Viewpoints: Trump’s Pick To Head HHS Draws Criticism For Pharma Ties; HIV Quarantine?
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
The Wall Street Journal:
Oh, No, A Pharma Exec
One reason men and women in business are reluctant to go to Washington is the reception accorded Alex Azar Monday after President Trump said he will nominate the former Eli Lilly & Co. executive to lead the Health and Human Services Department. Mr. Azar was immediately criticized for, well, knowing too much about health care. (11/13)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
This Life With Gracie: HIV Quarantine? No. Better Access To Health Care? Yes, By All Means
Last month, Georgia Rep. Betty Price set off a national firestorm when she asked a state health official whether people with HIV could be legally quarantined. ... Price said Friday that HIV/AIDS was never the focus of the committee hearings. Barriers to access to health care was. “I think this is an issue that inserted itself,” she said. “It was not the high point of the mission of the committee.” ... While the prospect of a quarantine might be foolhardy, I know few who would argue that the HIV/AIDS epidemic shouldn’t be included in discussions about barriers to health care and particularly here in Georgia. When it comes to lifetime risk of infection — the likelihood of contracting HIV at some point during one’s life — Georgia ranks third in the nation behind D.C. and Maryland. (Gracie Bonds Staples, 11/14)
Stat:
Doctors Need To Discuss Firearm Safety And Gun Violence With Their Patients
As a resident in a training program for primary care physicians, I ask my patients all sorts of highly personal questions aimed at understanding what’s needed to keep them healthy and prevent future disease. I ask how often a patient moves her bowels, whether he has had unprotected sex or used illicit drugs, and more. I never asked my patients if they keep a gun in the home — until the Las Vegas mass shooting prompted me to start. (Priya Joshi, 11/13)
The Wall Street Journal:
The Menu Label Cops Win
The Trump Administration is knocking down stupid or destructive regulations at a fast clip, though one of the more ridiculous Obama -era directives survives: Last week the Food and Drug Administration issued draft guidance on a long-delayed rule for calorie boards at chain restaurants, and Congress ought to intervene. (11/13)
