COVID-19 and Nursing Homes: Examining New National Data

COVID-19 and Nursing Homes: Examining New National Data

The first widely reported COVID-19 deaths in the United States were nursing home patients in Washington State on February 28. Numerous accounts of similar outbreaks soon followed, including 47 deaths at a nursing home in Minnesota (as of April 30), 54 deaths at a nursing home in Massachusetts (as of May 4), and 81 deaths at a facility in New Jersey (as of May 27).

Efforts to Combat E-Cigarette Misuse Could Backfire

Efforts to Combat E-Cigarette Misuse Could Backfire

Recent news about e-cigarette misuse has fueled both public misperception and policy responses that are likely to have unintended consequences. As the US vaping market continues to evolve, policymakers face the tricky challenge of safeguarding the potential for positive public health outcomes from e-cigarettes, which offer a lower-risk alternative to traditional cigarettes, while ensuring reasonable protections against youth use.

Rising Tax Burdens for Those Earning the Most

Rising Tax Burdens for Those Earning the Most

Is the tax code sufficiently progressive? The answer depends not only on the values of the person answering the question, but it also is a surprisingly tricky empirical exercise. What counts as income and who pays the corporate tax? How should one measure households?

Hey World: Do Not Ban E-Cigarettes

Hey World: Do Not Ban E-Cigarettes

There is a hot debate in many countries over youth use of e-cigarettes, electronic devices that deliver nicotine to consumers without the deadly tar found in the smoke from traditional cigarettes. Although nicotine is not a carcinogen, it is still bad for developing brains and should not be used by young adults or pregnant women. At the same time, e-cigarettes offer real advantages over traditional tobacco products for smokers who are otherwise unable to quit.

The Economics of Biologic Drugs

The Economics of Biologic Drugs

The market for biologic drugs in the United States is large and growing. Total US biologic sales in 2018 is estimated to have been $125 billion, an increase of 50 percent since 2014.