HEALTH EXPERTS WATCH TB CASES POST-PANDEMIC — After 30 years of slow but steady declines, tuberculosis cases in the U.S. plunged in 2020 at the height of the pandemic. But they’re rebounding, a worrisome development, public health experts say.  In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallied 8,300 cases of tuberculosis, up from 7,874 the year before. Preliminary data shows 19 states and the District of Columbia already have higher case counts than they did all of last year. While this year’s increase likely won’t surpass 2019 numbers, experts say the steep drop-off in TB cases during the pandemic could be misleading because people who were sick, hospitals and doctors have been so focused on testing for Covid-19. TB is “one of the types of diseases that reflects our ability to manage complex health problems,†Dr. Amita Gupta, director of the infectious diseases division at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told Prescription Pulse. And some public health departments — particularly those with high concentrations of at-risk populations like migrants or people experiencing homelessness — say they struggle to meet patient demand. As the top global infectious disease killer, it’s been impossible to eradicate in the U.S. “One thing that probably a lot of the public is not aware of [is that] TB is still here in the United States,†Dr. Philip LoBue, director of the CDC’s division of tuberculosis elimination, told Prescription Pulse. LoBue said it’s premature to conclude the Covid-19 pandemic led to fewer cases. Some experts hypothesize that TB cases appeared artificially depressed as many people did not seek treatment or moved around less during federal, state and local shutdowns. The disease is airborne and travels well in environments in which individuals live in close proximity, such as in prisons or shelters. Even if others don’t get sick right away, they could develop latent TB — which can emerge later if a person’s immune system becomes compromised. Delays in diagnosis lead to dangerous delays in treatment, which requires several months of specialized antibiotics. Two of the first-line antibiotics for TB were in shortage or limited supply as of March. If patients don’t complete their antibiotic treatment, they risk developing drug-resistant TB, which is even more difficult to treat. IT’S TUESDAY. WELCOME BACK TO PRESCRIPTION PULSE. Katherine will be a panelist at the Food and Drug Law Institute meeting later this week — come say hello! Send news and tips to Lauren Gardner ([email protected] or @Gardner_LM), David Lim ([email protected] or @davidalim) and Katherine Ellen Foley ([email protected] or @katherineefoley). TODAY ON OUR PULSE CHECK PODCAST, host Ben Leonard talks with POLITICO health care reporter Robert King, who explains why some state insurance commissioners want Congress to restore their authority to regulate Medicare Advantage marketing.
| 
