Tag: healthcare

Better Utah in the News

Alliance for a Better Utah calls for Kaysville mayor’s resignation over planned concert

This article originally appeared in the Deseret News. Read it in its entirety here. KAYSVILLE — The Alliance for a Better Utah is calling on Kaysville Mayor Katie Witt to resign after she opened up the city to a free outdoor concert May 30 in conjunction with activists opposed to restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Witt expressed her support for the concert in a

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Better Utah in the News

Utah’s no-bid contracts guided by personal contacts, CEO suggestions

This article originally appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune. Read it in its entirety here. In the war on COVID-19, Utah has doled out more than $84 million in no-bid contracts and supply orders outside the normal purchasing process designed to promote transparency, fairness and competition among businesses. These procurement shortcuts were necessary during the pandemic, officials argue, to cope with the urgent need for protective

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Better Utah in the News

Utah auditor reviewing $800K buy of anti-malarial drugs, other COVID-19 purchases

This article originally appeared in the Deseret News. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY — Utah State Auditor John Dougall confirmed Friday his office is reviewing the state’s $800,000 purchase of anti-malarial drugs — a controversial move that raised red flags from pharmacists and medical professionals, and has since been refunded. “Yes, we’re looking into it,” Dougall told the Deseret News when asked

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Better Utah in the News

Scrutinized malaria drug purchase to be refunded in Utah

This article originally appeared on KSL News. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah will be refunded for a $800,000 purchase it spent to buy a malaria drug once touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus despite warnings from doctors, officials said Wednesday. Leaders in both Utah and Oklahoma have faced scrutiny for spending millions of dollars combined to purchase the

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People are not experiencing the pandemic the same

By Darlene McDonald This week, the number of Americans who have died from Covid-19 reached a bleak milestone. The number of people who have died from Covid-19 surpassed the number of Americans killed during the twenty-year Vietnam War. That is a heartbreaking reality of the devastation brought on by a global pandemic. However, hidden within

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Better Utah in the News

Utah refunded $800K after purchase of unproven COVID-19 treatment

This article originally appeared on Fox 13. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY — A local pharmacy chain has refunded the State of Utah $800,000 for thousands of pills intended for treating COVID-19. On March 31, the state purchased 20,000 courses of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine – commonly used in the treatment of malaria, but unproven in treating COVID-19 – from Meds in Motion.

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Better Utah in the News

Oklahoma, Utah face scrutiny over malaria drug purchases

This article originally appeared on PBS. Read it in its entirety here. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Republican state leaders in Oklahoma and Utah are facing scrutiny for spending millions of dollars combined to purchase malaria drugs promoted by President Trump to treat COVID-19 patients that many other states obtained for free and that doctors warned shouldn’t be used without more testing. While governments in at least

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Better Utah in the News

More deaths, no benefit from drug touted by Trump to treat coronavirus, study finds

This article originally appeared on CBS News. Read it in its entirety here. A malaria drug widely touted by President Donald Trump for treating the new coronavirus showed no benefit in a large analysis of its use in U.S. veterans hospitals. There were more deaths among those given hydroxychloroquine versus standard care, researchers reported. The nationwide study was not a rigorous experiment. But with 368 patients, it’s the largest look

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Better Utah in the News

Utah to buy stockpile of anti-malarial drugs, critics blast deal

This article originally appeared in KSL. Read it in its entirety here. SALT LAKE CITY — State health officials are in the process of buying a mass of anti-malarial drugs to treat up to 200,000 of Utah’s COVID-19 patients, despite objections from medical experts. The plan is to distribute the drugs to local pharmacies across the state so the treatment will be available “free of charge to patients,

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Coronavirus in Utah

Coronavirus, Novel Coronavirus, COVID-19–names that confuse, strike fear, and bewilder the general public. These words have become part of our every-day lexicon. There is not a day that goes by when there is not at least one discussion of the virus and how it is upending everyone’s lives. What started as a conversation in December

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