Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
All Of The Americas Might Lose Measles-Elimination Status This Week
Stat: Canada Could Cost The Americas Its Measles-Elimination Status
The Americas — North, Central, and South — is the only region of the world that has ever managed to stop endemic transmission of measles. But that hard-won victory against the highly contagious virus is on the verge of being rolled back. (Branswell, 11/3)
CIDRAP: Support For Measles Vaccination Drops Amid Growing Confusion About The Disease, US Poll Shows
Support among US adults for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has dropped from 90% to 82% in just a few short months, while confusion reigns over whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—the top US official spearheading prevention efforts—recommends that children be vaccinated against measles, according to the latest poll from the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) at the University of Pennsylvania. (Wappes, 10/31)
NBC News: This Tight-Knit Community Was Recovering From A Cultlike Leader. Then Measles Got In
Few people talk about vaccinations here. Not to outsiders, anyway. By and large, the people who live in Hildale, as well as in neighboring Colorado City, just across the state border in Arizona, are fiercely private. High walls surround many of the homes to avoid the prying eyes of strangers. Measles got in anyway. (Edwards, 11/1)
In other health and wellness news —
CNN: Obstructive Sleep Apnea May Be Linked To Microbleeds In The Brain
Maybe you know you snore like a bear, but you don’t feel much urgency to look into it. Or maybe you have been told to wear a continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, machine for sleep apnea, but it is just so cumbersome. A new study shows that it is important to take obstructive sleep apnea seriously now –– it could impact your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease later. (Holcombe, 11/1)
The New York Times: What The Air You Breathe May Be Doing To Your Brain
For years, the two patients had come to the Penn Memory Center at the University of Pennsylvania, where doctors and researchers follow people with cognitive impairment as they age, as well as a group with normal cognition. Both patients, a man and a woman, had agreed to donate their brains after they died for further research. “An amazing gift,” said Dr. Edward Lee, the neuropathologist who directs the brain bank at the university’s Perelman School of Medicine. “They were both very dedicated to helping us understand Alzheimer’s disease.” (Span, 11/1)
Axios: Doctor Shares How To Spot Menopause Misinformation
Many doctors have been taught outdated information about menopause treatments — or haven't been taught about them at all — leaving countless women without the help they need from trusted sources. For example, 52% of Black women say they don't know which menopause recommendations to follow, according to a recent Black Women's Health Imperative survey of more than 2,200 women nationwide. (May, 11/2)
On listeria and salmonella —
The Hill: FDA Recalls Multiple California Peaches Nationwide For Listeria Risk
Two types of California-grown peaches sold across the U.S. have been recalled for potential listeria contamination, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recall includes fresh white, yellow and “peppermint” peaches from Moonlight Companies which were sold at grocery stores across the country including Trader Joe’s and Kroger stores such as Mariano’s, Pick n Save, Metro Market, Dillons, Baker’s, Gerbes, King Soopers, City Market, Fry’s, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Ralphs, Food4Less, FoodsCo, QFC, and Smith’s stores. The peaches were sold under Kroger branding at Kroger stores, according to the FDA. (Kutz and Tanner, 10/31)
AP: Powder Supplements Sold At Sam's Club Tied To Salmonella Outbreak
At least 11 people have been sickened, including three who were hospitalized, with salmonella infections linked to powder supplements sold at Sam’s Club stores nationwide and online, federal health officials said Friday. Member’s Mark Super Greens Powder Supplements have been pulled from store shelves because they contain moringa leaf powder that may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. (Aleccia, 10/31)
MedPage Today: Salmonella Paratyphi A Vaccine Protected Against Infection
An investigational live attenuated vaccine led to protection against Salmonella enterica serovar Paratyphi A infection, according to a phase IIb randomized trial using a controlled human infection model. (Rudd, 10/31)
