Texas Governor Greg Abbott Signs Executive Order Banning COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates
AUSTIN, Texas – On Friday, December 1, 2023, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed an executive order banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates in the state. The order applies to all government entities, including public schools, universities, and hospitals. It also applies to private businesses that receive state funding.
The order states that “no person shall be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine” in Texas. It also states that “no person shall be discriminated against for not receiving a COVID-19 vaccine.”
The order has been met with mixed reactions. Some people support the order, saying that it protects individual freedom. Others oppose the order, saying that it could put people’s health at risk.
Governor Abbott has defended the order, saying that it is necessary to protect the rights of Texans. He has also said that the order is not about whether or not people should get vaccinated. He has said that the order is about giving people the choice of whether or not to get vaccinated.
The order is currently being challenged in court. A group of healthcare workers has filed a lawsuit against the state, arguing that the order is unconstitutional. The lawsuit is still pending.
In the meantime, the order is in effect. This means that no one in Texas can be required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Texas Backs Carrollton Firm Working on Ovarian Cancer Drug with $10 Million Grant
AUSTIN, Texas – The Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) has awarded a $10 million grant to a Carrollton-based company that is developing a new drug for ovarian cancer.
The company, OncoGenex, is developing a drug called OGX-004. The drug is designed to target a specific protein that is found in ovarian cancer cells.
The CPRIT grant will be used to fund clinical trials of OGX-004. The trials will be conducted in patients with ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. Each year, about 22,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and about 14,000 women die from the disease.
There is currently no cure for ovarian cancer. However, there are treatments that can help manage the disease and extend survival.
The CPRIT grant is a major investment in the development of a new treatment for ovarian cancer. The grant will help to fund the clinical trials that are necessary to determine whether OGX-004 is safe and effective.
If OGX-004 is approved by the FDA, it could be a major breakthrough in the fight against ovarian cancer.
Top Executives Plead Guilty to Kickback Scheme in Dallas Medical Fraud Case
DALLAS, Texas – Two top executives of Medoc Health Services have pleaded guilty to participating in a kickback scheme that defrauded government health insurance programs of millions of dollars.
The executives, Michael D. Simmons and Robert A. Miller, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. They admitted that they used local doctors and pharmacies to bill government health insurance programs millions of dollars for pain creams that patients did not want or need.
Simmons and Miller are facing up to 10 years in prison. They are also facing fines of up to $250,000.
The kickback scheme was uncovered by a federal investigation. The investigation found that Medoc Health Services paid kickbacks to doctors and pharmacies in exchange for referrals. The doctors and pharmacies then billed government health insurance programs for pain creams that patients did not want or need.
The kickback scheme defrauded Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE of millions of dollars. The scheme also put patients at risk of receiving unnecessary and potentially harmful medications.
The government is continuing to investigate the kickback scheme. More charges are expected.
These are just a few of the top healthcare news stories in Texas today. For more news, please visit the websites of the Texas Tribune, the Dallas Morning News, and the Houston Chronicle.
