Happy Friday, readers!
I’m sure many of you across the country are bracing for what’s expected to be one of the less pleasant heat waves of the year. From New York to D.C. To the Midwest, it’s slated to be a full-on scorcher – in fact, the nation’s capital is expected to roast in Death Valley-like temperatures over the weekend.
Heat waves, like other natural phenomenon that forcefully shake us out of our man-made comfort zones (such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires), have plenty of downstream effects. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can manifest in uncomfortable ways later in the evening, including via dehydration and difficulty sleeping. That can be especially problematic for older people with chronic conditions. And these uncomfortable circumstances are only expected to become more common going forward.
It may sound cliche, but: Stay hydrated. Stay indoors. And avoid strenuous physical activity if you can, especially if you have heart or breathing conditions that can be exacerbated by intense heat and humidity. In short: Stay cool, readers.
Read on for the day’s news, and have a wonderful weekend.
Sy Mukherjee, @the_sy_guy, [email protected]
DIGITAL HEALTH
Digital health firm Phreesia pops in public debut. Digital health companies are continuing their streak in public offerings, with long-standing firm Phreesia (focused on health tech and software) spiked more than 50% from its initial price offering on Thursday before sinking mildly by about 5% on Friday. It's been a big year for digital health IPOs - and more are in the pipeline. Stay tuned. (Bloomberg)
INDICATIONS
DOJ sues second opioid distributor over crisis. The Justice Department has sued a second opioid distributor, Miami-Luken, including individual company executives over alleged roles in propagating the opioid abuse and addiction epidemic. The officials are charged with failing to prevent suspicious sales of large quantities of the addictive medications to areas hard-hit by the addiction crisis; at least one charged individual told Reuters they felt confident they would be exonerated. (Reuters)
THE BIG PICTURE
EPA will not ban use of controversial pesticide. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided against banning chlorpyrifos, a pesticide that has come under scrutiny for its alleged health effects, especially on children. “After reviewing the objections, EPA has determined that the objections related to Petition claims regarding neurodevelopmental toxicity must be denied because the objections and the underlying Petition are not supported by valid, complete, and reliable evidence sufficient to meet the Petitioners’ burden,” wrote an agency spokesperson. (Reuters)
REQUIRED READING
Cloud Gaming Is Tech's New Street Fight, by Jonathan Vanian
Citigroup CEO Outlook on U.S. Economy: 'I'm Excited About the Future', by Susie Gharib
As Europe's Cannabis Industry Opens Up, Established Canadian Companies Are Pouncing, by David Meyer
Find past coverage. Sign up for other Coins2Day newsletters.