Bernie Sanders Has COVID; Global Fake Ozempic Problem; Nitazenes, the New Fentanyl?

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Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), 82, said he tested positive for COVID-19, but has “minimal” symptoms. (The Hill)

A Minnesota woman sued her dentist, saying she was left disfigured after receiving four root canals, eight dental crowns, and 20 fillings in a single visit. (AP)

Last week’s FDA warning about counterfeit semaglutide (Ozempic) may be part of a much larger global problem. (NBC News)

Many anti-obesity drugs are out of reach for millions of older Americans due to lack of Medicare coverage. (AP)

Healthcare staff who interact with patients at Mass General Brigham will be required to mask up again in the new year as cases of respiratory illness rise. (CBS News)

Documents obtained by Freedom of Information Act requests detail the toxins at nuclear missile sites where many service members have developed cancer. (AP via ABC News)

Meanwhile, President Biden signed a bill that expands access to counseling and mental health services for Colorado’s military families. (CBS News)

The HHS plan to shore up primary care in the U.S. does not go far enough, according to experts. (Washington Post)

More states are allowing health insurance coverage for immigrants, including those undocumented. (KFF Health News via NPR)

Insurance coverage concerns are swirling amid GSK’s plan to discontinue its branded asthma inhaler Flovent in place of its own “authorized generic.” (CNN)

Here’s what to know about nitazenes, powerful opioids popping up in the illicit drug market. (CBS News)

Integration of behavioral and physical health at the Medicaid managed care plan level didn’t boost access or quality of health services, a study in Washington state found. (JAMA Health Forum)

Hospital visits can often make matters worse for transgender teens in crisis. (AP)

The World Health Organization announced a human case of western equine encephalitis infection in Argentina, the first human case in more than 2 decades.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled over 4,200 units of tiny relax magnetic balls sold at Walmart following an estimated 2,400 emergency department visits from ingestion and seven deaths in recent years.

Can generic drug prices ever be too cheap? (NPR)

Within 3 to 5 years of publication, only 66% of randomized trials published in JAMA, The Lancet, and the New England Journal of Medicine followed through with their promise of lifting embargoes on data sharing, researchers detailed in a JAMA research letter.

Here’s what premeds should know about talking with patients. (U.S. News & World Report)

Two-thirds of U.K. doctors are suffering from “moral distress.” (The Guardian)

Average life expectancy in America is dropping, but few politicians seem concerned. (Washington Post)

Since 2003, the proportions of individuals from underrepresented groups increased in U.S. PharmD and DO programs but decreased in MD programs; overall, the proportions were still lower compared with Census data. (JAMA Network Open)

The world population will be officially over 8 billion on New Year’s Day after the population grew by 75 million in 2023. (AP)