Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Are Drug Makers Prepared Against Cyber Attacks?
Stat: Some Drug Makers Could Be 'Highly' Susceptible To Ransomware Attacks
The latest high-profile incident of a ransomware attack caused one of the biggest gas and fuel suppliers in the U.S. to close its East Coast pipeline for several days, a worrisome reminder that each industry remains vulnerable to cyberattacks. And not surprisingly, pharmaceutical companies also are easy targets, according to a new analysis. (Silverman, 5/18)
In other health industry news —
Boston Globe: Atlas Venture Launches Another Biotech To Tackle Vision Loss
Call it “Quest for Sight: The Sequel. ”In September, the Swiss drug giant Novartis paid $150 million for a Cambridge startup that had developed a pair of potential gene therapies to restore vision to people with blindness stemming from genetic diseases. It was a sizable return for the biotech, which had used roughly half of the $21 million in venture capital it had raised after its founding about 17 months earlier by Atlas Venture. (Saltzman, 5/18)
KHN: Racism Derails Black Men’s Health, Even As Education Levels Rise
More education typically leads to better health, yet Black men in the U.S. are not getting the same benefit as other groups, research suggests. The reasons for the gap are vexing, experts said, but may provide an important window into unique challenges faced by Black men as they try to gain not only good health but also an equal footing in the U.S. (Anderson, 5/19)
KHN: Why Your Dentist Might Seem Pushy
In 1993, Dr. David Silber, a dentist now practicing in Plano, Texas, was fired from the first dental clinic he worked for. He’d been assigned to a patient another dentist had scheduled for a crown preparation — a metal or porcelain cap for a broken or decayed tooth. However, Silber found nothing wrong with the tooth, so he sent the patient home. He was fired later the same day. “Never send a patient away who’s willing to pay the clinic money,” he was told. (Austin, 5/19)
The Oregonian: Tense Hospital Scene After Shooting Increases Alarm Over Portland’s Gun Violence ‘Crisis’
A flood of Portland police cars responded late Monday to break up a report of a gang fight at the doors to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center’s emergency department, where four people with gunshot wounds had just arrived. The scene was reminiscent of scenarios two decades ago when officers, street outreach workers and pastors routinely headed to the hospital to cool tensions between rival gangs. Those days are back, say police, former gang members and community leaders. (Bernstein, 5/18)
