From Washington, DC

• The House of Representatives and the Senate are in session this week for floor voting and Committee business.

• Here is a link to OPM’s Postal Service Health Benefits Program final implementation rule as it will be published in the Federal Register on May 6.

From the public health and medical research front,

• Fortune Well tells us,
  • “The number of patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 has hit its lowest weekly level since the start of the pandemic.
  • “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports just 5,615 were hospitalized in the U.S. due to the coronavirus the week of April 20, the most recent data available. That’s far below the 150,650 who were admitted the week of Jan. 15, 2022, when the Omicron variant was at its peak.
  • “While the CDC will continue to monitor COVID cases, it is seemingly feeling comfortable enough with current levels and the effectiveness of vaccines that, as of May 1, it has stopped requiring hospitals to report COVID-19 admissions, capacity numbers and occupancy data. (It is, however, encouraging them to report that data voluntarily.)”

• The New York Times provides four takeaways from its investigation of the side effects of Covid vaccines.
  • “For most people, the benefits of Covid vaccines outweigh any risks.
  • “Federal surveillance has found some side effects but may miss others.
  • “Proving vaccination led to an illness is complicated, and
  • “Understanding the full range of side effects may take years.”

• The Washington Post reports,
  • Cancer drug trials are structured to promote high doses, which then become routine patient care. With evidence that thousands of patients become so ill that they skip doses or stop taking the drugs — risking resurgence of their cancers — the FDA has begun requiring companies to pinpoint the right dosage before drugs reach patients. The initiative, Project Optimus, [was] launched in 2021 * * *.

• Fortune Well lets us know,
  • “Choosing the stairs over the elevator has been considered sage fitness advice for years, but new research backs up this health tip. A meta-analysis presented at a European Society of Cardiology conference this past weekend found that people who routinely climb stairs were 39% less likely to die from heart disease, compared to those who didn’t. They also had a lower risk of stroke and heart attack.
  • “I was surprised that such a simple form of exercise can reduce all-cause mortality,” study author Dr. Sophie Paddock, of the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust in the UK told NPR.
  • “Her team reviewed data from about 480,000 participants, analyzing their risk of heart disease based on factors like blood pressure, smoking history, cholesterol, and genetic risk factors. Participants, who ranged in age from mid-30s to mid-80s, also answered questions about their lifestyle and exercise habits. The stair climbers were better able to ward off heart disease over the course of 12 years. 
  • “A 2023 study, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, looked at exactly how many flights of stairs you need to climb daily to better your heart health. The short answer? Climbing just five flights per day could reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by 20%.” 

From the U.S. healthcare business front,

• The American Hospital Association finds that “America’s Hospitals and Health Systems Continue to Face Escalating Operational Costs and Economic Pressures as They Care for Patients and Communities.”

• Per BioPharma Dive,
  • “Novartis is expanding its pipeline of radiopharmaceutical drugs, announcing Thursday it has agreed to pay $1 billion to acquire biotechnology company Mariana Oncology.
  • “Mariana, which specializes in the targeted radiation medicines, could receive up to $750 million more from Novartis if certain milestones are met. The deal hands Novartis several drug programs, including one candidate being tested as a treatment for small cell lung cancer.
  • “Novartis currently sells two approved radiopharmaceuticals, Pluvicto and Lutathera. Their success has helped spark a run of acquisitions by other large drug companies, including AstraZeneca’s planned purchase of Fusion Pharmaceuticals for $2.4 billion.”

• Per MedTech Dive,
  • “Medical products supplier Medline has agreed to acquire Ecolab’s global surgical solutions business for $950 million in cash, to gain its sterile drapes and fluid temperature management systems, the companies said on Tuesday.
  • “Ecolab makes sterile drapes for surgeons, patients and operating room equipment.
  • “The St. Paul, Minnesota-based company said it will continue to serve hospitals through its infection prevention and instrument reprocessing businesses, and the sale of surgical solutions will allow it to better focus on those lines to drive profitable long-term growth.”

• AHIP notes,
  • “AHIP is releasing a new survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago which highlights broad satisfaction with employer-provided coverage (EPC) and the value it brings, including convenient access to high-quality care.
  • “This report shines a light on how employer-provided coverage delivers high-quality, affordable health care for more than half of all Americans and their families,” said Jeanette Thornton, AHIP’s executive vice president of policy and strategy. “Serving every age, race, ethnicity, and income level, employer-provided coverage is the cornerstone for good health in America.”