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Medscape
08-07-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Common Cold Virus Infections Drop After SARS-CoV-2 Exposure
TOPLINE: Detection of common cold coronaviruses (ccCoVs) decreased by approximately half after the widespread SARS-CoV-2 exposure and COVID-19 vaccination, whereas detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza virus remained largely unchanged. METHODOLOGY: As ccCoVs share genetic and antigenic features with SARS-CoV-2, widespread exposure to SARS-CoV-2 (through infection and vaccination) might affect ccCoV circulation. Researchers conducted a single-center retrospective study at Boston Medical Center comparing the incidence of ccCoV, RSV, and influenza virus infections before the COVID-19 pandemic and after the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron surge and widespread vaccination. The data collected encompassed five pre-COVID-19 seasons (October 2015 to March 2020), designated as period 1, and two post-widespread Omicron infection and COVID-19 vaccination seasons (October 2022 to April 2024), designated as period 2. Test positivity was evaluated while accounting for age, biological sex at birth, and level of hospitalization. TAKEAWAY: Weekly ccCoV detection decreased by approximately 50% in period 2 vs period 1 (intercept, 12.35; β, -5.87; P < .0001), while RSV (intercept, 14.55; β, 4.34; P = .08) and influenza virus (intercept, 41.86; β = 2.83; P = .73) showed no significant decrease. After adjusting for age, sex, and level of medical care, the odds of detecting ccCoV were > 50% lower in period 2 than in period 1, whereas the odds of detecting RSV were approximately 25% higher. Individuals younger than 18 years had significantly higher ccCoV and RSV infections but not those older than 65 years. higher ccCoV and RSV infections but not those older than 65 years. Biological sex at birth was not associated with the incidence of either ccCoV or RSV disease. IN PRACTICE: 'Our current work demonstrates changes in ccCoV epidemiology in the city of Boston after nearly ubiquitous exposure to SARS-CoV-2 antigens from infection and COVID-19 vaccination,' the authors wrote. 'SARS-CoV-2 infection potentially provides this heterotypic immunity, we cannot discount the effect of COVID-19 vaccination in this investigation,' they added. SOURCE: The study was led by Trisha Parayil, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston. It was published online on June 18, 2025, in Open Forum Infectious Diseases. LIMITATIONS: The study showed associations but did not prove causation. The findings need to be validated from health centers beyond Boston to establish generalizability. Ongoing CoV evolution and waning SARS-CoV-2 immunity may alter these associations in the future. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by the Massachusetts Consortium for Pathogen Readiness. The authors reported having no relevant conflicts of interest. This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
Harvard Business Review
03-07-2025
- Health
- Harvard Business Review
A New Framework for Reducing Healthcare Disparities
Despite decades of efforts to address healthcare inequities in the United States through programs and policies targeting social determinants of health, disparities persist across racial, gender, socioeconomic, and geographic lines. Systematic reviews of hospital systems' initiatives and programs to address social determinants of health (SDOH) have revealed unsatisfactory progress. Some attribute the slow progress to insufficient standardization and sharing of learnings across communities, or the underinvestment in SDOH data and measurement. We posit that the core problem may be an overreliance on importing solutions from other communities and healthcare settings without adequately accounting for the specific needs and realities of local patient populations. Health inequities are rooted in the unique social, structural, and cultural fabric of each community, and context-blind interventions risk wasting resources, eroding trust, and perpetuating the very inequities they aim to fix. To help healthcare organizations tailor their approaches to the needs and contexts of individual communities, we created our Strategic Fingerprint Framework for Health Equity, which we describe in this article. We developed it by studying the innovative, ground-level decisions made by the Health Equity Accelerator at Boston Medical Center in its approach to advancing health equity. The accelerator has already achieved promising results, including eliminating racial disparities in the decision-to-incision time to perform urgent cesarean sections and narrowing gaps in diabetes-related outcomes. Given that all fingerprints are unique, we use the term 'fingerprint' in the name of our framework to emphasize the need to tailor health equity initiatives to the target population's unique characteristics and the healthcare institution's capabilities. That said, a hyper-local approach does not preclude learning from or replicating solutions developed elsewhere. Instead, it calls for leaders to deliberately decide which solutions to adopt, adapt, or create anew to ensure the best fit for their specific context. Underlying Principles Four foundational principles comprise the philosophical underpinning of the framework and articulate the core values and assumptions guiding each strategic decision: Hyper-Locality Solutions to health inequities must address specific neighborhood or community contexts. Generic interventions often fail to resonate with local needs and structural barriers. For example, providing nutritional guidance for specific health conditions needs to take into account the ethnic makeup of the local population. A guideline for patients with diabetes to avoid rice may be difficult to follow in a predominantly Hispanic community, where rice is a core ingredient in the culinary tradition. Community Co-Creation Traditional top-down approaches often perpetuate paternalism in healthcare systems. Our framework emphasizes involving community members in the design and implementation of solutions. Meaningful co-creation ensures solutions reflect lived experiences and foster trust. Condition Specificity Moving beyond a broad focus on social determinants of health, this principle emphasizes condition-specific health-related social needs (HRSNs). For instance, food scarcity and limited transportation options challenge patients with diabetes in different ways than those with asthma. In contrast to traditional approaches aiming to reduce food scarcity or bolster transportation options in the community, our framework proposes that healthcare organizations center on the condition and explore ways to address the unique challenges that SDOHs present for patients with that condition (i.e., HRSN-focused interventions). Internal Consistency Choices made within the framework must align with one another. A lack of coherence can lead to fragmented efforts and diminished impact. Each decision should build on prior ones to create a logical and reinforcing path. Strategic choices also need to account for specific constraints affecting the autonomy of the organization, such as regulatory requirements and limitations, economic constraints (e.g., funding and payment models), and availability of appropriate skills and resources. Essential Pillars Two pillars support the framework and represent the implementation methodology in our approach. They focus on how to make each choice in the framework effective and impactful: Data-Driven Decision-Making Robust analytics should drive every decision. Leveraging detailed data on patients' health needs, social determinants of health, and patient-reported outcomes, will ensure that the initiatives have a targeted and measurable impact. Metrics are vital for tracking progress and refining strategies. Prioritization Strategy guru Michael Porter wrote: 'The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.' Prioritization prevents overextension and focuses resources on a manageable number of high-impact initiatives. Prioritization also applies when examining the set of choices for each strategic decision outlined in our framework. Other viable initiatives and choice-set options may be deferred rather than dismissed. Strategic Choices Healthcare organizations must make deliberate choices in six key areas. The Health Equity Accelerator at Boston Medical Center (BMC) is an example of an innovative approach to health equity consistent with our framework. We briefly describe its choices in each area. Medical Conditions Identify priority health conditions by analyzing data on inequities and prevalence within the community. For example, if cardiovascular disease has a high prevalence and shows the largest disparity in outcomes by race or socioeconomic status in the community served by the healthcare organization, it should be a candidate for intervention. Based on an extensive data analysis, the accelerator team at BMC decided to focus on pregnancy and perinatal conditions (e.g., pre-eclampsia); diabetes, including the integration of behavioral health in primary care for patients with diabetes; Covid-19; and prostate cancer. These were conditions for which there were significant health disparities across racial groups in the community the hospital serves. Approach Depending on organizational expertise and resources, interventions may take an operational/clinical approach (e.g., redesigning care-delivery models) or an academic approach (e.g., conducting clinical research and publishing findings). Implications of these choices include several tradeoffs, such as prioritizing speed over comprehensiveness, a narrow over a broader focus, or short-term over long-term benefits for the patients. For example, in its Equity in Pregnancy and Equity in Diabetes initiatives, BMC chose to adopt an operational/clinical approach to reduce inequities by redesigning the care-delivery model. 'Had the data driven us to focus on inequities associated with gender identity and gender dysphoria,' said one executive, 'we might have chosen an academic route, as we have some of the leading research scholars on these issues among our staff.' Intervention Design Design targeted interventions tailored to the chosen condition and approach. Each intervention requires: Metrics to Track Progress For example, BMC decided to measure the decision-to-incision time for pre-eclampsia patients. In its Equity in Diabetes initiative, it measured HbA1c and time in range for glucose control, as well as patient-reported outcomes (PROs) including PHQ2/PHQ9 and, in some cases, PAID-5 to measure diabetes-related stress. Deciding Where to Standardize and Personalize Standardization can be necessary to reduce systemic or unconscious bias. Personalization is necessary to address individual needs. The challenge is choosing a point on the continuum between the two that achieves the best of both worlds. One BMC executive stated: 'We standardize the parts where we are more likely to observe bias, which is oftentimes subconscious and cannot be completely rooted out with training and education. Where it makes sense to personalize, we allow for flexibility in the implementation of the solution.' A key choice in BMC's Equity in Pregnancy initiative was to standardize the decision-to-incision time expectations for urgent, unplanned C-sections. In contrast, in its Equity in Diabetes initiative, BMC chose to develop patient education and nutritional guidance materials accounting for the variation in cultural preferences within its patient population and the availability of food items at local food stores. Relation with the Rest of the Organization Determine if the initiative will function as a stand-alone project or be integrated into the hospital's standard care model. Integration ensures sustainability and scalability, but stand-alone projects may allow for faster implementation. BMC leaned toward the integration approach. It decided that each initiative would be housed in the relevant clinical department or services line. Referring to the Equity in Pregnancy initiative, one hospital executive said, 'The accelerator does not deliver babies; OBGYN delivers them. The work is done where the work is done.' Departments and service lines involved in each initiative receive resources from the accelerator in the form of project management, data analytics, and administrative support. Financial Sustainability The economic viability of each initiative needs to be clear from the design phase. The financial strategy for the initiative includes the choice of individual funding sources or combinations thereof along the initiative's lifespan. Examples include: Soliciting grants or donations. Leveraging existing billing codes and payment models. Reinvesting savings from cost-reduction initiatives. Flexibility is key as funding mechanisms may vary by intervention, by community, and over time. BMC leveraged combinations of funding sources in each initiative. It predominantly relied on donations and grants to fund the pilot stage of each initiative, but when applying to have their envisioned initiative accepted by the accelerator, the people pitching it had to submit a financial plan for sustaining it beyond the pilot stage. Additional Choices Our framework allows for the inclusion of other strategic decisions specific to the hospital or community context. While BMC made choices along the areas we've described, another organization may need or want to add other areas and key decision points to tailor its approaches to the hyper-local features and needs of the community it serves. Early Results at BMC's Health Equity Accelerator Early results from the BMC Health Equity Accelerator demonstrate the potential of our framework to drive measurable and equitable improvements in care. In the Equity in Pregnancy Initiative, the team significantly reduced decision-to-incision times for urgent, unplanned C-sections (from 88 to 50 minutes overall) with even more substantial reductions for Black patients (from 98 to 50 minutes) and Hispanic patients (from 84 to 49 minutes), effectively eliminating the disparity with white patients. Similarly, the Equity in Diabetes Initiative showed promising early outcomes, with the percentage of diabetic patients with HbA1C levels greater than nine dropping from 13.7% to 11.8%. Notably, the racial disparity in poor glycemic control between Black and Hispanic patients and white patients was cut in half, highlighting the framework's ability to reduce inequities while improving overall outcomes. Potential Implementation Challenges and Failure Modes While our framework provides a structured approach, it is not free from implementation challenges. Some of them include the following: Inadequate data quality and completeness may reduce the value of the information used to identify disparities, select prioritized conditions, and measure success. Community engagement requires a persistent and consistent commitment and interaction over time. It does not happen overnight. Healthcare resources are limited and may not be available in the future, especially for community healthcare and safety-net institutions, which are reimbursed at lower price levels and rely on donations to a large extent. The benefits of immediate actions may not manifest themselves until far in the future (e.g., savings emerging from having fewer patients with prostate cancer may materialize many years after the hospital investment in equitable prevention and screening processes). This delay may compress the ROI of the investment, potentially discouraging valuable initiatives from being funded. Scalability may challenge the personalization of the solutions. . . . In the quest for health equity, prioritization is not a compromise; it is a necessity. The scarcity of resources and the organizational benefits of focused operations demand that organizations lead their efforts strategically and direct their limited funds, staff, and operational capacity to the areas of greatest need and impact. Our framework can help them choose priorities, build momentum, achieve meaningful results, and create a pathway to broader equity over time. In healthcare, context is not just a detail; it is the foundation on which equitable solutions are built. If we embrace this truth, we stand a far better chance of achieving the health equity that has long been elusive.
Forbes
21-06-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Why Gen Z Chooses Healthcare Over Tech: A Recruiting Blueprint
Doctor, woman and tablet in hospital with holographic ux for telehealth, medical innovation and dna ... More study. Medic, mobile touchscreen for typing on app for data analysis, 3d hologram ui and research A recent study at the National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) has revealed a profound shift in career aspirations among younger professionals, with 3 out of 4 young Americans (Gen Z) now choosing the essential and purpose-driven world of healthcare over high-tech jobs. This isn't just a trend, it's a wake-up call for industries challenged with workforce instability, the rise of automation, and shifting generational priorities. To explore this phenomenon more deeply, I interviewed four exceptional people and future healthcare leaders, who graduated from Cornell University's Sloan Master's in Health Administration program. Through their insights, we gain a richer understanding of what fuels this generational realignment and how other industries should consider adapting to remain relevant for an employee that knows what they want, how they want it. Redefining a Meaningful Career The pursuit of meaningful work was a common thread during our discussion. For Keshaav Krishnaa Pothapur, an incoming administrative fellow at Boston Medical Center, "a meaningful career is at the intersection of empathy and impact." Having started his career as a dentist, he quickly realized the limitations of addressing individual care and pivoted toward roles where he could influence systems and communities on a larger scale. 'There are more things to fix than people's teeth,' he remarked, underscoring the draw of systems-level change and his drive to make the healthcare experience more compassionate and effective. Similarly, Lesly Leon, bound for an administrative fellowship at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California, emphasized the duality of personal and community growth in a meaningful career. Growing up in underserved communities, Lesly experienced first-hand the challenges of accessing quality care. Her values now inform her mission to work within healthcare to improve equity and uplift populations facing similar barriers. 'Healthcare allows me to give back to the communities that shaped me,' she shared, connecting her personal experiences to her professional ambitions. Natalie Stopfer, who transitioned from a career as a behavioral health nurse to now, an Associate Consultant at Chartis noted the personal motivation of meaningful work. 'I always wanted to help people, even as a kid when I stocked my desk with band-aids to help classmates,' Natalie shared with a laugh. But her career isn't just about fulfilling childhood dreams, it's about finding joy and excitement in her work every day. For Natalie, a meaningful career is one that nourishes self-growth while also enabling her to improve patient care systems at a macro level. Deevena Annavarjula, manager of value-based care at Boston Medical Center, views meaningful work as engaging with the idea of evolution. 'Our work life takes up so much of our time. It has to be something we get excited about.' Balancing personal fulfillment with professional purpose, she is highly self-aware and mindful of carefully assessing and pivoting whenever workplace environments fail to align with her values. Her confidence in evolving roles and industries is a testament to Gen Z's innovative approach to career satisfaction. Stability in Healthcare Is About More Than Job Security Traditional notions of stability, holding one job at one company for the entirety of a career, are a thing of the past for Gen Z. Lesly noted that while healthcare offers career stability through essential, purpose-driven work, 'there can often be a disconnect between expectation and reality,' particularly regarding the emotional toll of the job. Having witnessed her own mother's struggle to access adequate care, Lesly believes that reshaping healthcare to be more equitable will not only meet societal needs but also provide new generations of healthcare professionals with fulfilling roles that endure. This contrasts sharply with the instability affecting tech industries. Companies like Amazon have publicly acknowledged how AI advancements are leading to significant job cuts, creating anxiety among employees about their future roles. Amazon's own CEO Andy Jassy recognized that automation is reshaping the workforce, drawing critical attention to the growing gap in job stability in the tech sector. For healthcare professionals, such turbulence in other industries underscores the appeal of a field rooted not just in purpose but also in necessity. Deevena took the concept further, explaining that for her, stability stems from adaptability. 'It's not about staying in one job for 40 years anymore. What matters is knowing you can find your place at every phase of your career.' For her, life transitions, including moving from the insurance industry to hospitals and continuously applying skills in new ways are part of what keeps her engaged. This mindset reflects a broader trend amongst younger professionals seeing stability not as rigidity but as flexibility to grow and thrive in dynamic environments. Keshaav added another dimension by tying adaptability to the evolving innovation in healthcare. He noted that the pandemic catalyzed a shift in how healthcare is viewed, moving it from being a reactive system to one that embraces innovation. 'Tech is powerful, but healthcare is essential,' Keshaav stated. For younger professionals, stability goes beyond a steady paycheck to include opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge solutions, such as predictive algorithms and AI, which are reshaping care research and care delivery. Gen Z Is Reshaping Mentorship Dynamics One of the most striking insights from the panel was their take on mentorship. Traditionally viewed as a one-way relationship, Gen Z professionals no longer see mentors solely as providers of wisdom. Instead, mentorship has evolved into a dynamic, two-way exchange. 'Having a mentor is like having your own Google Translate for workplace jargon,' Keshaav explained, emphasizing the role mentors play in decoding the complexities of healthcare for new professionals. However, mentors also learn from their mentees. As Deevena pointed out, 'This isn't the first time healthcare has faced significant changes. Mentors help us see how challenges were addressed in the past while we offer fresh ideas for navigating today's transitions.' Lesly underscored the importance of understanding traditional structures while working toward necessary changes. 'Mentorship is a collaborative process. Even when there's a gap between generations, there's always an opportunity to learn from one another.' For Natalie, her mentors helped repurpose her clinical nursing experience to improve healthcare systems at a higher, strategic level. These dynamic relationships enrich both generations by bridging experience with innovation. Lessons for Other Industries If healthcare has become a destination for young professionals seeking purpose and stability, what can other industries learn from this shift? The answer lies in fostering environments where connections are meaningful, opportunities for growth are abundant, and individual values and beliefs are honored. Industries like tech, currently grappling with AI-driven workforce reductions, such as the cuts Amazon has disclosed, would do well to adopt some of Keshaav, Lesly, Deevena and Natalie's insights. A Call to Action for Leaders Everywhere The stories shared by these future healthcare leaders with a path forward, not just for hospitals, but for any organization striving to attract and retain Gen Z talent. Industries must evolve from transactional workplaces to environments that are transformational for both the individual and society. With this in mind, here are five key imperatives leaders need to act on today: A Future Built on Purpose and Community If industries like tech and beyond hope to remain competitive, they must ask themselves hard questions. Are they creating environments where young professionals can challenge norms, grow their skills, and thrive despite technological disruption? Are they actively aligning workplace values with the aspirations of the workforce? Without these considerations, all industries risk alienating a generation that sees purpose not as an option, but as a norm. The future belongs to sectors and leaders brave enough to prioritize innovation, purpose, and community for a Gen Z workforce that knows what they want.
Boston Globe
09-06-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
Can free money help people stay off drugs? These programs are trying it.
Nothing stuck until Pagan, a 36-year-old personal caregiver from Revere, learned late last year of engaged in physical exercise, Pagan was rewarded with $5 loaded onto a debit card. Advertisement While modest, the payments were enough to motivate Pagan to keep coming back, week after week, to a program that taught her new strategies for controlling her cravings. 'When you're living on the edge, sometimes you need something — even if it's small — to feel better about yourself and your future," she said. Pagan is among hundreds of people addicted to stimulants in New England who are part of a bold but debated experiment: giving financial rewards to people who abstain from illicit drugs. In cities across the region, treatment providers are embracing the concept of monetary awards as they seek new ways to combat a troubling surge in the use of psychostimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine. Advertisement The approach is known as Policy makers are banking on the intervention to help address a gaping hole in the substance use treatment system. There are no targeted medications for the estimated 'People have been brainwashed into thinking that depriving people and letting them `hit bottom' is the only way for somebody to get better, and contingency management flies in the face of that,' said Deirdre Calvert, director of the state Department of Public Health's Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. 'Most importantly, it works.' While offering people small rewards for abstinence dates to the 1980s, the approach has been slow to catch on. One of the biggest obstacles has been the moral objection to the idea of paying people to stay off drugs — which, critics argue, they should be doing anyway. Legal concerns have been another barrier. Treatment providers have long worried they could run afoul of Advertisement Yet attitudes began to change a few years ago amid a troubling new reality. Many people were taking cocaine and meth without realizing it was At the same time, states received the So in 2021, Boston Medical Center received a $1.43 million grant from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to launch Interest in the program has far exceeded expectations. Justin Alves, co-medical director for the START program and a nurse educator with the Advertisement All told, 660 patients with stimulant use disorders have participated in the program since 2021; and more than 50 percent have been people of color, according to Boston Medical Center. Organizers of the program are now looking to tap opioid settlement funds to expand the incentives to $300 to $500 per person per year, consistent with scientific studies showing that larger amounts are more effective in promoting abstinence. 'The $75 was enough to get people to come to group [meetings],' Alves said. 'By the time the $75 ran out, we had nurse-patient relationships with people and that's what has made the program blossom.' Behavioral scientists said the programs are effective in part because the prizes act much like stimulants do — by increasing dopamine levels in the brain. The US Department of Veterans Affairs was Advertisement The concept is also taking hold in Maine, which has been And in Vermont, Some treatment providers are wary of giving prizes that they say patients could then sell or trade for drugs. Yet that hasn't emerged as a problem, say clinicians and researchers. The Howard Center tracks how participants spend the rewards and found they largely use the money to buy food, gas, and other basic items. Rosario Malcolm-Testaverde credits a contingency management program with potentially saving his life. He spent 15 years addicted to crystal methamphetamine, bouncing in and out of hospital emergency departments, before he discovered the Boston Medical Center program. He didn't need the money, yet the weekly prizes gave him an incentive to show up at group meetings. There, he encountered a community of people who understood the powerful pull of crystal meth and its dangerous side effects — including paranoia and auditory hallucinations. Advertisement 'I felt fully recognized as a human being,' said Malcolm-Testaverde, 36. 'And the rewards system helped replace the dopamine hit I would get [from crystal meth].' At noon on a recent Monday, the mood was upbeat as Pagan and a dozen other people in recovery filed into a brightly lit conference room at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless office at 780 Albany St. One by one, members introduced themselves and talked about what they were looking forward to in their lives. An older man named John described the daily challenge of staying sober when, each day, he encountered people using cocaine outside his apartment building in Cambridge's Central Square. Among the last to speak, Pagan proudly announced to the group that she had just received word of a new job opportunity and was brushing up her resume — something she never would have imagined just a couple of years ago, when she was still living on the streets and using drugs. 'Hopefully a door opens because I feel like I'm ready,' Pagan said. In an instant, everyone around the table burst into applause. Chris Serres can be reached at
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘It's complete': Officials detail ‘chilling sequence' prior to fatal shooting
A day after ShotSpotter detected 18 gunshots in seven seconds and police found a man fatally shot, a chilling text message was sent: 'It's complete.' Three men have now been charged in connection with the Feb. 4 death of 33-year-old Mauricio Lawrence on Tennis Road in Mattapan. At about 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 4, ShotSpotter detected 18 gunshots near 35 Tennis Road. Boston police responded and found Lawrence had multiple gunshot wounds. He died while being taken by Boston EMS to Boston Medical Center. Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said the case is a 'chilling sequence of calculated actions.' About six hours before the shooting, video surveillance shows Jair Meeks, 24, entering Lawrence's place of work to record him while two others waited nearby in a Honda Accord. Once back in the car, the car's dash cam recorded Meek tell Shovan Darby, 29, of East Weymouth, and Roberto Taylor, 29, of Dorchester, what to do leading up to the shooting, the district attorney's office said. This included telling them to 'wrap [the gun] up in a bag' to 'try to catch the shells,' to put different tire rims on the Accord to alter its appearance and to use special tape to cover the license plate to make the vehicle harder to detect. Darby and Taylor followed Lawrence in the Accord when he left work, officials said. As Lawrence neared his apartment door, Taylor approached from behind and fired, officials added. Taylor returned to the car and, with Darby driving, fled the area. 'It's complete,' Darby sent Meeks in a text the next morning. 'This case presents a chilling sequence of calculated actions. It also provides an excellent example of investigators pursuing a criminal incident until every person who played a role is identified and brought forward to answer for their conduct,' Hayden said in a press release. Meeks was charged in Suffolk Superior Court with one count of accessory before the fact. He was ordered held without bail. Darby and Taylor were charged in Suffolk Superior Court with first-degree murder on May 8. Meeks, Darby, and Taylor are all due back in Suffolk Superior on June 17 for pre-trial hearings. Here's how long you can get Dunkin's new Pink Spritz refresher for just $3 Scammer told her to withdraw $20K and stop talking to her family — so she did Mass. firefighter arrested at work in connection with child sex abuse materials Mass. casino winner: Slots player bet $1.80 on jackpot spin Community Preservation Committee to hold informational meeting Read the original article on MassLive.
