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Analysis: A new era of vaccines leaves old questions about prices unanswered

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

Elisabeth Rosenthal | (TNS) KFF Health NewsThe world is entering a new era of vaccines. Following the success of COVID-19 mRNA shots, scientists have a far greater capacity to tailor shots to a virus’s structure, putting a host of new vaccines on the horizon.The most recent arrivals — as anyone on the airwaves or social media knows — are several new immunizations against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.These shots are welcome since RSV can be dangerous, even deadly, in the very old and very young. But the shots are also expensive — about $300 for those directed at adults, and up to $1,000 for one of the shots, a monoclonal antibody rather than a traditional vaccine, intended for babies. Many older vaccines cost pennies.So their advent is forcing the United States to face anew questions it has long sidestepped: How much should an immunization that will possibly be given — maybe yearly — to millions of Americans cost to be truly valuable? Also, given the U.S. is one of two countri...

Photos: UC San Diego Health NICU babies dress up for Halloween

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Even the tiniest trick-or-treaters are getting in the spooky spirit this Halloween.From a fairy to candy corn to twin doctors, newborns at UC San Diego Health's neonatal intensive care unit at Jacobs Medical Center got all dressed up for the holiday."Playing dress up for Halloween is a fun way for parents to bond with their infants in the NICU while bringing smiles to the doctors, nurses and staff who provide them with such exceptional care," a UC San Diego spokeswoman said in an email to FOX 5.The NICU cares for newborns who are born prematurely or who need to be hospitalized due to health issues.UC San Diego Health NICU Halloween 2023Anahi - 4 lbs 8 ounces (Courtesy: Alethea Go | UC San Diego Health)UC San Diego Health NICU Halloween 2023Twins #2Harper (L) - 4 lbs 2.8 ouncesJune (R) - 4 lbs 10.1 ounces(Courtesy: Alethea Go | UC San Diego Health)UC San Diego Health NICU Halloween 2023Valentina - 4 lbs .6 ounces(Courtesy: Alethea Go | UC San Diego Health)UC San Diego He...

Local athlete battles leukemia, inspires others to join lifesaving donor registry

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A college soccer player from San Diego County is battling a rare form of Leukemia. Her best chance at beating the cancer all lied in a bone marrow transplant. FOX 5 first brought its viewers this story a year ago during her family's desperate search for a donor. Present day, the athlete is now giving back to others through a powerful message. It's match day as UC Irvine takes on UC San Diego, but it's not an ordinary game. The star player is sidelined, for good reason. Encinitas teen, Jenika Davis is a D1 athlete for the UC Irvine Anteaters and was diagnosed last October with a rare form of blood cancer. “Even though you want to be strong mentally, it’s OK to lean on other people," Davis said to FOX 5.Pair the diagnosis with four rounds of chemo, well, that would keep anyone on the bench, but for Davis, it wasn't for long. "I'm so thankful I can walk without a huge pole next to me, I'm so thankful I can wear clothes that I want to wear, I’m so thankful I can wear shoes....

1 charged with assault in Brampton, police aware of video of fight at plaza

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

One man has been charged with assault after a fight broke out at a plaza in Brampton over the weekend.Peel Regional Police responded to reports of multiple people fighting outside of a bar in the area of Hurontario Street and Wanless Drive at around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 29.Officers located a 20-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man, both of whom were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.Video shared on social media of the alleged incident shows a group of people kicking a victim on the ground. A second person can be seen kneeling beside the victim. Fights then continue as someone records from what appears to be inside a vehicle.Investigators said one person was arrested shortly after. He was identified as 24-year-old Sukhjit Singh of Brampton. He’s facing one count of assault.It’s unclear if other suspects are wanted.In a news release, a police spokesperson said investigators are aware of the video circulating online concerning the assault...

Ontario to give some teachers and education workers retroactive salary bumps

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

Ontario has agreed to give public high school teachers and some elementary school education workers retroactive salary increases to compensate them for constrained wages under a law known as Bill 124.Education workers represented by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario ratified a new contract last week and the union says today that the deal includes an agreement on a Bill 124 remedy.That 2019 law capped salary increases for public sector workers to one per cent a year for three years.An Ontario court has ruled it unconstitutional, but the government has appealed.ETFO says that the government has agreed to give its education workers an additional 0.75 per cent in salary increases for the first two years of the contract covered by Bill 124, and the amount for the third year will be decided by an arbitrator.The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation says it has agreed to the same terms with the government and the two unions will present a “united fron...

Freeland to meet with provincial finance ministers on possible Alberta CPP withdrawal

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says she will meet provincial and territorial finance ministers later this week to discuss the possibility of Alberta’s withdrawal from the Canada Pension Plan.A letter from Freeland to her counterparts says she is convening the virtual meeting on Friday to speak to what she calls flaws underlying Alberta’s proposed exit formula.Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said last week her government stands by its assertion that the province deserves $334 billion if it leaves the CPP, which represents more than half of the plan’s assets.A throne speech from Smith’s government on Monday did not mention the proposed withdrawal, and the premier said a promised referendum might not happen if public consultation suggests the idea isn’t popular.The Alberta government has been advertising the benefits that it says could come to Albertans with a transfer out of the CPP, but economists and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board say the a...

'Incredibly concerning': Austin psychologist cautions parents about possible weight loss shots for kids

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Weight loss drugs prescribed for adults with diabetes, and made popular by many celebrities, may be available for kids soon.According to a NewsNation report, pharmaceutical companies, behind the weight loss shots like Ozempic and Mounjaro, are testing a version to treat kids as young as six years old with obesity.“Incredibly concerning,” Austin-based psychologist Dr. Allison Chase said.The Centers for Disease Control warns childhood obesity is a serious health problem in the United States with one in five children and adolescents affected.If approved for kids, the weight loss shots may be one more tool for doctors to prescribe in the fight against childhood obesity.“It feels not appropriate to be looking at when they're wanting to prescribe these drugs. They're not looking at the full picture, they're not looking at the holistic approach of health for a child or adolescent,” Chase said.Chase is the senior clinical advisor for the Eating Recovery Center and Pathlight ...

Victim's girlfriend testifies in Day 1 of Martindale man's murder trial

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

CALDWELL COUNTY (KXAN) — Sarah Todd took the stand first in the murder trial for the man who is accused of killing her boyfriend two years ago. Martindale resident Terry Turner is on trial for the first-degree murder of Adil Dghoughi. KXAN's Jala Washington is in court providing live updates on social media platform X: Good Morning, in Caldwell County this morning following another murder trial. Martindale resident, Terry Turner is accused of murdering Adil Dghoughi, shooting him through Dghoughi's car window as he drove out of Turner's driveway. Wifi is spotty but will live tweet. @KXAN_News— Jala Washington (@Jala__WashTV) October 31, 2023 ‘We just want the truth’: Family pleads for answers after man was shot while parked outside of a home During her testimony, Todd talked about the happy times between her and Dghoughi. "I had never had another human being smile at me the way he smiled at me," Todd recalled from her and Dghoughi's first date at Little Woodrow's in...

Peek-a-BOO! Austin NICU babies celebrate Halloween

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's all treats and no tricks this Halloween as some of Austin's newest and tiniest bundles of joy celebrate Halloween.Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin rang in the festivities with teeny costumes in tow, treating each newborn to a spooky photoshoot. It's all treats and no tricks this Halloween as some of Austin's newest and tiniest bundles of joy celebrate Halloween. (Courtesy: Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin)It's all treats and no tricks this Halloween as some of Austin's newest and tiniest bundles of joy celebrate Halloween. (Courtesy: Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin)It's all treats and no tricks this Halloween as some of Austin's newest and tiniest bundles of joy celebrate Halloween. (Courtesy: Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin)It's all treats and no tricks this Halloween as some of Austin's newest and tiniest bundles of joy celebrate Halloween. (Courtesy: Ascension Seton Medical Center Austin)It's all treats and no tricks this Halloween as s...

True or false: The Tyson Bagent fairy tale has reached the end for the Chicago Bears after a shaky Week 8 performance

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:51 GMT

Another week. Another loss. Another set of performance and injury issues to sift through. The Chicago Bears didn’t expect to be approaching the midpoint of their season this way, still unable to win consecutive games and staying far more relevant in the 2024 draft conversation than they are in the 2023 playoff picture.Sunday’s 30-13 blowout to the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., once again confirmed the Bears as a struggling team lacking the playmaking firepower to consistently beat quality opponents.As that latest defeat settles in, Tribune writers Dan Wiederer and Colleen Kane play a game of tTrue or false with four prominent topics.Kane: True or false? After Sunday’s shaky performance against the Chargers, the Tyson Bagent fairy tale is effectively over.Wiederer: Wait. What? Are we being serious here, Chicago? Are we seriously trying to implement a super-speed round for quarterback evaluation that offers only two starts before definiti...