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The ideas and innovators shaping health care | | | | |  | | By Erin Schumaker, Carmen Paun and Ben Leonard | | | | | 
President Biden wants most new car buyers to choose EVs. | Christopher Furlong/Getty Images | New research on California’s electric-vehicle rebate program suggests that if President Joe Biden succeeds in getting more EVs on the roads, it could result in cleaner air — but not for everyone. Researchers analyzed data from more than 400,000 EV rebates issued between 2010 and 2021. They mapped the data onto census tracts to model how resulting pollutants might differ across neighborhoods. What the study found: California’s air got cleaner, as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions fell. Even so: The picture is less rosy for “disadvantaged communities,” classified as the top 25 percent of census tracts in the state for measures like environmental exposure and environmental vulnerability. Those communities also tend to have larger Hispanic populations, more poverty and lower education levels. By the numbers: Disadvantaged communities received 7 percent of EV rebates, while the “least disadvantaged” communities (read: more affluent and educated with less environmental exposure) received 46 percent. Disadvantaged communities “may see less of the benefit” of cleaner air in the state, Jaye Mejía-Duwan, study author and Ph.D. student in the University of California, Berkeley’s department of environmental science, policy and management, told Erin. Mejía-Duwan added that the lower-income areas may end up with dirtier air: “They’re also closer to power plants, so they may see more of the increased pollution.” The curious case of PM2.5: While overall emissions fell, one pollutant increased. That was PM2.5 — fine particulate matter, small enough to penetrate the lungs and cross over into the bloodstream, which is linked to heart and lung problems. EVs’ batteries are heavy, so the vehicles’ tires and brakes sometimes produce more friction and fine particulate matter than gas vehicles’ do. What’s next: The Environmental Protection Agency proposed new federal emissions standards for cars and trucks in April. If adopted, 2 in 3 new cars and light trucks sold in 2032 will be electric, POLITICO’s Alex Guillén reports. “Electric vehicles seem like this magic, silver-bullet, technological solution,” Mejía-Duwan said. “But we need a broader focus on the underlying social, political, economic and social factors that produce these inequities.”
| | | | DON’T MISS POLITICO’S HEALTH CARE SUMMIT: The Covid-19 pandemic helped spur innovation in health care, from the wide adoption of telemedicine, health apps and online pharmacies to mRNA vaccines. But what will the next health care innovations look like? Join POLITICO on Wednesday June 7 for our Health Care Summit to explore how tech and innovation are transforming care and the challenges ahead for access and delivery in the United States. REGISTER NOW. | | | | | | | | | 
Jordan Pond, Maine | Shawn Zeller | This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. Calling all mosquito magnets: A recent proof-of-concept study by Virginia Tech researchers compared how attracted mosquitos were to fabrics worn by unwashed humans vs. humans washed with four popular soaps — Dial, Dove, Native and Simple Truth. While some of the soaps seemed to attract mosquitos, Native soap seemed to repel them, which could be fodder for larger studies about whether soap could be a future mosquito repellent. Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Ben Leonard at bleonard@politico.com, Ruth Reader at rreader@politico.com, Carmen Paun at cpaun@politico.com or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@politico.com. Send tips securely through SecureDrop, Signal, Telegram or WhatsApp. Today on our Pulse Check podcast, your host Ruth talks with AI entrepreneur and NYU professor emeritus Gary Marcus about regulating artificial intelligence in health care.
| | | | | | |  People are still waiting for a Lyme disease vaccine, but mice already have one. | AP | Lyme disease vaccines for people are likely years away, but the Department of Agriculture has conditionally licensed one for mice. Why it matters: Lyme disease is the most common insect-borne disease in the U.S., with 476,000 people diagnosed each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mice are a natural reservoir for the bacterium that causes Lyme, which black-legged ticks spread. Vaccinating mice could keep them from spreading the bacterium to ticks that spread it to humans. That makes the new mouse vaccine an infection-control tool, Jolieke van Oosterwijk, chief science officer at US Biologic, which developed the vaccine, told Erin. No needles required: Instead of a shot, the oral vaccine is sprayed onto pellets and distributed in places where mice feed. The rodents then develop antibodies against Lyme bacterium. Fast facts: — For conditional licensure, the vaccine had to uniquely address an emergency condition, be limited in geographic use and be shown safe and effective in field trials. — Sales efforts will initially focus on the 15 or 16 states with the highest incidences of Lyme disease, likely in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Northeast. “We want the vaccines where they are most needed,” van Oosterwijk said. — The vaccine will be sold to pest-control providers and tick-management programs. Through pest-control providers, residential customers can buy a LymeShield station, or a small plastic tub with time-released, coated pellets. A full rollout is expected by summer. On the human side: Phase III trials are underway for a Lyme disease vaccine from Pfizer and French drugmaker Valneva. Vaneva says they expect to submit an approval application for the vaccine in 2026.
| | | | GET READY FOR GLOBAL TECH DAY: Join POLITICO Live as we launch our first Global Tech Day alongside London Tech Week on Thursday, June 15. Register now for continuing updates and to be a part of this momentous and program-packed day! From the blockchain, to AI, and autonomous vehicles, technology is changing how power is exercised around the world, so who will write the rules? REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | | | 
Prematurity remains an intractable problem. | AP Photo/Karel Navarro | Children are dying around the world because they’re born too soon. Preterm birth — when a baby is born before 37 weeks of gestation — is the top killer of children under 5 years old worldwide, says a new report from the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health. Preterm babies who survive can face lifelong health consequences, with an increased likelihood of disability and developmental delays. What can be done? The report recommends governments: — Increase resources and implement policies for the care of mothers and babies. — Improve climate adaptation, as climate change increases the risk for preterm births. — Invest in locally led innovation and research to improve quality of care and equity in access. Why it matters: No measurable progress to reduce preterm birth globally has been made over the past 10 years, the three organizations said, and 152 million babies were born early during that time. Most preterm births occur between 32 and 37 weeks of gestation, when a baby can typically survive without receiving neonatal care, according to the report. But as with many other health issues, where a preterm baby is born often makes the difference between life and death. Far too many preterm births still occur in low-resource settings, the report says. The situation is even more dire for babies born before 28 weeks. Nine in 10 born in high-income countries survive. Fewer than one in 10 born in low-income countries do. In 2020, Southern Asia had the highest preterm birth rate — at 13.2 percent — followed by sub-Saharan Africa. Bangladesh, Malawi, Pakistan, India and South Africa were the top countries for preterm birth rates. At 10 percent, the U.S. isn’t far behind. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |  |
