Health Care — Funding cuts threaten to make syphilis spike worse

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View Online Health Care Health Care The Big Story  Syphilis infections spike to highest levels since 1950  Syphilis rates have continued to surge, reaching levels the nation hasn't seen in decades, according to data released Tuesday.  © Skip Van Orden/CDC via AP, File According to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), syphilis cases increased 17 percent in the past year and 80 percent in the past five years.   With Congress set to cut funding for workers who fight sexually transmitted infections, experts warn the record-setting epidemic isn't likely to abate.    Syphilis was nearly eradicated in the 1990s in the U.S, but it's come roaring back largely due to years of underfunding public health, but also because of increasing rates of substance use and the mental health crisis.   The CDC reported 207,255 total syphilis cases across nearly every demographic group and region in 2022, including newborns. In November, health officials reported a concerning rise in congenital syphilis — when an untreated infection in a parent is passed to an infant during birth.    It's a disease that impacts red and blue states alike — Texas, California, Arizona, Florida and Louisiana represented 57 percent of all reported congenital syphilis cases in 2022.   Health departments are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and mpox outbreak, and Congress is poised to claw back $400 million in public health workforce funds as part of the debt ceiling agreement between President Biden and congressional leaders.     The National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) found states would need to lay off about 800 disease intervention specialists if Congress doesn't stop the cuts from taking effect.   "What HHS says we need to do, what CDC says we need to do ... rapid testing, reaching out to people in alternative settings and in places like prisons, those are all absolutely correct. But communities can't follow through on that advice without funding and people to do it," said NCSD spokeswoman Elizabeth Finley.  Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads  How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: Musk says first human Neuralink implant 'promising' The first person to be implanted with Neuralink hardware is recovering well and showing "promising" signs in initial results, company founder Elon Musk said Monday. The tech billionaire said the first Neuralink surgery occurred Sunday, a landmark for the prototype brain medical device. Animal testing began with the hardware in September, with the product described as a "fully implantable, wireless brain-computer interface." …  Full Story Democratic senators call on DEA to deschedule marijuana entirely A group of Democratic senators called on the Biden administration Tuesday to completely deschedule marijuana, arguing the White House’s recommendations to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to reschedule the drug do not go far enough to address the harm that has occurred from the current system. In a letter addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, 11 Democratic senators, …  Full Story Can you get measles as an adult? What to know amid uptick in cases (NEXSTAR) — Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned clinicians to remain alert for measles cases after nearly two dozen were confirmed in the U.S. between early December and mid-January.  Full Story On Our Radar  Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: Oral arguments in AstraZeneca's lawsuit to stop Medicare drug price negotiation will take place Wednesday in Delaware. Like other pharmaceutical companies and entities, the drugmaker is arguing the program is illegal and unconstitutional. In Other News  Branch out with a different read: France's National Assembly votes on enshrining women's rights to abortion in French Constitution PARIS (AP) — France's National Assembly on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill meant to enshrine a woman's right to an abortion in the French Constitution, the first key step in a legislative process that also requires a vote in the Senate. The measure has been promised by President Emmanuel Macron following a rollback of abortion rights … Full Story Around the Nation  Local and state headlines on health care: AG Griffin rejects medical marijuana expansion amendment to the Arkansas Constitution (KFSM)  Charged with no crime. Locked up for 12 days. He died waiting for help (Mississippi Today)  Amid historic health enrollment gains nationally, Oregon holds steady (The Lund Report)  What We're Reading  Health news we've flagged from other outlets: Pfizer posts surprise 4th quarter profit, but key products miss on sales (Reuters)  Rare fungal infection blastomycosis is spreading beyond expected regions in the US: Study (USA Today)  Where are the nation's primary care providers? It's not an easy answer (KFF Health News)  What Others are Reading  Most read stories on The Hill right now: GOP moderates send warning shot to Johnson over tax deal Moderate House Republicans sent a warning shot to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday, coming close to blocking legislative action on the House … Read more Taylor Swift conspiracy theories engulf conservative social media Conservative social media is engulfed with a Taylor Swift conspiracy theory centered on the idea that the NFL is rigging games to ensure the pop superstar … Read more   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Health Care page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view our other topical products here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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