Viewpoints: Approval Of Opill A Victory For Women; Climate Change Is Endangering Workers’ Health
Editorial writers tackle over-the-counter birth control pills, climate change and its effect on our health, abortion rights, and the HPV vaccine.
The New York Times:
Over-The-Counter Birth Control Pills Are Coming. What Next?
Amid so much discouraging news about reproductive health access in the wake of Roe v. Wade’s demise, the announcement by the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday that it was approving Opill, a daily oral contraceptive, for over-the-counter sale to people of all ages, felt like a breath of fresh air. (Daniel Grossman, 7/19)
The Atlantic:
America Is Failing To Protect Workers From Extreme Heat
This summer, the climate crisis has brought intense heat and toxic wildfire smoke to much of the country. These conditions are threats to us all, but they are particularly lethal to those who work outside, in the nation’s fields or construction sites, and even to some who work indoors. (David Michaels, 7/18)
Newsweek:
It's American Workers Who Are Paying The Price For Climate Change
As smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to endanger public health and cause hardship for tens of millions of people of all ages from New York to Missouri, we are painfully reminded of Maria Alvarez, a home care worker in Santa Paula, California. Several years ago, during the devastating Thomas Fire, Maria kept her disabled son, who depended on a ventilator, alive by manually pressing on his chest and lifting his head while the raging wildfire engulfed her community with smoke and left her without power for days. (Ben Jealous and Mary Kay Henry, 7/18)
USA Today:
Abortion Ban Killed My Great-Great-Grandmother. Could It Happen To Me?
Republican lawmakers in my home state of Arizona have tried to impose a Civil War-era law that bans most abortions. Doctors would face criminal penalties for performing the procedure, even if the pregnancy were the result of rape or incest. It frightens me what would happen if they succeeded. (Sophia Rick Yudell, 7/19)
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
The HPV Vaccine Should Be Required For All School-Aged Children
The HPV vaccine is, in short, a life-saver. By preventing several types of cancer, it can save thousands of U.S. lives each year. But too many children aren’t getting it. (Eddy Bresnitz, 7/18)
