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In many states, women now may obtain medication by mail to induce abortions after seeing their doctors by telehealth, under a federal rule change last week lifting a requirement for an in-person medical visit. But it will make little difference to women in Kentucky or 18 other states that already have laws requiring patients to visit a doctor or other health provider to obtain medication to terminate an early pregnancy. And in Kentucky, a lawmaker is seeking to outlaw abortion medication by mail — as Texas did Dec. 1 — a move that would further blunt any impact of Thursday's action by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (Yetter, 12/20)

While many questions remain unanswered, information continues to emerge surrounding Mayor Dave Bronson’s decision to briefly shut off fluoridation of Anchorage’s water supply. The incident was first made public by the Alaska Landmine last weekend in an article citing anonymous sources. After initially denying the incident occurred, the mayor’s office issued a statement Tuesday confirming that it did, in fact, happen on Oct. 1. Members of the Anchorage Assembly said they were shocked by Bronson’s decision to shut off fluoridation and have questioned whether the mayor broke city code at the water plant that day. (Goodykoontz, 12/19)

Mammograms aren’t going away anytime soon – they are still vital in catching and treating breast cancer early, experts say. But researchers in Utah are working on new ways to screen for breast cancer that would be as easy as getting your vitals checked. Ioniq Sciences, which is based in Salt Lake City, teamed up with a University of Utah assistant professor from the College of Engineering to create a device that sends an electrical current – so small it can’t be felt – through a patient’s body to detect a change in fluid that may indicate a person has cancer. (Jacobs and Mesch, 12/19)

Alabama has tied its lowest infant mortality rate, matching a mark set in 2018, but remained significantly above the national rate for babies dying before their first birthday. Alabama’s infant mortality rate was 7.0 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2020, compared to a provisional national rate of 5.5 per 1,000, the Alabama Department of Public Health said in a news release. The 2020 numbers continued longstanding racial disparities. (12/19)

People with autism can now get that designation added to their Louisiana driver’s license. Customers can request to have an “autism” indicator added to their licenses if they have documentation to prove that a qualified medical or mental health professional has diagnosed them with autism, the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles said. The autism indicator will appear under the license photo and can also be displayed through the LA Wallet app. (12/19)