Systematic review of N95 respirator reprocessing
Editor's Note This systematic review by researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, of five decontamination processes for N95 respirators finds ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, moist heat, and microwave generated steam reprocessing to be effective and simple to implement. A total of 42 studies were reviewed. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, moist heat,…
FDA calls on 25 firms to stop displaying misleading certificates
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced March 3 that it has asked 25 firms to stop producing and issuing misleading “FDA registration certificates” and FDA logos that create the impression the FDA has approved or authorized their products. The firms include mask, respirator, face shield, and other…
Study: Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric mental health
Editor's Note This study by FAIR Health on mental health claims for individuals aged 13 to 18 years in March and April 2020 finds: Mental health claims doubled, compared to the year before, while medical claims decreased by half, and this continued through November 2020. In the Northeast region, there…
FDA: Class I recall of Medtronic's HVAD Pump Implant Kits
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 1 identified the recall by Medtronic of its HeartWare Ventricular Assist Device (HVAD) Pump Implant Kits as Class I, the most serious. The kit is part of the HeartWare HVAD System, which is used to help the heart pump blood…
Bundled payments with copay waivers reduce surgery costs for patients, payers
Editor's Note A RAND Corporation study published in the March Health Affairs finds that health insurers and patients can achieve significant savings when they participate in a bundled payment program that waives cost-sharing for patients. Researchers examined a bundled payment program developed by a private insurer that ran from 2016…
Hospital groups ask US Senate for $35B in COVID-19 relief funds
Editor's Note Nine hospital groups have asked the US Senate to add $35 billion to COVID-19 relief legislation to help them deal with financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the February 25 Fierce Healthcare reports. The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill passed by the House does not include a provider…
Nurse staffing expert, Linda Aiken, PhD, testifies on her research at NYS hospitals
Editor's Note Nurse staffing expert Linda Aiken, PhD, RN, FAAN, testified at the New York State (NYS) Health Committee budget hearing on February 25 about her research on staffing levels in New York State. Among her research findings: Each patient reduction in nurses’ workloads was associated with a 13% decrease…
FDA issues EUA for J&J’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on February 27 issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, making it the third coronavirus vaccine approved for use in the US. The vaccine can be administered to people ages 18 and older. Vaccinations will begin…
Association of COVID-19 positive antibody test with future risk of infection
Editor's Note This study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, finds that individuals who are antibody positive for COVID-19 based on commercial assays, versus those who are antibody negative, are at decreased risk of future COVID-19 infection. In this analysis of 3,257,478 patients with…
Nearly 4M J&J vaccine doses to be delivered next week, if EUA granted
Editor's Note Up to 4 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) single-dose COVID-19 vaccine will be delivered to states, community health centers, and pharmacies next week, if the vaccine receives Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the February 24 The Hill reports. An…