The scary diseases making comebacks

The ideas and innovators shaping health care

Aug 14, 2023 View in browser   By Ben Leonard, Daniel Payne, Erin Schumaker and Evan Peng DANGER ZONE In this March 2019 file photo, a sign at the Rockland County Health Department in Pomona, N.Y., explains the local state of emergency regarding a measles outbreak. | Seth Wenig/AP Photo Endemic leprosy in Florida, the threat of tens of thousands of measles cases in London and the increase of syphilis cases by 50 percent or more in Ireland and Portugal. This isn’t an excerpt from a Victorian novel but is instead a sobering snapshot of the Western world in 2023, POLITICO’s Ashleigh Furlong reports. How so? Falling childhood vaccination rates, changes in behaviors and eating habits — and, of course, climate change — contributed to a perfect storm where dangerous diseases, thought to be relegated to a bygone era, returned to countries that had practically eliminated them. Additionally, bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to our antibiotics, meaning one of the most transformational medicines of the past 100 years is now under threat. Here are five diseases that have made a robust comeback: Measles. Albania, the Czech Republic, Greece and the U.K. have lost their measles-free status. Just two months into 2023, there were already 900 cases of measles, a potentially deadly viral illness known for its rash, in the European region — exceeding the total number for 2022.  Syphilis. The most recent annual epidemiological survey from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control shows that cases of the potentially fatal bacterial infection typically spread through sex are on an upward trajectory across the EU. Gout. Cases of this severe form of arthritis linked to eating rich, sugary foods are increasing worldwide, with the U.S. and Canada having the highest increases in prevalence. Leprosy. A new case report indicates that leprosy may have become endemic in Florida. The number of reported cases of the bacterial disease, which damages skin and nerves and can cause blindness, has more than doubled in the past decade in southeastern states. Malaria. In June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert about several locally acquired cases of malaria in Florida and Texas. The potentially fatal disease causes flu-like symptoms and is spread by infected mosquitoes.   A NEW PODCAST FROM POLITICO: Our new POLITICO Tech podcast is your daily download on the disruption that technology is bringing to politics and policy around the world. From AI and the metaverse to disinformation and cybersecurity, POLITICO Tech explores how today’s technology is shaping our world — and driving the policy decisions, innovations and industries that will matter tomorrow. SUBSCRIBE AND START LISTENING TODAY.     WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE Chappaquiddick Island, Mass. | Erin Schumaker This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. The deadly wildfires that devastated Hawaii last week also disrupted research projects across Maui, Science reports. Growing houses at the University of Hawaii's Olinda Rare Plant Facility were torn apart by high winds and Lahaina harbor, a whaling science hub, is empty and covered with charred debris. Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Carmen Paun at cpaun@politico.com, Daniel Payne at dpayne@politico.com, Evan Peng at epeng@politico.com or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@politico.com. Send tips securely through SecureDrop, Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp. Today on our Pulse Check podcast, host Kelly Hooper talks with Katherine Ellen Foley, who explains what's behind the growing bipartisan support for bolstering research on using psychedelic drug therapy to treat mental health issues like PTSD, anxiety and depression. Listen to today’s Pulse Check podcast   DON’T MISS POLITICO’S TECH & AI SUMMIT: America’s ability to lead and champion emerging innovations in technology like generative AI will shape our industries, manufacturing base and future economy. Do we have the right policies in place to secure that future? How will the U.S. retain its status as the global tech leader? Join POLITICO on Sept. 27 for our Tech & AI Summit to hear what the public and private sectors need to do to sharpen our competitive edge amidst rising global competitors and rapidly evolving disruptive technologies. REGISTER HERE.     CHECKUP Bottles of the generic prescription pain medication Buprenorphine are seen in a pharmacy. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images The prescribing of buprenorphine, an effective opioid use disorder treatment, has jumped significantly in the emergency room but is still underused, a new analysis from the research arm of a major electronic health records firm found. Epic Research examined data from more than 800,000 emergency department visits between January 2015 and June 2023. The findings: — Buprenorphine was prescribed in 7.6 percent of opioid use disorder visits and 1.6 percent of overdose visits in June 2023, up from about 0.1 percent in both overdose and general opioid use disorder ER visits in January 2015. — The rise in prescribing rate picked up speed after Congress revamped requirements for prescribing the drug at the end of last year. Still, prescribing rates remain relatively low, and the researchers said it “remains to be seen whether the increase in buprenorphine prescriptions will be maintained over time.” The big picture: Public health experts and treatment advocates see the drug as one of the top tools they have to tackle the opioid crisis, but some barriers to prescribing remain, including Drug Enforcement Administration rules, awareness, stigma and insurance requirements.   Follow us on Twitter Carmen Paun @carmenpaun Daniel Payne @_daniel_payne Ruth Reader @RuthReader Erin Schumaker @erinlschumaker Evan Peng @thepngfile   Follow us

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