Probing Cough Syrup Deaths; COVID Vax Safety in Kids; Fatal Epidural Error

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The World Health Organization (WHO) issued an urgent call to action after at least seven countries have reported cases and three countries have reported more than 300 fatalities -- mostly in children under the age of 5 -- tied to over-the-counter cough syrups with confirmed or suspected contamination with high levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.

Citing "unacceptable levels" in toxins, the WHO also is reported to be investigating whether there is any connection among cough syrup manufacturers it has linked to the deaths. (Reuters)

For those getting COVID multiple times, the debate continues whether reinfections bring greater health risks or make individuals "super immune." (The Guardian)

A meta-analysis that included nearly 11 million vaccinated kids supported the safety and efficacy of mRNA COVID vaccines among children aged 5 to 11, researchers wrote in JAMA Pediatrics.

In an effort to sway more unvaccinated people, Latino teens are being deputized as health educators. (Kaiser Health News)

Families are feeling the pinch as a pandemic-related federal benefit offering free school meals has expired and food prices have risen. (New York Times)

The U.S. military is probing whether there is a link between nine officers being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and their work decades ago at a nuclear missile base in Montana. (Associated Press)

In Brooklyn, New York, a hospital anesthesiologist apparently made numerous errors administering epidurals, according to inspectors. While some errors were life-threatening, one was fatal. (New York Times)

The latest Hologic global survey on women's health saw the U.K. fall behind China and Saudi Arabia, while the U.S. spent more without better outcomes. (Bloomberg)

As states move to limit abortion access, Montana is looking to redefine medically necessary care. (Kaiser Health News)

This is how opioid-use disorder is costing health systems in the U.S. (Axios)

Teens may be toting a threat to their mental health in their pockets. (Seattle Times)

For some patients, wait times for psychiatric care span months, as indicated by a new report out of Massachusetts. (Axios)

Patient uniquities aren't necessarily a plus when it comes to seeking care. (The New Yorker)

While a bevy of transformative million-dollar therapies may be hitting the market, governments large and small are grappling with how to pay for them. (New York Times)

Researchers are hopeful that predictive biomarkers could ease the burden of trial-and-error when it comes to antidepressants. (STAT)

Amazon is adding a generic prescription drug benefit for its Prime members. (CNBC)

Tainted love? In the lead-up to Valentine's Day, Consumer Reports urged a handful of chocolate producers to commit to reducing the amounts of lead and cadmium in their dark chocolate products. (Reuters)

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