Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
32% Of Outbreaks Linked To Food That Could've Been Treated To Avert Illness
CIDRAP: A Third Of US Food Outbreaks And 3,500 Illnesses Tied To Non-Irradiated Eligible Food
Of 482 US foodborne outbreaks caused by four common bacteria from 2009 to 2022, 32.2%—involving more than 3,500 sick people and 10 deaths—were linked to a food that could have undergone pathogen-neutralizing irradiation but did not, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported yesterday in Emerging Infectious Diseases. (Van Beusekom, 5/14)
AP: There's Bird Flu In US Dairy Cows. Raw Milk Drinkers Aren't Deterred
Since March 25, when the bird flu virus was confirmed in U.S. cattle for the first time, weekly sales of raw cow’s milk have ticked up 21% to as much as 65% compared with the same periods a year ago, according to the market research firm NielsenIQ. That runs counter to advice from the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which calls raw milk one of the “riskiest” foods people can consume. (Aleccia, 5/14)
Stateline: As States Loosen Childhood Vaccine Requirements, Health Experts’ Worries Grow
Louisiana Republican state Rep. Kathy Edmonston believes no one ought to be required to vaccinate their children. So, she wants schools to proactively tell parents that it’s their right under Louisiana law to seek an exemption. “It’s not the vaccine itself, it is the mandate,” Edmonston told Stateline. “The law is the law. And it already says you can opt out if you don’t want it. If you do want it, you can go anywhere and get it.” (Chatlani, 5/15)
CNN: US Drowning Death Rates Have Increased, Reversing Decades Of Decline
After decades of decline, accidental drowning rates are rising in the US, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported. With Americans getting ready to hit swimming pools and beaches on Memorial Day weekend, a new study shows that many lack the skills they need to stay safe in the water. (Goodman, 5/14)
The Wall Street Journal: Cheating On Workplace Drug Tests Hits A Record
Workers are cheating on drug tests at the highest rate in more than 30 years, according to one of the U.S.’s largest drug-testing labs. The increase in tampered tests came from samples collected in 2023. About 31,000 drug screens out of 5.5 million showed signs of cheating, according to Quest Diagnostics. (De Avila, 5/14)
The New York Times: At-Home IV Drip Therapy Is The Latest Luxury Building Amenity
About two weeks after Marcell Leon Viragh moved into the Park Santa Monica, a Los Angeles building where residents can sweat in a Himalayan salt sauna or gaze at the Pacific Ocean from the expansive roof deck, he took the elevator down to the spa, where a registered nurse slid a needle into a vein in his arm, sending a liter of saline, vitamins and electrolytes coursing through his bloodstream. (Kaysen, 5/14)
In news on mental health matters —
CNN: Internet Access Is Linked To Higher Well-Being, New Global Study Reveals
The internet is ruining our lives, right? Not necessarily, according to a new study. “Nearly everyone seems to think that internet-powered technologies are driving an epidemic of ill-being and mental health problems,” said lead study author Dr. Matti Vuorre, assistant professor of social psychology at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, in an email. “Our study of over two million individuals from 160+ countries runs contrary to this idea.” (Holcombe, 5/15)
Fortune: Adult Mental Health Survey: Lost Time Due To Depression, Anxiety
Every now and then you may wonder, Where did the time go? Whether mystified at how quickly an afternoon slipped away or reflecting on years gone by at lightning speed, you’ve probably experienced periodic sensations of lost time. Yet 44% of Americans feel they’ve lost time in their lives due to a known culprit: poor mental health. Among people diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety, this percentage nearly doubles to 78%. That’s according to a new national survey from Myriad Genetics, dubbed the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor. (Leake, 5/15)
