Feb 10, 2026

Email 1 Summary:

Subject: The question that must get asked in dementia care

– Dementia care should prioritize patient autonomy despite the challenges posed by the disease.

– Professor and neurologist Jason Karlawish argues that a simple yet crucial question can revolutionize dementia care ethics and practice.

– Current practices have evolved, but asking this key question can improve the standard of care.

– Other health topics in this newsletter include the truth about TrumpRx drug prices, concerns about NIH grant reviewer politicization, China’s criticism of the U.S. withdrawal from WHO, and survey data showing most women prefer in-clinic cervical cancer screenings over at-home self-sampling.

Email 2 Summary:

Subject: 🏛️ Insurer review bottlenecks

– Congressional efforts to limit insurance prior authorization denials and delays in Medicare Advantage have stalled again.

– Prior authorization requests are common and denials can negatively impact patient care.

– The TrumpRx drug pricing site lists drugs many of which have cheaper generic alternatives available elsewhere.

– Public trust in the CDC for vaccine information is declining, with partisan divides affecting confidence levels.

– Hims & Hers abandoned plans to sell a compounded GLP-1 weight loss pill after FDA and HHS scrutiny.

– Other topics include the impact of insurer delays on patient outcomes and increasing political attention on healthcare costs.

Email 3 Summary:

Subject: ‘The dirtiest supply chain on Earth’: The dark side of the battery booms

– Measles outbreaks are rising due to declining vaccination rates but symptoms are generally mild for vaccinated individuals.

– The beetle Sceptobius lativentris relies on grooming ants to harvest chemicals for disguise and survival.

– UK is proposing reforms to its largest research funding agency to focus more on economic growth, sparking concern among scientists.

– Newly released files show Jeffrey Epstein’s deep involvement with the scientific community.

– Bioengineer Kiana Aran spent five days in total darkness and silence, exploring sensory and brain activity changes.

– The battery boom for electric vehicles involves a corrupt and exploitative supply chain of critical minerals like cobalt.

– Other features include genetically edited plants to improve agricultural sustainability and a podcast discussing agricultural innovation.

Stay Well!