Hello from the Common Health Coalition! The 2-4-2 Digest is a weekly snapshot for health leaders - 4 key insights in 2 minutes or with 2 swipes on your phone.

The Common Health Coalition and the American Academy of Pediatrics are hosting a webinar on provider liability and practice considerations around COVID-19 vaccines TODAY at 5pm ET. Register here!

Weekly Health Insights

Public Health Alliance: Fifteen Democratic-led states have formed a public health alliance to coordinate on disease response, share guidance, and jointly purchase vaccines and supplies amid recent federal funding cuts. The coalition aims to strengthen preparedness and expand membership in the months ahead.

Pharmaceuticals: The White House and several states are advancing new efforts to lower prescription costs. California will launch state-branded insulin at $11 per pen in January, while the FDA is expediting reviews for drugs tied to affordability and public health priorities.

Overdose Deaths: Overdose deaths are falling nationwide—with Florida reporting a 35% drop in fentanyl fatalities and Chicago seeing a 37% overall decline—as expanded naloxone access, treatment programs, and real-time drug surveillance contribute to local progress. Experts caution that sustaining these gains will require continued investment in harm reduction and community-based supports.

IVF: The federal administration announced plans to lower fertility treatment costs through a partnership with EMD Serono, offering steep discounts on common IVF drugs via TrumpRx.gov and encouraging employers to add IVF benefits. The effort marks the first major federal action on infertility care, though it stops short of requiring insurance coverage or broader subsidies.

Vax News: The Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) released their guidelines for the Covid-19 vaccination for immunocompromised individuals, and the CHC unified recommendations table is now updated. Check out the Common Health Coalition’s Vaccine Resources page for additional explainers and toolkits related to immunization policy. Follow us on Instagram @commonhealthcoalition for more for more up-to-the-minute health content.

Colleague Corner

Researchers from MIT, Wellesley College, Louisiana State University, and the New York City Department of City Planning have developed Voice to Vision, a system that makes civic decision-making more transparent by directly linking community feedback to policy and planning outcomes.

"By creating a shared information space between stakeholders, Voice to Vision demonstrates how structured data and specialized interfaces can foster cooperation across stakeholder groups while addressing tensions in accessibility and trust formation."

– Hughes et al.

Data Watch

A Guardian analysis found that U.S. overdose deaths fell 27% in 2024, driven by expanded naloxone access, treatment programs, and shifts in the drug supply, but fatalities are rising again in parts of the West and Southwest. Check out the interactive visualizations.

Percent change in drug overdose deaths from August 2023 and December 2024 by county.

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