The Biden administration on Wednesday said it will release doses of prescription influenza medication from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from California, the District of Columbia, and Texas.

• California: Telehealth provider Cerebral and Olympic gymnast Simone Biles have exited their Simone Biles x Cerebral" partnership, which used Biles' platform to foster growth at the startup. In October 2021, Biles was named "chief impact officer" for Cerebral. "The term of the contract ended earlier this year and wasn't extended," according to Stephen Cohen, a spokesperson for Cerebral. According to the Wall Street Journal, Biles was removed from Cerebral's home page between Nov. 10 and Nov. 15. (Winkler/Radnofsky, Wall Street Journal, 12/20)
• District of Columbia: The Biden administration on Wednesday said it will release doses of prescription influenza medication from the SNS to help states address a rise in patients seeking treatment at hospitals and doctors' offices. As flu cases have continued to surge around the United States, the demand for both prescription and over-the-counter medication has spiked. So far, the flu has resulted in 150,000 hospitalizations and 9,300 deaths this season, according to CDC. Now, states will be able to request doses of Tamiflu from HHS. The Biden administration has not yet disclosed the number of available doses. "Jurisdictions will be able to get the support they need to keep Americans healthy as flu cases rise this winter," said Dawn O'Connell, an assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS. (Seitz, Associated Press, 12/22)
• Texas: U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk on Tuesday ruled against an HHS program that gives teenagers access to birth control without a parent's permission. According to Kacsmaryk, the Title X program—which provides confidential contraception at no cost, cancer screenings, and additional services to millions of low-income individuals—violates parents' constitutional right to control their children's upbringing. Following Kacsmaryk's ruling, teenagers who participate in the program will likely no longer be able to receive care confidentially. Several reproductive advocacy groups have criticized the ruling. "This ruling threatens the health and lives of young people, who may be stripped of their ability to access the health care they need to build healthy lives," said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood. (Weixel, The Hill, 12/21)