• District of Columbia: Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled that drugmakers cannot implement proposed 340B rebate models without first getting approval from the HHS secretary, affirming similar rulings made by lower courts. The case involved four pharmaceutical companies — Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Eli Lilly — that sought to implement rebate models that would require hospitals to pay the full price for 340B drugs and then apply for a rebate later instead of receiving upfront discounts. Although the court held that the 340B statute allows rebate models, it said that the HHS secretary must first provide or approve such a model before drugmakers can implement it. According to the judges, HHS properly required the companies to wait while the agency reviews their current rebate model plans. Currently, HHS' reviews of the companies' proposals are still ongoing, and it is not known whether the agency will ultimately approve the proposed rebate models. (Jeffries, Becker's Hospital Review, 7/21)
• Maryland: According to data from Johns Hopkins University, the United States has recorded 2,295 measles cases so far this year, surpassing 2025's total of 2,289 cases. This is the highest number of measles cases since 1990, when there were 27,808 cases. U.S. measles cases fell dramatically after 1990 due to an aggressive vaccination campaign, and the implementation of the two-dose measles vaccine schedule the year before. The United States officially eliminated measles in 2000, and since then has usually only seen a few dozen to a few hundred cases a year. However, the country may no longer have its elimination status after sustained measles transmission for over a year. Canada lost its measles elimination status last year, and the United States and Mexico will meet with the Pan American Health Organization in November to review their respective elimination statuses. Based on CDC's most recent update, there have been 34 new measles outbreaks this year, with 44 jurisdictions reporting cases. (Choi, The Hill, 7/22)
• Massachusetts: The Massachusetts House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would ease access to late-term abortions in the state. Currently, Massachusetts law limits abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions if a pregnant woman's life is in danger, if her physical or mental health is at risk, and if there is a "lethal fetal anomaly" or "grave fetal diagnosis." Under the new bill, patients would be allowed to get an abortion if a doctor deems it appropriate. The House approved the bill in a 119-33 vote, and the Senate must approve it before the current legislative session ends on July 31 for it to become law. "We found that this care is so complicated, there is no way to encompass every possible exception," said state Rep. Christine Barber (D), who sponsored the legislation. "It should be between a doctor and a patient." If the bill becomes law, Massachusetts would be among the states with the fewest restrictions on late-term abortions. (Russell, New York Times, 7/22)

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness, and as more cases are reported in the United States, health experts are underscoring the importance of vaccination to protect yourself and others from potential infection.