HLTH Opening Remarks

Opening remarks at the HLTH conferences covers various positive health-related stories. Hosts Jody Tropeano and Jonathan Weiner acknowledge that negative news captures the most attention, but healthcare is moving in a positive direction. Some key highlights include Massachusetts joining seven other states to offer students free meals, the FDA's approval of a blood test for pregnant women to identify the risk of developing preeclampsia and the approval of the first non-prescription daily oral contraceptive pill. The news also noted that the first opioid overdose reversal medicine, Narcan, will be sold over the counter at pharmacies nationwide to combat the opioid crisis, and that the Red Cross will no longer restrict gay and bisexual men from donating blood. Major developments also included multiple new treatments for Alzheimer's, proposed legislation for a minimum wage for healthcare workers in California, and human trials of an experimental universal flu vaccine. The opening remarks also discussed the promotion of a health conference taking place in Amsterdam. Issues of violence in Israel were discussed, along with the news anchor's intention to make a donation to support those affected.