Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Forest Service Will Allow Federal Firefighters To Wear N95 Respirators
NBC News: Federal Firefighters Will Be Encouraged To Wear N95 Respirators In Major Policy Reversal
For the first time, federal firefighters will be encouraged to wear respirators to protect them against smoke-related hazards as they work to put out wildland blazes. The Forest Service announced Wednesday that firefighters were authorized to use N95 respirators on the fire line, a major policy reversal as the agency for decades did not allow such protections, even as studies demonstrated the health harms of wildfire smoke. (Bush and Lozano, 6/24)
More news about the Trump administration —
The Washington Post: Trump Abruptly Cancels Signing Of Bipartisan Bill On Affordable Housing
President Donald Trump abruptly canceled an event to sign a bipartisan affordable-housing bill Wednesday, announcing the ceremony was off as he fumed about the Senate not passing his bill to impose new rules on elections. An hour and a half before he was due to sign the bill at the Capitol at noon, the president caught lawmakers and some staff by surprise, declaring on social media that a news conference and signing ceremony was “hereby cancelled until such a time as we pass the desperately needed SAVE AMERICA ACT, which I consider to be a National Emergency.” (Allison, Alfaro, Dillard and Meyer, 6/24)
The Hill: Judge Grants Temporary Restraining Order Against DOJ's Subpoenas For Transgender Medical Records
A federal judge on Wednesday blocked Justice Department (DOJ) prosecutors from accessing the medical records of transgender individuals treated at New York City hospitals. U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, of the Southern District of New York, granted the plaintiffs’ request for a temporary restraining order against the DOJ, thereby barring the Trump administration from seeking, receiving, using, retaining or disseminating any identifying or sensitive information pertaining to the plaintiffs. A spokesperson for the department declined to comment on Failla’s ruling. (Rego, 6/24)
The Washington Post: Internal Memo Orders Staff Not To Reveal Deaths In National Parks
Guidance issued by the Interior Department instructs National Park Service staff not to confirm deaths, the severity of injuries or other details. (Spring, 6/24)
CIDRAP: Petition Urges FDA To End Routine Antibiotic Use On Farms
A coalition of 65 health, environmental, consumer, and animal welfare groups has filed a petition with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to end the routine use of antibiotics in food-producing animals. The citizen’s petition, sent last week to the FDA, calls on the agency to withdraw approval of medically important antibiotics that are administered in animal feed and water when not associated with a diagnosed illness. The target of the petition is use of antibiotics for disease prevention and “maintenance of growth” in poultry, swine, dairy cattle, and beef cattle—uses the groups argue are unnecessary and contribute to the emergence and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. (Dall, 6/24)
In military health news —
San Antonio Express-News: Lackland Flu Outbreak Gets Worse, With 275 Recruits Reported Ill
Air Force officials say they are isolating and treating trainees with flu symptoms to try and prevent further spread of the outbreak. (Christenson, 6/24)
Military.com: Hidden Camera Exposes Alleged Abuse Of Marine Veteran With Alzheimer’s Disease
A hidden camera installed by the wife of a disabled Marine veteran has triggered criminal charges, calls for a broader investigation, and a pledge from Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to remove a federal employee accused of abusing the veteran inside a New York state-run veterans home. (Fuller, 6/24)
Military.com: SOCOM Study Of 231,000 Special Operators Finds 18% Higher Cancer Risk
A major study commissioned by U.S. Special Operations Command has found that special operations troops experience higher rates of cancer than the rest of the military, providing the clearest evidence yet that an issue long discussed within the SOF community deserves closer examination. (Lindsay, 6/25)
On the immigration crisis —
The Texas Tribune: Mexican Man Dies In ICE Custody In Laredo
A 63-year-old man died in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Laredo this month, marking at least the fifth death in Texas ICE detention centers this year, a quarter of the nationwide total, as the fatalities have skyrocketed to a record pace not seen in decades. (Kriel, 6/24)
Verite News: Rural Emergency Care Is Struggling To Keep Up With ICE Detention Demand
Emergency responders sped out of a Pennsylvania immigrant detention center on a recent Saturday morning, sirens blaring as they drove past more than 20 protesters demanding the lockup’s closure. It was the Moshannon Valley EMS crew’s second run to the Geo Group-owned site that day. The number of detained immigrants the crew serves has grown by 44% since President Donald Trump returned to office. The Moshannon Valley Processing Center now holds nearly 1,700 people, according to the Deportation Data Project — a population more than half the size of the town. (Llanos, 6/24)
CNN: The Hidden Stakes Of The Birthright Citizenship Case: Healthcare For Babies
The birthright citizenship case in front of the US Supreme Court is about much more than just citizenship. It’s also about an issue that was little discussed in court arguments: babies’ immediate access to safety net programs and medical tests that need to be done within the first couple days of life. (Christensen, 6/24)
