Lindsay Clancy case exposes dangers of fragmented U.S. health system

John Tlumacki/Boston Globe via AP

Fragmented care is the norm for Americans with private health insurance. Unfortunately for Lindsay Clancy, that fragmentation made it difficult for providers to intervene as her mental condition deteriorated.

Clancy’s ongoing murder trial has laid bare the psychological challenges new mothers can face during the postpartum period and the inadequate resources available to them in a fragmented health care system. In the four months before killing her three children and attempting to kill herself, she received 13 medications across 30 different prescriptions. Five clinicians. Two hospitals.

Read more about the highly publicized trial from STAT’s Tara Bannow, including contentious exchanges between lawyers and Clancy’s doctors.

GENETIC ENGINEERING

Can a transplant recipient get a human kidney after getting a pig kidney?

Yes. Or at least, two patients have.

Last night, eGenesis announced that two of its first recipients of genetically engineered pig kidneys have now successfully gotten organs from human donors. The biotech company is one of a handful racing to develop xenografts, as these interspecies transplants are called.

The whole project of putting pig kidneys in humans is motivated by the fact that there aren’t enough human organs for everyone who needs them. Many die waiting. But scientists weren’t sure if temporary replacement pig organs would cause someone to produce antibodies that could complicate a human-to-human transplant.

Early returns are promising, though not without hiccups. STAT’s Eric Boodman has the write-up, and the complications.

RESEARCH

What does an EMT need? A healthy heart

EMTs, firefighters, Marine pilots, Navy SEALs, astronauts: These “tactical athletes” often do their job in unpredictable or even extreme conditions. Their well-being can mean life or death for the people they serve.

The biggest health risk that this group of roughly 4 million Americans faces while on the clock? Cardiovascular disease.

To address this risk, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association published new cardiovascular guidance for clinicians on Thursday. Many of the authors also helped develop similar guidance for competitive athletes.

One of the most unique features of these professions is that they must quickly transition from a high-alert state at rest to highly intense physical activity, while potentially being at risk of harm or death. Elizabeth Cooney has the full scoop on the new clinical guidelines for these “tactical athletes.”

LIZ, AGAIN

ADA report on conference controversy is ‘confidential’

The American Diabetes Association has completed its internal review of members being ousted from its June conference (background here), but that doesn’t end the controversy. In a press release Tuesday, the ADA described its conclusions: The five violated a code of conduct for attendees and the New Orleans police were not called. (Off-duty officers were part of security.)

Steven Kahn, one of the five, asked CEO Charles Henderson for the report. “We feel it is only fair that we, just as you did, get to see its contents,” Kahn wrote in an email shown to STAT.

“I understand your interest in reviewing the full report,” Henderson wrote back. “The report is confidential and will not be shared.”

Kahn said this is at odds with a July promise to share the findings. ADA did not respond to a request for comment. This may turn on how to define “findings.” — Elizabeth Cooney

DISABILITY

Disabled workers at greater risk of losing health insurance

Disabled workers are less likely to have health insurance through their employer, which means they are at greater risk of losing coverage once Medicaid work requirements kick in next year, according to a report published Wednesday.

The research paper, published by the Center for Economic and Policy Research, found that 57.9% of people with disabilities had employment-based health insurance coverage, compared with 70.6% of people without disabilities. These disabled workers were much more likely than their nondisabled counterparts to be on Medicaid, but many of them do not meet the required hours they will need to stay on the federal health insurance next year.

Read the report for more details.

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What we’re reading

Kennedy asked to remove Pennsylvania measles death from CDC tally, sources say, Reuters
The other victims of 9/11, New York Magazine
Blue states sue Trump over Medicaid ban on trans youth treatments, Courthouse News Service
Pentagon temporarily rescinds guidance on testosterone screening for U.S. troops, Reuters
In Gaza, displacement and chronic illness are a slow-burning crisis, Prism

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