect example of the partisan divide facing the nation. In the 2020 presidential election, the Grand Canyon State was decided by a mere 10,475 votes, or 0.3 of a point, transforming political spectators across the country into Arizona election law experts and avid consumers of Maricopa County polling data. However, drug pricing
Finally, A President Decides to Tackle Unreasonable Prescription Drug Prices
It’s no secret that prescription drug prices in the U.S. are far higher than in other countries and that the current system costs taxpayers, insurance plans and people far more than it should. A huge barrier has been language in the Medicare law that prevents HHS from directly negotiating drug prices under the Medicare Part D drug benefit program. Achieving prescription drug pricing reform (allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices)
Booster Shots for All to be Considered by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices Next Week
The FDA revised the Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to include a booster shot for persons that are immunocompromised on August 12. The CDC’s Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices met the next day (here are the meeting materials) and unanimously voted to recommend an extra dose of Covid-19 vaccine for some immunocompromised people. Director Wilensky immediately signed off on the recommendation. That recommendation will cover about 7
City of Phoenix Joins the Crowd Suing the State (Governor)
The city of Phoenix sued Arizona last week, correctly arguing that the Legislature & Governor folded dozens of provisions into a state budget bill which is a violation of the State’s constitution. This new suit filed in Superior Court also focuses on the “single subject rule”. The Arizona Constitution lays out a transparent process where bills must mean what they say. Budget bills have to be about the budget and substantive, general legislation