HHS on Friday declared a public health emergency (PHE) in Hawaii due to recent wildfires in the state, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from the District of Columbia, Hawaii, and Texas.

• District of Columbia: Patient advocates are warning that FDA's recent draft proposal aimed at reducing salt intake could hurt people with kidney disease, specifically Black Americans. The proposal would allow the use of salt substitutes in foods that have standards of identity, which are regulations that determine what ingredients can go into certain foods like ketchup, Asiago cheese, and white bread. Currently, manufacturers can't use salt substitutes in those products, as regulations specifically call for table salt. In a joint statement to FDA, the American Association of Kidney Patients, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and the National Kidney Foundation warned the draft proposal could impact patients with kidney disease, especially Black Americans who historically have high rates of the disease. They warn the regulation would increase the use of potassium chloride as a salt substitute, something patients with chronic kidney disease can't properly excrete from their bodies, which can lead to excess potassium levels in the blood and ultimately lead to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden heart failure. (Florko, STAT, 8/15)
• Hawaii: HHS on Friday declared a PHE in Hawaii due to recent wildfires in the state and waived certain requirements for Medicare, Medicaid, and Children's Health Insurance Program to allow providers to have more flexibility in meeting emergency health needs. HHS' Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response has sent 13 National Disaster Medical System personnel to the state and said more are ready to deploy if necessary. A recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that wildfire inhalation was linked to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. "Our data suggest that, in addition to the more obvious health impacts of wildfire smoke — like irritation to our throats and eyes, along with breathing difficulties — high smoke days might be taking a toll on our brains," said Boya Zhang, lead author on the study and a doctoral student at the University of Michigan's School of Public Health. (Tsanni, STAT, 8/14; George, MedPage Today, 8/14; AHA News, 8/14)
• Texas: The University of Texas at Austin and MD Anderson on Monday announced they will partner to build two hospital towers at the site of the Frank Erwin Center, which is slated to be demolished later this year. According to UT System Board of Regents chair Kevin Eltife, the $2.5 billion project will create the University of Texas at Austin Medical Center with a new hospital operated by MD Anderson, as well as a second tower that will house a specialty university hospital. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said the plan "expands our mission to make health care more accessible. Rather than Texans traveling to Houston, we will now be bringing the world's best cancer care right to them right here in Central Texas." (Cobler, Axios Austin, 8/14)